THOROUGHBRED RACING : Wicked North’s Problem Found: It’s a Bone Chip

The Wicked North, fourth as the 3-5 favorite in last Saturday’s $750,000 Hollywood Gold Cup, will undergo arthroscopic surgery today at Chino Valley Hospital to have a bone chip removed from his right front ankle.

X-rays taken Sunday after The Wicked North had finished nearly nine lengths behind the winning Slew Of Damascus discovered the chip and the 5-year-old Far North horse probably won’t run again until the Santa Anita winter meeting, which begins Dec. 26.

Before the Gold Cup, The Wicked North was considered the top handicap horse in the nation. He had rattled off victories in the Oaklawn Handicap and Californian after having been penalized from first to fourth in the Santa Anita Handicap. The Gold Cup was the first race since the San Carlos Handicap on Jan. 8 that The Wicked North hadn’t crossed the wire first.

Immediately after the loss, jockey Kent Desormeaux talked about how The Wicked North hadn’t been training well before the Gold Cup.

“There was just no gas in the tank today,” he said. “The only indication we got was from his works early in the week. He just wasn’t himself.”

Trainer David Bernstein said Wednesday that owner Phil Hersh is hoping The Wicked North can return to racing in the fall, but that it doesn’t seem possible.

“It really depends on the horse,” Bernstein said. “He’ll be off for some period of time, maybe four-five months. He’s had a (rugged) campaign. He’s run in 10 stakes in 11 months.”

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Incentive isn’t lacking for trainer Wayne Lukas to run Tabasco Cat in the $200,000 Swaps Stakes on July 23.

For one, there is the money. Hollywood Park doubles the purse of the 1 1/4-mile Swaps if the field includes the winner of a Triple Crown race and the Storm Cat colt, of course, won the Preakness and Belmont.

For another, there was last Saturday’s Affirmed Handicap. R Friar Tuck, a reformed claimer, won the race in a $47.20 upset, completing the 1 1/8 miles in a moderate 1:49. Most of those same horses figure to return in the Swaps, so the competition won’t be particularly strong. Trainer Randy Winick has already said that Brocco won’t make the race.

Despite all that, Tabasco Cat won’t be running in the Swaps and, in fact, won’t be seen in action in California for quite some time.

As attractive as the Swaps may be, Lukas said Wednesday, Tabasco Cat will race in the Jim Dandy Stakes July 31 at Saratoga, then in the Travers three weeks later. The plan after that is for one more start--the Jockey Club Gold Cup at Belmont Park--before the Breeders’ Cup Classic Nov. 5 at Churchill Downs.

“We’re not giving any thought (to the Swaps),” Lukas said. “There are two reasons. We don’t want to run (Tabasco Cat) a mile and a quarter after a layoff and it would shorten our program by a week.”

Although Lukas won’t be represented in the Swaps, he will send out the probable favorite in Saturday’s Landaluce Stakes, the meeting’s championship race for 2-year-old fillies.

A $150,000 purchase by Lukas for owners Robert and Beverly Lewis at the Keeneland September sale last year, Serena’s Song beat maidens by 10 lengths in her first California start on June 25.

After finishing fifth and fourth in two races at Churchill Downs, the daughter of Rahy took the lead from her outside post in her Hollywood Park debut, then romped home under Gary Stevens. She completed the five furlongs in 57 2/5.

“She put everything together,” Lucas said. “She impressed me . . . and she impressed Gary Stevens. She ran 57 2/5 and she just galloped the last eighth of a mile. She’s a very gifted filly and she’s doing very well.”

Horse Racing Notes

Jeff Lukas is back, working for his father, Wayne, at their Santa Anita base. Injured critically when run over by Tabasco Cat nearly seven months ago, Lukas resumed work on June 27. “He’s doing very well,” the elder Lukas said. “He’s putting in about four-five hours a day and he’s doing a lot of walking with the different sets (of horses). It’s still a healing process, but he’s enjoying it immensely. It’s super (to have him back).”

Lakeway worked five furlongs in 58 4/5 Tuesday morning, preparing for her rematch with Sardula in Sunday’s $200,000 Hollywood Oaks. The only other 3-year-old filly likely to run in the race is Fancy ‘N Fabulous. . . . X-rays taken on Bien Bien’s right front foot Monday proved negative, so the Manila horse may come back in the $250,000 Sunset Handicap on July 24. “His foot got a little hot and we don’t want to take any chances,” said trainer Paco Gonzalez. “The X-rays were all clean, but we will get a second opinion.”