HOLLYWOOD PARK : Bernstein Hopes New Headgear Changes Luck

David Bernstein is wearing new headgear these days. Gone is the blue baseball cap the trainer wore for good luck during much of the Santa Anita meeting, replaced by a green model with “The Wicked North” inscribed in orange letters across the front.

According to Bernstein, there is a simple explanation for the change.

“We all know what happened with the other one,” he said, referring to The Wicked North’s controversial disqualification in the Santa Anita Handicap.

The drop from first to fourth in the Big ‘Cap was The Wicked North’s only “defeat” in his last four races, and the 5-year-old Far North horse is the 6-5 favorite to win the $750,000 Hollywood Gold Cup on Saturday.

There were no surprises when entries were taken for the Grade I stake Thursday morning. The five horses expected to be entered--The Wicked North, Arcangues, Del Mar Dennis, Slew Of Damascus and Fanmore--were and this is the third time a field so small has run in the Gold Cup. There also were five-horse fields in 1958 and 1967.

Native Diver won the last of his three Gold Cups under Jerry Lambert in 1967 and Gallant Man, under high weight of 130 pounds, won as the prohibitive 2-5 choice with Bill Shoemaker riding in 1958.

Gallant Man is one of 26 favorites to have won in the first 54 runnings of the 1 1/4-mile race and Bernstein is hoping The Wicked North can make the chalk players happy again Saturday.

“His work last Saturday (five furlongs in 59 seconds) was very impressive,” Bernstein said. “Kent (Desormeaux, the jockey) said it was the smoothest he’s been in a long, long time.

“(The Wicked North) seems to do what he has to do and we’re the passenger. It’s more a jockey’s race than anything (when the field is small), and I’ve seen some major upsets in these short fields. I hope it doesn’t happen again. But if this horse fires his best race, he’ll be mighty tough.”

Returning to the main track for the first time since his 133-1 upset in the Breeders’ Cup Classic, Arcangues is the 5-2 second choice.

Trainer Richard Mandella has been working the 6-year-old in company to get him to relax behind horses. Arcangues was too close early and faded to fifth in the Hollywood Turf Handicap on May 30.

Along those lines, Mandella has also switched riders, reuniting Arcangues with Jerry Bailey, who rode him in the Breeders’ Cup. Bailey takes over for Eddie Delahoussaye, who had ridden the son of Sagace in the Turf Handicap and before that to a victory in the John Henry Handicap.

“(The change) is more a credit to my insecurity than a reflection on Eddie’s riding ability,” Mandella said. “I made a quick decision and the last thing I’d want to do is belittle Eddie Delahoussaye over it. He’s one of the best riders in the world and one of my favorite people.

“We’ve concentrated on working him in company and dragging him back and catching another horse. He’s training the best he has since I’ve had him, and it appears that it will take the race of his career to beat The Wicked North, the way that horse is running right now. The rest of them aren’t pushovers, either.”

Del Mar Dennis, a disappointing fifth in the Californian after three consecutive victories, including stakes successes in the Mervyn LeRoy and San Bernardino, drew the rail Saturday. The Wicked North is right outside him, then come Slew Of Damascus, who will be ridden for the first time by Gary Stevens, Arcangues and Fanmore, who will be making his main track debut for trainer Bobby Frankel.

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Entries were drawn Thursday for the two other stakes on the card. Eight 3-year-olds were entered in the $163,600 Affirmed Handicap at 1 1/8 miles and seven sprinters are set for the $108,400 Triple Bend Handicap at seven furlongs.

Argolid, fourth in the Harry Henson Stakes on June 17 in his first race since the Louisiana Derby on March 19, is the probable favorite in the Affirmed.

Pat Valenzuela will ride for trainer Bob Baffert against a field that includes Pollock’s Luck, Little Lite Bud, Timbalier, Scenic Route, R Friar Tuck and the Frankel-trained entry of Press Baron and Wild Invader.

Memo, the beaten choice at Churchill Downs in his last start, will probably be favored in the Triple Bend, but he could be compromised by his rail draw. Slerp, J.F. Williams, Supermec, Minjinsky, Codified and Mister Jolie complete the field.

Horse Racing Notes

Mr Purple, a 2-year-old son of Deputy Minister, was impressive breaking his maiden in his debut in Thursday’s third race. Owned by Alex Campbell Jr., trained by Ron McAnally and ridden by Chris McCarron, the half brother of Queens Court Queen beat the highly regarded Houston Sunrise and five others in 57 3/5 for the five furlongs. . . . Phone Chatter, sidelined since she wrapped up an Eclipse Award with a victory over Sardula in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies, worked three furlongs in 39 4/5 Thursday morning. This was her first workout as she prepares for a comeback after surgery late last year to repair a broken cannon bone in her rear left leg.

Jockey David Flores was off his mounts Thursday when his wife, Martha, gave birth to the couple’s third child, a girl. . . . Lakeway worked five furlongs in 1:00 4/5 and Sardula went six furlongs in 1:11, preparing for their rematch in the $200,000 Hollywood Oaks on July 10.