HOLLYWOOD PARK : The Wicked North Has Chance to Put Stuka Back in His Place

The 57th Santa Anita Handicap may be gone, but Phil Hersh hasn’t forgotten.

Along with his wife Sophie, Hersh owns The Wicked North, who will risk his No. 1 ranking in the latest Thoroughbred Racing Communications poll against six opponents in the $300,000 Californian Sunday at Hollywood Park.

For all his success, The Wicked North will always be remembered most for the March 5 Big ‘Cap. As the 9-5 favorite, the 5-year-old finished first by 1 1/2 lengths in Santa Anita’s richest race, but in a controversial decision, he was disqualified and placed fourth for allegedly interfering with Myrakalu early in the stretch.

Hersh and trainer David Bernstein appealed the decision by stewards Ingrid Fermin, Pete Pedersen and Tom Ward to the California Horse Racing Board. After a March 19 hearing in front of referee Steve Schwartz, the stewards’ decision was upheld on April 28.

Not satisfied, Hersh is continuing the fight. Although he has been told it could take up to two years before the matter is heard, the retired plumbing contractor and longtime horse owner has taken the appeal to Los Angeles Superior Court. In fact, the process has not started yet because neither Hersh nor the CHRB has received the transcript of the hearing from Kennedy Court Reporters.

“We need the transcript to go on,” Hersh said. “I see no justice in what has been done. It was a kangaroo court, there are no other words for it. (Schwartz) had his mind made up before he even walked (into the hearing). I don’t know if he was in the same room I was in. All I want is a little justice.”

There was some vindication six weeks after the Santa Anita Handicap when The Wicked North went to Arkansas and won the Oaklawn Handicap. Now, Hersh has him primed to maintain his status as the country’s top handicap horse in the 1 1/8-mile Californian, final prep for the $750,000 Hollywood Gold on July 2. Among his opponents are Stuka, who backed into the Big ‘Cap victory after the disqualification, and Del Mar Dennis, the rising star in the division with consecutive victories in the San Bernardino Handicap at Santa Anita and the Mervyn LeRoy Handicap.

“(The Wicked North) is doing just wonderful,” Hersh said. “He’s been training well. It looked like Del Mar Dennis (was the horse to beat), but I’m not as impressed by his last race after seeing how Tinners Way (the Mervyn LeRoy runner-up) ran in New York (finishing seventh in the Metropolitan Monday). Del Mar Dennis has never met anything like The Wicked North or these other horses. I’m more afraid of Slew Of Damascus.”

Co-highweight with Stuka at 120 pounds, The Wicked North drew the rail in the Californian. The others entered Friday besides Del Mar Dennis and Slew Of Damascus were Hill Pass, Thunder Rumble and Kingdom Found.

Best when racing on the outside and from off the pace, Stuka was moved too soon in the San Bernardino by jockey David Flores and finished seventh. Chris Antley, who rode the colt in the Santa Anita Handicap, will be back on him Sunday.

Kingdom Found, who like Stuka is trained by Gary Jones, has won three of five since returning to the races, but he is coming off a last place in his grass debut, the John Henry Handicap on May 1. However, the California-bred son of The Bart had an excuse because he lost one of his shoes.

Slew Of Damascus, beaten favorite in the Rolling Green Handicap at Golden Gate Fields in his last start, ending a five-race winning streak, is the likely pacesetter in the Californian. The 6-year-old Slewacide gelding was an easy winner of the Native Diver Handicap on the Hollywood Park main track last December. Corey Nakatani will ride Slew Of Damascus for trainer Craig Roberts.

Thunder Rumble, winner of the 1992 Travers Stakes at Saratoga, will be making his third start after being away for 1 1/2 years. He was fourth in a Santa Anita sprint, then finished fifth after battling Del Mar Dennis on the lead in the Mervyn LeRoy. He will be ridden by Eddie Delahoussaye.

Gary Stevens will ride Hill Pass for trainer Jack Van Berg.

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Accountable Lady, impressive in her first two starts, is the 6-5 favorite against four 3-year-old rivals in the $106,400 Railbird Stakes today at Hollywood Park.

A daughter of The Minstrel out of Issues n’Answers and trained by Neil Drysdale, Accountable Lady broke her maiden by 1 1/4 lengths in 1:09 4/5 on April 9, then returned 19 days later to beat allowance fillies and mares by five lengths in 1:15 1/5. Delahoussaye will ride her.

Pirate’s Revenge is the 9-5 second choice in the seven-furlong race. The other starters are Sophisticatedcielo, Beautiful Gem and Sportful Snob.