SANTA ANITA : Delahoussaye Is Winner Aboard Jacodra’s Devil

Jacodra’s Devil took the lead midway through the stretch and pulled away for a five-length victory over Palestrina in Thursday’s $53,000 feature race at Santa Anita.

Ridden by Eddie Delahoussaye and carrying 117 pounds, Jacodra’s Devil covered 6 1/2 furlongs on Santa Anita’s turf course in 1:16 1/5 and paid $5, $2.80 and $2.20.

The victory was the fourth in nine starts for Jacodra’s Devil and was worth $29,150, increasing the career earnings of 4-year-old Kentucky-bred daughter of Devil’s Bag to $131,577.

Palestrina, ridden by Kent Desormeaux and carrying 118 pounds, crossed the finish line 1 1/4 lengths ahead of Kelkyko and returned $4 and $3.20.

Kelkyko, ridden by Paul Atkinson and carrying 115 pounds, was three-quarters of a length in front of Miss Intergreen at the wire and paid $3.80 to show.

Following Miss Intergreen across the finish line in the allowance race for older fillies and mares were Sunlit Silence, Accomodating and Antifreeze.

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A field of eight headed by Las Meninas was entered in Saturday’s $75,000-added Monrovia Handicap at Santa Anita.

Las Meninas will be ridden by Desormeaux and was assigned high weight of 120 pounds for the 28th running of the 6 1/2-furlong race for older fillies and mares on the turf course.

Others entered were Changed Tune, who will be ridden by Chris McCarron and was assigned 117 pounds; Desert Stormer, Chris Antley, 117; Wende, Antonio Castanon, 116; Malibu Light, Delahoussaye, 114; Rabiadella, Patrick Valenzuela, 114; Flying In The Lane, David Flores, 114, and Dezibelle’s Star, Corey Nakatani, 113.

Las Meninas has run only once in the United States, finishing last in the $400,000 Matriarch at Hollywood Park on Nov. 27. But the Irish-bred filly has been training impressively for the Monrovia race.

Changed Tune has finished in the money in 24 of her 28 lifetime starts and earned $310,295.

If all eight entries go to the post, the total purse will be $81,800 and the winner will earn $48,050.

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Sardula, whose biggest victory last year was in the Kentucky Oaks, was destroyed on Feb. 1 at Alamo Pintado Equine Research Center in Los Olivos, after she failed to respond to treatment for a bone infection in her right foreleg.

Retired from racing late last year, the 4-year-old Storm Cat filly had further complications in her left foreleg and was treated by veterinarians in Kentucky before being sent to California. Owned by Jerry Moss and trained by Brian Mayberry, Sardula finished her career with six victories and three seconds in 10 starts and earnings of $882,460.

She also won the Del Mar Debutante and Hollywood Starlet and lost a photo finish to Phone Chatter in the 1993 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies.

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Hollywood Wildcat, who hasn’t run since finishing sixth in the Breeders’ Cup Distaff on Nov. 5, returns in the $65,000 Little Brianne at seven furlongs today.

Uncomfortable over the Churchill Downs surface during the Distaff, Hollywood Wildcat has never had trouble with Santa Anita’s main track. She has three victories and a third in four starts in Arcadia, including a victory by a nose over Paseana in the 1993 Breeders’ Cup Distaff.

Eddie Delahoussaye will ride for trainer Neil Drysdale against four or maybe three rivals. Flying In The Lane, who drew the rail in the Little Brianne, also is entered in the Monrovia Handicap on Saturday. The three others are Tricky Code, Nijivision and Magical Maiden.

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Cardmania, who hasn’t run any distance since 1989, will stretch out and try to beat Best Pal, Del Mar Dennis and Slew Of Damascus, among others, in the $250,000 San Antonio Handicap on Sunday.

Second in the Palos Verdes in his last start and fourth in the San Carlos before that, Cardmania hasn’t run beyond seven furlongs since he was a 3-year-old in France, according to trainer Derek Meredith.

“He looks the picture and he’s been training very well,” said Meredith. “He should like the distance, but you never know until you run him. It’s up to Eddie (Delahoussaye). He knows the horse. I won’t have to tell him what to do.”

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Horse Racing Notes

Strodes Creek, who turned in another poor performance, finishing fourth in Sunday’s Strub Stakes, pulled a back muscle during the race and will be out of training for at least a month, according to trainer Charlie Whittingham.

Cool Air, who has won 13 races and nearly $536,000 in 30 starts, probably has raced for the last time and has been sent to owner Frank Stronach’s Margaux Farm in Lexington. “She’s got chronically bad ankles and they’ll evaluate her back there and make a decision,” said trainer Gary Jones. “If she doesn’t race again, she’ll obviously be a good broodmare.

Call Now, 1994 Del Mar Debutante winner, underwent successful knee surgery on Tuesday and will be out about six months. . . . There is a Pick Six carry-over for today of more than $87,000.