SANTA ANITA : Pincay, Solis Take Spill, Escape Serious Injury in the El Conejo

Jockeys Laffit Pincay and Alex Solis escaped serious injury in a nasty spill during the $109,800 El Conejo Handicap Saturday at Santa Anita.

Prince Wild, a 17-1 shot ridden by Solis, was fourth along the rail when he went wrong early in the stretch. Arrowtown, a 16-1 shot ridden by Pincay, was unable to avoid Prince Wild and both horse and rider fell heavily.

Arrowtown, a 7-year-old who had earned nearly $331,000, suffered a broken neck and died at the scene. Pincay was taken to the track’s first aid station. He was conscious, coherent and able to move his arms and legs, but he was sent to Arcadia Methodist Hospital for treatment of a possible concussion.

Solis, visibly shaken, walked back to the jockey’s room, but he took off his mount in the final race. He thought Pincay had struck the rail, but a replay of the accident showed he had not.

“My horse just broke his leg,” Solis said. “Then, I guess Laffit’s horse hit me from behind. He fell right next to me. I thought Laffit went under the rail. I’m just praying to God that he didn’t hit the rail and that he is all right.”

Prince Wild, who had returned to the races on Jan. 5 after being away since April 11, 1992, because of a broken cannon bone, suffered ruptured ligaments in his right foreleg and was vanned back to trainer Jack Van Berg’s barn, according to veterinarian Dr. Ray Baran.

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Gundaghia, who finished last in the El Conejo as the 9-5 favorite in 1993, caught stablemate Sir Hutch in the final yards to win this year’s edition, paying $37.60.

The 7-year-old Ole Bob Bowers gelding won for the 15th time in 36 starts, but had been in the midst of a five-race losing streak.

Davy Be Good, who set the pace, was third, a length behind Sir Hutch. Bengal Bay, who might come back in the San Luis Obispo Handicap on Monday, was fourth and Scherando, the even-money favorite, was fifth. He lost all chance when he threw his head at the start and broke last.

“I saw (Arrowtown and Prince Wild) go down and after that I quit watching the race,” said Bob Baffert, trainer of the first two finishers. “I didn’t even know I’d won it. . . . I was watching the horses and the riders that went down. I saw that my horses were all right, but I wasn’t sure. When you see something like that you lose all focus in the race. You can’t really enjoy it.”

Eddie Delahoussaye rode Gundaghia, who earned $64,800 for owners John Goodman and Robert Kieckhefer.

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Lakeway, unbeaten in two starts, is the 6-5 favorite for the $161,100 Las Virgenes Stakes today, a race that will mark her stakes debut and her first try around two turns. Seven other 3-year-old fillies are entered for the Grade I mile race.

Owned by Mike Rutherford and trained by Gary Jones, the daughter of Seattle Slew broke her maiden Oct. 24 at Oak Tree, then went to the sidelines until she won an allowance race on Jan. 8. Ridden by Kent Desormeaux, she beat C’mon Let’s Dance, another promising filly, by 2 1/2 lengths and had plenty in reserve. She ran the seven furlongs in 1:21 1/5, the same time Eclipse Award winner Cardmania ran in winning the San Carlos two races later.

Out of the mare Milliardaire, who cost Rutherford $2.7 million as a yearling nine years ago, Lakeway has trained well for the Las Virgenes and she figures to be comfortable with the extra distance.

Princess Mitterand, the 5-2 second choice, is the proven commodity around two turns. Also a daughter of Seattle Slew, she has won three of her last four starts for trainer Neil Drysdale and owners Irving and Marge Cowan, the Hollywood Wildcat connections. Most recently, Princess Mitterand easily won the Santa Ysabel as the 1-2 favorite and was second to Sardula in the Hollywood Starlet in December. Chris McCarron, who is on suspension, will be able to ride her because the Las Virgenes is a designated race.

The rest of the field, includes maiden Fancy ‘n Fabulous, Cimply A Lady, Ballerina Gal, Dianes Halo, Dancing Ovation and Musical Girl.

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Wekiva Springs suffered a minor training setback Friday at Hollywood Park, but he is still expected to run in the San Rafael Stakes on March 6. “He grazed his right front quarter and will miss four or five days (of training),” said trainer Bob Hess Jr. “It’s not a big chunk and it’s very minor. It will cause him to miss a work, but he’s sound.”

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Bien Bien and 11 others were entered Saturday morning for the $227,400 San Luis Obispo Handicap on Monday.