HOLLYWOOD PARK : Frankel Out to Repeat Magic in the Gold Cup With Fanmore

There is precedent for Fanmore to score an upset in the $750,000 Hollywood Gold Cup at Hollywood Park today.

Three years ago, trainer Bobby Frankel won the meeting’s biggest race with a turf horse who was switching to the main track when 27-1 shot Marquetry beat favored Farma Way after a memorable stretch duel.

Although he is the longest shot in the field at 8-1 in the morning line, Fanmore’s price won’t approach that of Marquetry’s in 1991. There is another difference too.

Marquetry had run on the main track before his Gold Cup victory, whereas Fanmore will be making his dirt debut, after 12 races on turf in England, France and the United States.

Owned by Juddmonte Farms, which also had Marquetry when he won the Gold Cup, Fanmore has been a model of consistency. He has won six times and run second five times, and the only time he was off the board he was a troubled fourth in the Citation Handicap at Hollywood Park on Nov. 28.

Frankel, who has been successful with other horses moving from grass to dirt, decided to give the 6-year-old Lear Fan gelding a shot in the 1 1/4-mile Gold Cup when he saw how small the field was going to be. Only eight horses were nominated and only five are expected to run today.

“You get $18,750 for running fifth and $56,250 for fourth and if he beats two horses, he gets $112,500,” Frankel said. “The race is worth $550,000 more (than Monday’s American Handicap, for which Fanmore also was nominated) and he has to run against four horses as opposed to maybe 10.

“He’s a better horse (than Marquetry),” Frankel said. “I don’t know how he’s going to run on dirt, but I like this horse better. He tries hard every time he goes out there. . . .

“There are some nice horses (in the Gold Cup), but I don’t see any superstars and some of them aren’t coming in off their best races.”

After surprising Bien Bien in the San Luis Obispo Handicap at Santa Anita on Feb. 21, Fanmore suffered a twisted ankle. According to Frankel, it took longer than expected for the gelding to lose his soreness, and he didn’t return to the races until June 18 at Golden Gate Fields.

The 7-10 favorite in the 1 3/8-mile Golden Gate Handicap, Fanmore lost by half a length to Alex The Great.

Considering the time off, Frankel was happy with the effort and expects the gelding to improve. What remains to be seen is how he will adapt to the dirt. One thing in his favor is the outside post.

“I like my post,” Frankel said. “From the outside, my rider (Corey Nakatani) can see what happens inside of him and (Fanmore) should be able to avoid getting dirt in his face.

“He’s coming up to the race fine and he’s trained very well on dirt. It’s a good opportunity to try him on the main track, and he’s got the right style for it. He’s a game, steady-running horse, and that’s what you need.”

Consideration had been given to running Fanmore in the Caesars International last Sunday at Atlantic City, a race Lure won in a photo finish over Fourstars Allstar.

But the decision was made to have Fanmore return in the Golden Gate Handicap.

“I was sorry I got beat (at Golden Gate) and, after watching (the Caesars International) I was sorry I didn’t go there. The way things have happened, maybe the gods are pointing me in the direction of this race,” Frankel said.

If Fanmore isn’t the longshot at post time, Del Mar Dennis will be. The 4-year-old Dixieland Band gelding, who had scored three consecutive victories, among them stakes triumphs in the Mervyn LeRoy and San Bernardino, finished fifth of seven in the Californian, nine lengths back.

Sal Gonzalez Jr. has been Del Mar Dennis’ rider in all eight of his starts, but there had been discussion about a jockey change for the Gold Cup. However, Gonzalez, the nephew of trainer Paco Gonzalez, will be aboard this afternoon.

His handlers want Del Mar Dennis to stay closer to the pace than he was in the Californian, and his No. 1 post dictates that he do so.

“In a way, I like the one hole because it means we’ve got to go for it and show some speed,” said John Toffan, who owns the horse in partnership with Trudy McCaffery. “I don’t think we’ll have a lot of decisions to make from in there.”

*

Hollywood Wildcat, who beat Flawlessly in their first meeting in the Gamely Handicap on June 12, will try for a repeat in the $300,000 Beverly Hills Handicap on Sunday.

The two Eclipse Award winners, each of whom will carry 124 pounds, are expected to be joined by five other fillies and mares in the 1 1/8-mile turf race, the same distance as the Gamely.

The five others entered Friday were Zoonaqua; Potridee; Mz. Zill Bear, the runner-up in the Gamely; Empress Club, who is also entered in an easier spot in today’s second race, and Corrazona.

Horse Racing Notes

First post today is noon. The Gold Cup will be the third race with a scheduled post time of 1:05 p.m. and it will be televised locally--delayed--by ESPN. . . . Besides winning with Marquetry in 1991, trainer Bobby Frankel has been second in the Gold Cup the last two years. Marquetry finished behind Sultry Song in 1992 and a year ago, Bertrando was second to Best Pal. . . . In the two other stakes races on today’s card, Argolid is the 5-2 favorite in the $163,600 Affirmed Handicap at 1 1/8 miles and Memo is the 2-1 morning-line choice in the $108,400 Triple Bend Handicap at seven furlongs.

Hollywood Park will also offer betting on the $150,000 Bowling Green Handicap from Belmont Park between the third and fourth races. . . . Laffit Pincay will be at Churchill Downs today to ride the highly regarded Timber County for trainer Wayne Lukas in the $100,000 Bashford Manor.

Breeders’ Cup Sprint winner Cardmania is back in trainer Derek Meredith’s barn and it is hoped the 8-year-old gelding will return to the races this fall. Cardmania, the last horse to finish in front of The Wicked North when he won the San Carlos in January, suffered a broken left hind cannon bone while preparing for the San Antonio Handicap in February.