SANTA ANITA : Kingdom Found Moves to Head of Weaker Field

Any pain the people behind the California Cup feel because of the absence of four marquee names today at Santa Anita might last only a week.

Best Pal, Bertrando, Megan’s Interco and Soviet Problem, all of whom would have added immensely to the nine-race, $1-million extravaganza limited to horses bred in California, have a chance to distinguish themselves in Breeders’ Cup XI next Saturday at Churchill Downs.

Surprisingly supplemented by owners John and Betty Mabee for $360,000 to the Breeders’ Cup Classic, Best Pal’s best would make him a strong contender in the weakest $3-million race in history. The same goes for Bertrando, another supplementary entry, who would move up even more if the track was to come up muddy. Megan’s Interco is a legitimate threat to upset Lure in the Mile and Soviet Problem, who was supplemented for $120,000, may knock off the boys in the Sprint.

Success by any one of the four would be a huge boon to the California thoroughbred industry and would also mark a first. In the 10 previous Breeders’ Cups, California breds have gone 0 for 31.

With Bertrando and Best Pal missing, Kingdom Found is the 6-5 favorite in today’s richest race, the $250,000 Classic. Owned by Ray Dilbeck and trained by Gary Jones, the 4-year-old son of The Bart has won five races at Santa Anita and will appreciate the lesser company after meeting the likes of Lykatill Hil, The Wicked North and Devil His Due in his recent starts. Kent Desormeaux, who has the most success with the colt, will ride. Kingdom Found drew the outside post in the field of eight.

From the rail out, the others scheduled to go in the Classic, at 1 1/8 miles, are Warning Label, Flying Sensation, who won the Cal Cup Juvenile last year; Hill Pass, Bossanova, Goldigger’s Dream, who was third behind Best Pal and Native Boundary in the 1993 Classic as a maiden; College Town and Corslew.

Here’s a look at the other eight California Cup races:

Mile--The beaten favorite in this race last year, Journalism will appreciate the absence of Megan’s Interco and Moscow Changes, the two horses who finished in front of him in 1993. Blaze O’Brien returned from a year layoff to win at Del Mar and came back with a bullet drill. All Boldandcayerless does is win--having three victories and two seconds in five starts this year--and he’ll be tough if he can handle Santa Anita’s sandy turf course.

Sprint--The decision to run Argolid here instead of the longer Classic is the right one. Winless in seven in a row before returning to Santa Anita, Argolid won impressively Oct. 13 and is definitely best sprinting. Uncaged Fury is on the rail and, even though the post has produced a lot of winners during the Oak Tree meeting, the gelding has had trouble leaving the gate. A misstep today could prove costly. Fu Man Slew has won two of three here and didn’t care for the muddy going at Turfway Park last month. Softshoe Sure Shot is the defending champion and the 8-year-old can never be counted out.

Matron--Owners Martin and Pam Wygod hold a strong hand with the entry of Glass Ceiling and Private Persuasion. Both will appreciate getting back on the main track. Janet Garrison stretched out for the first time at Del Mar and won with ease. She is the one to fear most.

Distaff--Starolamo has won four of five this year for trainer Kim Lloyd and the only time she tried the turf, she won by five lengths last July 10 at Hollywood Park. The lone concern is how she’ll handle Santa Anita’s unique hillside layout. Miss L Attack upset Bel’s Starlet in this event last year and she showed she’s back on her game with an Oct. 8 victory.

Juvenile--Again, the Wygods have a strong entry with Testimony and Strategic Alliance. Testimony broke his maiden sprinting in his third try and acts as if he’ll have trouble with the extra distance. Strategic Alliance adds blinkers and is better than his last would indicate. Longliner is a maiden, but he improved dramatically around two turns, and Mahryebo hails from a sharp Northern California barn (Jelina Pike).

Juvenile Fillies--Cat’s Cradle romped home by nine earlier in the meeting and will be a short price today. Roujoleur is another from the Pike stable and she looked good beating weak allowance rivals on the Bay Meadows turf.

Starter Handicap--Cantua Creek has been one of the unluckiest horses in California recently because he has run well enough to win four times in a row and has had to settle for second each time. The question with him is whether he can run this far. Big Pal will have no problem with the trip and he is much better on dirt.

Distaff Starter Handicap--A two-filly race between She’s Enchanting and Brendas Wildindian. The latter has rattled off three in a row, but the former might be more effective going 1 1/8 miles, today’s distance.

Horse Racing Notes

The racing career of Desert Mirage, the runner-up in the recent Norfolk Stakes, is almost certainly over. The 2-year-old son of Skywalker fractured the sesamoid bone in his right front leg and surgery Thursday revealed there was also extensive ligament damage. A maiden trained by Jim Buss, Desert Mirage was going to run in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile. . . . Post time today is noon, half an hour earlier than usual. . . . Garr Kluender, 44, who designed the horse racing handicapping system called SURELOCK, died Thursday of a heart attack. Kluender, a member of the Times sports copy desk, had previously worked at newspapers in Des Moines, Iowa, St. Louis, Phoenix and Minneapolis. He is survived by his wife, Maureen; twin sisters Martha and Mary Kluender of Des Moines and brother Stanton of Des Moines. Funeral services will be held next week in Des Moines.