HOLLYWOOD PARK : Delahoussaye, Fighting Virus, Returns to Work

Saying he felt better than he had in months, Eddie Delahoussaye returned to work at Hollywood Park on Thursday after being away since May 18 because of a lingering virus in his upper respiratory system.

The jockey said his improvement was the result mainly of a visit to Steve Lewis, a Santa Monica physician recommended by Jerry and Ann Moss. The Mosses own Kentucky Oaks winner Sardula, and Delahoussaye is the 3-year-old filly’s regular rider.

“(Lewis) deals with natural herbs and stuff like that,” Delahoussaye said. “I’ve been taking (the herbs in liquid form) three times a day for the last eight days and I’m feeling 100% better.

“They don’t know what kind of virus it is, and my doctor told me there are all different kinds out there. What I’m taking now doesn’t kill the virus but it builds up your immune system so it can better fight it.

“It seems to be working. Jerry and Ann Moss swear by (Lewis). I don’t know if it’s the rest or the medicine that’s helping, but there’s no more pain in my neck, shoulders, chest or back. I just knew I had to do something, because this has been bothering me off and on since (the) Oak Tree (meeting last fall).”

After finishing third on Boldtopic in Thursday’s sixth race and fourth on Stellar Affair in the eighth, Delahoussaye will take tonight off, but is scheduled to ride in seven of 10 races Saturday.

“He wanted to ease into it Thursday and then stay home Friday night because it’s probably a good idea for him to stay out of the cool air,” agent Terry Lipham said.

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The real Johnny Mc showed up in the fourth race, and the result wasn’t pretty.

Half of a bizarre mix-up in which he and Stalvoy temporarily had reversed identities, the 4-year-old gelding finished sixth in a seven-horse field in the six-furlong, $37,000 allowance event for California-breds. Ridden by Kent Desormeaux, he was beaten by about 7 1/2 lengths at 3-1.

This was the first race for Johnny Mc since June 19, 1993, although until May 19 it was thought that he had made his comeback when he finished fifth in the fifth race on April 29. Instead, it was Stalvoy who had raced that night, and the switch came to light when “Stalvoy,” scheduled to run in the first race on May 19, was discovered to be Johnny Mc when he was taken to the receiving barn.

Trainer Bob Hess Jr. had claimed what he thought was Johnny Mc for owners Inside Track Racing on April 29, but in the aftermath of the switch, the Hollywood Park stewards voided the claim and the gelding was returned to owner Mirage Stable and trainer Craig Lewis.

A report in Friday’s Daily Racing Form said Steve Arthur, head of Inside Track Racing, was going to court to appeal the stewards’ decision to void the claim, saying Inside Track is entitled to Johnny Mc.

According to steward Tom Ward, the investigation is continuing and more rulings are likely to be forthcoming.

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Desormeaux has been granted a continuance until July in Los Angeles Superior Court for his appeal of his five-day suspension in the aftermath of the disqualification of The Wicked North in the Santa Anita Handicap on March 5.

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The hearings for the four thoroughbred trainers and one standardbred trainer whose horses tested positive for the prohibited drug scopolamine have been continued until mid-June.

Richard Mandella, Ron McAnally, Mark Hennig and Willard Proctor had horses test positive for scopolamine, an anti-spasmodic, as did standardbred trainer James Grundy for a horse at Los Alamitos. All of the trainers claim that the drug was the result of contaminated feed or bedding.

Attorney Donald Calabria is representing the thoroughbred trainers and it is possible the four will have a joint hearing.

Reportedly, there have been three more positive scopolamine results--for horses trained by Mandella (his second), Lewis Cenicola and Bill Shoemaker--but no charges will be filed by the California Horse Racing Board until the results of a split sample are known.

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Bien Bien, the defending champion in the $500,000 Hollywood Turf Handicap, worked a half-mile in 48 2/5, his final drill before Monday’s 1 1/4-mile showdown with Arcangues.

“He went really good and finished very strong,” trainer Paco Gonzalez said. “I was hoping for 48 or 49, so I’m happy.”

Arcangues worked five furlongs in just over a minute, according to Mandella, but the official work tab had the 1993 Breeders’ Cup Classic winner going three furlongs in 35 2/5. “Obviously, (the clockers) only got him the last three-eighths,” Mandella said. “He went great.”