HOLLYWOOD PARK : Princess Stakes Among National Best-Seven Races

Hollywood Park has signed an agreement with the California Horsemen’s Benevolent and Protective Assn. that will permit certain races at the Inglewood track to be part of the National Best Seven, starting Saturday with the $100,000 Princess Stakes.

Hollywood Park has accepted wagers on the National Best Seven since it began three weeks ago, but the track’s races have not been included.

“Both parties negotiated in good faith,” said Eual Wyatt, Hollywood Park’s general manager. “We’re delighted to be a part of it after being out (as a host track) the first three weeks.

“We think our participation as a host track will make the bet much more appealing to fans in Southern California, as well as to fans in other parts of the country.”

To accommodate the National Best Seven, the Princess Stakes will be run as Hollywood Park’s fifth race.

Besides the Princess, in which Sardula figures to be heavily favored, the other races in the National Best Seven this week are the Maxxam Gold Cup from Sam Houston, the Brooklyn Handicap from Belmont Park, the Ohio Derby from Thistledown, the Swoon’s Son Handicap from Arlington, the Honeymoon Stakes from Louisiana Downs and the Chieftain Handicap from Pimlico.

Because of the upsets by Romy ($69.40) at Arlington and Pleasant Dilemma ($20.80) at Monmouth Park, no one had all seven winners last Saturday, so there is a carryover of $106,819.11 in the National Best Seven. There is also a jackpot pool of $43,177.10, which will be paid if there is only one ticket with seven winners.

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Forced to miss the Belmont Stakes because of a bruised right front foot, Brocco will probably make his next start in the Swaps Stakes on July 23 at Hollywood Park.

Second to Valiant Nature in the Hollywood Futurity in his only start at Inglewood, Brocco is back in trainer Randy Winick’s barn at Santa Anita.

“(The Swaps) would never have been in our game plan if he hadn’t missed the Preakness and Belmont,” Winick said. “But if he’s ever going to get ready for fall, he needs that race.

“He’s doing fine now. He’s walking well and everything is back on course.”

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The hearings for the trainers whose horses tested positive for scopolamine, a prohibited drug, have been delayed until next month.

Originally, the hearings for Mark Hennig, Richard Mandella, Willard Proctor and Ron McAnally were to have been held next week before the Hollywood Park stewards, but they have been continued at the request of attorney Donald Calabria.

Hearings for Lewis Cenicola and Bill Shoemaker, who had later scopolamine positives, have also been delayed until after the hearings for Hennig, Mandella, Proctor and McAnally.

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Lakeway, who dominated Inside Information and the rest of the field in last Sunday’s Mother Goose Stakes at Belmont Park, has returned to Hollywood Park and could make her next start in the Hollywood Oaks on July 10.

However, the 3-year-old Seattle Slew filly, who has five victories and a second to Sardula in the Kentucky Oaks in six starts, may also return to New York for the $250,000 Coaching Club American Oaks on July 9.

“I’m leaning toward running her here,” trainer Gary Jones said. “But that will be (owner Mike) Rutherford’s decision.”

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This has been a big meeting for mares in foal.

Two weeks after a pregnant Mittens And Mink won in her first start since last Sept. 12, two more expectant mothers scored victories Wednesday at Hollywood Park.

Splendid Dream, a 7-year-old Bel Bolide mare racing for the first time since April 1, 1993, won the seventh race, a $25,000 claimer. Ridden by Chris McCarron, she was making her first start for owner Winning Ways Stable and trainer Sandy Shulman, who claimed her for $40,000 from Golden Eagle Farm more than 14 months ago. She is in foal to Native Prospector.

A race later, Miss High Blade, who is in foal to Houston, led every step of the way under Kent Desormeaux and scored a $24.60 upset in the $60,000-added Estrapade Handicap.

Horse Racing Notes

Kent Desormeaux rode three winners Wednesday. His final victory came on Mr. Dipper, a 4-year-old first-time starter who is owned in part by Wilt Chamberlain. The gelded son of Java Gold, trained by Richard Mandella, won in 1:16 for the 6 1/2 furlongs. . . . Eddie Delahoussaye, whose lingering ailment was recently diagnosed as sinusitis, was off his mounts Wednesday. . . . First post time will be 12:30 p.m. on July 15, rather than 7 p.m., because of the Riddick Bowe fight scheduled for that evening at Hollywood Park. Because the boxing ring will be placed on the main track, there will be eight turf races that day. First post time will also be 12:30 p.m. on July 14. . . . Megan’s Interco, who was placed on the vet’s list after winning the Shoemaker Handicap last month when he lost a shoe during the race, worked five furlongs in 59 4/5 Wednesday for trainer Jenine Sahadi. . . . Semillon, who is expected to return in the American Handicap on July 4, worked six furlongs in 1:14 4/5 for trainer Mike Mitchell.