HOLLYWOOD PARK : McCarron Gives Savinio a Shot in the Turf Cup

Given Chris McCarron’s history in the $500,000 Hollywood Turf Cup, Savinio should be paid special attention in today’s 15th running of the Grade I stake.

McCarron has won three in a row and four of the last five runnings of the 1 1/2-mile race. He has six victories overall, beginning with John Henry in 1983. His other victories have come with Alphabatim (1984), Frankly Perfect (1989), Miss Alleged (1991), Bien Bien (1992) and Fraise (1993).

The Turf Cup has attracted 11 entrants. Savinio, a 4-year-old gelded son of The Minstrel, is the co-third choice at 4-1 after an easy 4 1/2-length victory in the closing-day Carleton F. Burke Handicap at Oak Tree. Before that, he was second to Romarin, who won the recent Hollywood Mile, and second to multiple-stakes winner Earl Of Barking.

More relaxed than he was earlier in his career, Savinio worked a mile in 1:37 on Nov. 25 at Santa Anita, and the main question with him, as well as with several others in the race, is how will he handle the 1 1/2 miles?

“I think the turning point for Savinio was gelding him,” trainer Walter Greenman said. “We did that about a year ago and he’s seemed to relax more, been able to rate better.

“Chris rated him perfectly last time and the horse really exploded once he was asked to run. I’m hoping the same kind of effort can win the Turf Cup. The only question is the distance.”

Dare And Go, who had much trouble when second in the Hollywood Derby, is the 5-2 favorite for the Turf Cup, and distance shouldn’t be a problem for him. He was third, beaten a length, going 1 5/16 miles in France, and the horse that beat him was Breeders’ Cup Turf winner Tikkanen.

Gary Stevens, who is seeking his first victory in this race, will ride for trainer Richard Mandella.

The 12 furlongs are a concern for River Flyer, the 7-2 second choice. The 3-year-old son of Riverman has developed into a monster for trainer David Hofmans, rattling off four successive victories on the turf.

Most recently, he overcame a slow start and an extremely wide first turn to win the Hollywood Derby by nearly two lengths. But that race was only 1 1/8 miles.

“The question mark is the added distance,” Hofmans said. “Some horses can run 1 1/8 miles, some horses can run 1 1/4 miles, but they can’t go 1 1/2 miles. It will just be interesting to see if he can relax a little bit on the front end and finish.”

Chris Antley will again be aboard River Flyer, who will be trying to make it consecutive stakes victories at Hollywood Park for John and Betty Mabee’s Golden Eagle Farm. Best Pal took the Native Diver a week ago.

From the rail out, the rest of the Turf Cup field: Jackdidi (Eddie Delahoussaye, 15-1), Southern Wish (Alex Solis, 4-1), Square Cut (Fernando Valenzuela, 20-1), Truly A Dream (David Flores, 20-1), Regency (Kent Desormeaux, 20-1), Frenchpark (Corey Black, 20-1), Lindon Lime (Shane Sellers, 10-1) and Mashaallah (Laffit Pincay, 20-1).

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Santa Anita’s Strub Series for 4-year-olds of 1995 is getting more attractive every day.

Tabasco Cat and Concern, the first two finishers in the Breeders’ Cup Classic, are pointing for the last two legs of the Series--the San Fernando and Strub--and some of their competition will be provided by two colts who proved they are healthy again this past week at Hollywood Park.

Three days after Strodes Creek made a successful return in the J.O. Tobin, favored Wekiva Springs beat his elders in the $108,750 Vernon O. Underwood Breeders’ Cup Stakes Saturday.

Surprisingly bet down to even money in his first start since Sept. 11, the gray son of Blushing Groom was outrun early, then ran down 27-1 shot Gundaghia inside the final sixteenth to win by 1 1/2 lengths in 1:08 1/5. Cardmania, the 3-1 second choice, got up to beat Gundaghia a nose for the place.

This was the fifth victory in six starts for Wekiva Springs, who is owned by Don Dizney and Jim English and trained by Bob Hess. Bothered by quarter cracks earlier in his career, the Florida-bred cruised home by six lengths in 1:08 1/5 on Sept. 11 at Del Mar, but then came down with a stomach virus.

That quashed his Breeders’ Cup plans and now his connections hope he’s able to stay healthy next year.

“My only doubt was his ability to beat top quality horses like this sprinting,” Hess said. “(Six furlongs) is not his distance. I was shocked (at the short price). Cardmania is a superstar and, in my opinion, he deserved to be favored.”

Polar Route was fourth, then came Gotta Groove, who set the pace through the first five furlongs, Demaloot Demashoot, Lost Pan, Concept Win and Saratoga Gambler.

Horse Racing Notes

All starters in the Turf Cup will carry 126 pounds except for the 3-year-olds Dare And Go and River Flyer, who will carry 122, and the filly Truly A Dream, who will carry 119. . . . American Day, a half-brother to Best Pal, was impressive breaking his maiden in Saturday’s sixth race. Owned by Golden Eagle Farm, trained by Richard Mandella and ridden by Kent Desormeaux, the 3-2 second choice won by 13 lengths in 1:41 4/5 for the 1 1/16 miles on turf. . . . Stuka, who backed into a victory in the Santa Anita Handicap after the controversial disqualification of The Wicked North, has been retired and will stand at stud at The Vinery in Midway, Ky. Stuka finished with five wins, a second and three thirds in 17 starts and earnings of $915,675 for owner Allen Paulson and trainer Gary Jones. . . . Marvin’s Faith won the $100,000 Bay Meadows Derby Saturday, beating longshot Western Trader. Favored Fadeyev was unplaced.