Advertisement

Desert Pirate Will Head Field of 2-Year-Olds for Balboa Stakes

Share
SPECIAL TO THE TIMES

There will be an early preview of 1995’s 3-year-olds on Wednesday in the Balboa Stakes.

The Del Mar meet is run as the 2-year-olds are beginning to mature and show their potential. The 23 previous runnings of the Balboa Stakes have produced seven winners of the Del Mar Futurity, held on the meet’s final day.

The “veteran” 2-year-old in the Balboa will be Desert Pirate, a six-time starter who won the Graduation Stakes at Del Mar on Aug. 3. He worked a half-mile Monday in 46 1/5, the fastest of 43 times at that distance for the day. Trained by Melvin Stute, he will be ridden by Patrick Valenzuela.

Desert Mirage, third in the Graduation Stakes, will make only his second start. He is trained by Jim Buss and ridden by Corey Nakatani.

Advertisement

A.J. Jett, trained by William McLaren and ridden by Laffit Pincay Jr., will bring four consecutive victories into the Balboa, two in minor stakes.

Another entry with stakes experience is Cold N Calculating, a fourth-place finisher in the Hollywood Juvenile Championship, a Grade II stake. He is trained by Brian Mayberry and ridden by Martin Pedroza.

The others come lightly raced, although Houston Sunrise, Ol’ Henry, Sharp Asa Pistol, Supremo and Timber Country won their last starts, all in maiden races.

*

Six Del Mar jockeys will have mounts during the weekend at Arlington International, where the Beverly D, Secretariat and Arlington Million will be run.

Triple R Stables and trainer Rodney Rash have four horses entered in Chicago, and Chris Antley and Patrick Valenzuela are going along to ride them. User Friendly is entered in both the Million and the Beverly D, with Rash still to choose between them. Antley will ride her if she goes in the Beverly D, also getting Blue’s Traveller in the Million. Valenzuela will ride Alex The Great in the Million and Saltgrass in the Secretariat.

Alex Solis has Johann Quatz in the Million and Potridee in the Beverly D, both for Ron McAnally, and Jaggery John in the Secretariat.

Advertisement

Kent Desormeaux and Eddie Delahoussaye are also expected to ride in the Million, Desormeaux on Fanmore for Bobby Frankel and Delahoussaye on Semillon for Mike Mitchell.

Trainer Charlie Whittingham and jockey Chris McCarron will be with Flawlessly for the Beverly D.

*

McCarron will be back at Del Mar to ride Paseana for owner Sidney Craig and trainer McAnally in Sunday’s $200,000 Chula Vista Handicap. Valenzuela will ride Queens Court Queen in Saturday’s Osunitas Handicap before flying to Chicago.

Exchange also is entered in the Grade II event for fillies and mares over 1 1/16th miles. Pincay will ride Exchange, the winner of the Chula Vista two years ago.

Other likely entries are defending champion Magical Maiden and Glass Ceiling, runner-up to Exchange in the Bayakoa on Aug. 8.

Horse Racing Notes

Hello Chicago scored a 1 1/4-length victory in the $45,000 allowance feature at Del Mar on Monday. The Broad Brush colt, ridden by Corey Black, was timed in 1:34 for the mile before 10,731. He paid $7.80.

Advertisement

Sunday’s match race produced a purse of $77,885, considerably less than the projected $100,000. Winner Soviet Problem earned $62,308 and Mamselle Bebette $15,577. . . . Swaps Stakes winner Silver Music will be sidelined for six months because of a bone chip in his ankle, trainer Wally Dollase said.

Twice The Vice, who set a stakes record en route to victory in the Del Mar Oaks on Sunday, has now won both sprinting and routing, on both dirt and grass. “There really aren’t any prestigious races we can overlook,” trainer Ray Bell said.

Advertisement