DEL MAR : The Trip South Pays Dividends

Greg Gilchrist doesn’t make many appearances at Del Mar, but the Northern California trainer might have considerable impact this year.

Gilchrist saddled Work The Crowd for her victory Saturday in the $82,300 San Clemente Handicap, and he has scratched another fast filly, Soviet Problem, from today’s Bing Crosby Handicap to save her for a $100,000 match race against Cool Air here on Aug. 21.

A consistent 3-year-old who has had 10 victories, three seconds and one third in 15 starts, Work The Crowd held off favored Pharma to win the San Clemente by a head.

Chris McCarron, returning to action after suffering a sprained ankle in a gate accident, added a second stakes victory Saturday, riding Kingdom Found to a two-length victory over Tossofthecoin in the $125,000 San Diego Handicap.

“The ankle doesn’t hurt when I ride,” McCarron said. “It only hurts when I walk. So as long as I can stand the discomfort of getting from the jocks’ room to the paddock, I’ll be all right.”

Work the Crowd, running a mile on grass in 1:36, paid $7.

“It seems like every time this filly runs, she’s got something to prove,” Gilchrist said. “But I would think people would be getting the message by now. She’s the genuine thing.”

Work The Crowd, running before 21,878 on the meet’s fourth day, earned $41,250 for owners John Harris and Norma Foster Maddy, pushing her total over the $400,000 mark. She carried high weight of 120 pounds and is expected to run next in the Del Mar Oaks, which will be the same day as the Soviet Problem-Cool Air match race.

The match race will be at five furlongs on grass, with each horse carrying 116 pounds and the winner, according to Gilchrist, earning $80,000.

“I’d rather have to beat just one horse at that distance than trying to beat a bunch of horses going six furlongs (today),” Gilchrist said. “But if anybody’s watching this race, they’d better not blink, because it won’t take long to get it over with.”

Saturday’s victory was Kingdom Found’s first in a stake. In last start, trainer Gary Jones’ 4-year-old colt ran last, beaten by 16 lengths, at 9-5 in the Suburban Handicap at Belmont Park.

“That was just a bad go,” Jones said. “It looked good on paper, but the horse just didn’t like the track.”

Owner-breeder Ray Dilbeck’s horse was favored Saturday, paying $3.60 while carrying high weight of 116 pounds.

Kingdom Found, who ran 1 1/16 miles in 1:41 1/5, is eligible for the $1-million Pacific Classic here on Aug. 13, but probably won’t run in the 1 1/4-mile race.

“I don’t know that he wants to go that far,” Jones said. “It won’t be fair to him. The distance isn’t that good.”

Horse Racing Notes

Alex The Great came from behind under Pat Valenzuela to win Saturday’s $250,000 Sword Dancer Handicap at Saratoga. Alex The Great is trained by Rodney Rash, who remained at Del Mar to saddle Dancing Mirage for her third-place finish in the San Clemente Handicap.

Memo is the 8-5 morning-line favorite for today’s Bing Crosby Handicap. The 7-year-old gelding from Chile has two victories and a second in three starts this year. Valenzuela will be back from Saratoga to ride Gundaghia, also a 7-year- old gelding. . . . Trainer Bob Baffert, who didn’t like Thirty Slews’ weight assignment or the No. 1 position position, has scratched Gundaghia’s stablemate. Thirty Slews, who won the Crosby in 1992 and lost by a head last year to The Wicked North, is winless since the 1992 Breeders’ Cup Sprint. . . . Alex Solis, sore from a spill on Thursday, is expected to return to action today. . . . Garrett Gomez, who starts a five-day suspension today, rode winners Saturday that paid $19.40 and $54.40.