THOROUGHBRED RACING : Derby Distance Is Big Question for Fly’n J. Bryan

Ask five people who will win the most competitive Santa Anita Derby in several years, and you might get five different answers.

But ask who will have the early lead in the 1 1/8-mile race Saturday, and you’re likely to get the same response.

Fly’n J. Bryan, beaten by 22 lengths as the 7-10 favorite in the San Rafael Stakes, will be the pacesetter in this important prep for the Kentucky Derby. The son of Ogygian won his first two sprints in exceptional fashion, worked five furlongs in 58 3/5 seconds Monday at Hollywood Park and will be ridden for the first time by Pat Valenzuela.

The strategy appears simple, but trainer Doug Peterson isn’t willing to confirm the obvious. “If you can tell me what everybody else is going to do, I’ll tell you what we’re going to do,” he said Wednesday. “I don’t think he has to be on the lead.”

Still, if Fly’n J. Bryan is to have any chance of beating Brocco, Valiant Nature, Tabasco Cat, Soul Of The Matter and Strodes Creek, among others, he would have to do it by leading every step of the way.

Distance is the main question. Peterson is confident that his colt can hold his own at a mile or 1 1/16 miles, but anything after that remains to be seen. “That’s the question (he has to answer),” Peterson said.

Judging by his performance in the San Rafael, a mile seems out of Fly’n J. Bryan’s reach, but he had an excuse that day. Peterson--and almost everybody else at Santa Anita on March 6--was surprised when he couldn’t make the lead against Tabasco Cat.

The reason became apparent later. Owner Joseph Fenley’s colt had colic, and it was a week, his trainer said, before Fly’n J. Bryan was back to 100%.

Peterson and Dr. Maurice Valla also have a theory on what caused the intestinal blockage. They believe that Fly’n J. Bryan ate jimson weed, which accidentally found its way into his feed and bedding.

This was the same substance that caused the recent positive drug tests for trainers Richard Mandella, Mark Hennig and Ron McAnally. Fly’n J. Bryan was--and still is--stabled at Hollywood Park, as were the Mandella, Hennig and McAnally horses in question.

Fly’n J. Bryan’s drill Monday suggests that he is feeling well again. After a less-than-alert beginning, he recorded the fastest of 33 workouts at the distance that day.

“He walked into the work, but he gradually picked it up and he went,” Peterson said. “It was a sensational workout. Pat said it was as slow as he could get him to go.”

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Fancy ‘N Fabulous’ pedigree indicated that she would move up on the turf, and the 3-year-old Somethingfabulous filly didn’t disappoint her backers in the $81,450 Providencia Stakes on Wednesday at Santa Anita.

Closest to 3-1 second choice Rabiadella most of the way, the 11-10 favorite took charge in the final sixteenth of a mile and drew off under Alex Solis to win by 3 1/2 lengths in 1:49 for the 1 1/8 miles.

It was the second consecutive victory for Fancy ‘N Fabulous, but not the first time she had finished in the money in a stake. While a maiden, she was second in three stakes, including the Grade I Las Virgenes in February, when she placed behind Lakeway.

Rabiadella, claimed for $32,000 by trainer Mike Orman last December, was second by a half-length over 14-1 shot Espadrille on Wednesday.

“She certainly felt good on the grass,” Solis said of Fancy ‘N Fabulous.

“The thing about her is she’s so smart. She’s such a pleasure to ride. You can do just about anything on her.”

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Thirty Slews will begin another comeback today when he takes on six opponents in the $60,000 Gray Slewpy.

Rested since finishing fourth in the Breeders’ Cup Sprint, the 7-year-old Slewpy gelding has trained well for his return. He has a history of running well fresh, but will have some new equipment today, wearing blinkers for the first time.

Eddie Delahoussaye, who has ridden Thirty Slews during most of the gray horse’s career, will be back aboard.

Thirty Slews is the 8-5 favorite in the six-furlong event, which also attracted Portoferraio, Cut N. Cruise, Mister Jolie, Slerp, Scherando and Real West. Marmoe was scratched Wednesday.

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Entries will be taken this morning for the Santa Anita Derby, which will be Saturday’s fifth race and televised by ABC.

In half-mile workouts Wednesday, Soul Of The Matter was clocked in 49 seconds, Pollock’s Luck in 47 3/5 and the Charlie Whittingham-trained pair of Strodes Creek and Numerous in 47 2/5 and 47 3/5, respectively.

Argolid suffered another quarter crack in his right foreleg and will have to miss the Arkansas Derby on April 23. He also has had one on his left foreleg.

Santa Anita will simulcast the Blue Grass Stakes from Keeneland, the Oaklawn Park Handicap and the California Derby from Golden Gate Fields on April 16. There will be an early post time of 12:15 p.m. that day.