Serena’s Song Outruns Males in Jim Beam

Corey Nakatani and Kent Desormeaux made themselves right at home Saturday at Turfway Park.

Continuing their duel atop the Santa Anita standings at Florence, Ky., Desormeaux won twice and Nakatani three times, including the day’s biggest prize on heavily favored Serena’s Song in the $600,000 Jim Beam Stakes.

Taking on an ordinary bunch of males, the nation’s top 3-year-old filly went right to the front, toyed with longshot Mighty Magee, then came away in the final quarter of a mile and went on to win by 3 1/2 lengths in 1:49 3/5 for the 1 1/8 miles. Tejano Run, the 7-2 second choice, was second, five lengths clear of Mecke.

It was the fifth consecutive victory for Serena’s Song and the sixth in the last seven starts. The only blemish during that period was a nose loss to Flanders in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies.

Trained by Wayne Lukas for owners Bob and Beverly Lewis, the Rahy filly will remain in Kentucky and her next start will come in either the $300,000 Ashland Stakes April 22 at Keeneland or the Kentucky Oaks on May 5.

Mention was made again after the Jim Beam regarding Serena’s Song possibly going in the Kentucky Derby, but the Lewises are also co-owners of Timber Country, and Lukas has made no secret he would like to go for a rare Oaks-Derby double.

“I’ll look at the Ashland,” Lukas said after Serena’s Song pushed her earnings to $1,231,435 with her eighth win in 14 starts. “I’ll see how she pulls up from this, but it didn’t look like it was too rough on her.”

That would be an understatement. Serena’s Song never looked like a loser and Nakatani rode her with his usual confidence.

“She’s a champion, no doubt,” he said. “Wherever she goes, I’m going.”

Tejano Run, who was third behind Timber Country and Eltish in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile, improved on his 1995 debut--fifth as the 1-2 favorite in the Risen Star at the Fair Grounds on Feb. 28--he never threatened the filly.

“That wasn’t him (in New Orleans),” said Jerry Bailey. “Today he got his long stride going. The owners told me that I can have the mount in the Derby if he runs.”

Earlier on the Turfway card, Desormeaux won the $100,000 Bourbonette with 12-1 shot Shezarcat and the $60,000 Rushaway with California invader Key Guy, who is owned by Jeff Siegel and Barry Irwin’s Team Valor.

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On the day UCLA advanced to the NCAA national basketball championship game for the first time since 1980, the $159,300 El Rincon Handicap at Santa Anita had a Bruin connection.

Gary Vandeweghe, the uncle of Kiki Vandeweghe, the star of the 1979-80 UCLA team that lost to Louisville in the NCAA title game, is one of the owners of Savinio, who rallied to beat favored River Flyer by a head in the El Rincon Saturday at Santa Anita.

Owned additionally by Gary Biszantz and Walter Greenman, who also trains the 5-year-old gelding, Savinio, the 3-1 second choice, won for the sixth time in 21 starts and completed the mile on turf in 1:34 3/5 under Chris McCarron.

River Flyer, the 9-10 favorite, was taken well off the pace by Chris Antley, rallied with the winner but was outfinished while beating pacesetter Romarin by a half-length for second. It was the first loss in four starts on the Santa Anita turf for River Flyer.

“It’s been a lot of trouble to get (Savinio) to relax,” Greenman said. “But Chris does a better job than anybody who’s been on him. (Savinio) is getting more seasoned now and he’s just doing better.”

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Del Mar Dennis, who got the lead briefly in the Santa Anita Handicap before winding up fourth, is the 8-5 favorite against seven opponents in the $200,000 San Bernardino Handicap today at Santa Anita.

The 5-year-old gelding will be shortening up from 1 1/4 miles to 1 1/8 miles, which is a better distance for him. Del Mar Dennis, who has won five of eight starts at Santa Anita, has the rail and Chris Antley.

Pollock’s Luck, who has been first or second in half of his 14 starts, is the 3-1 second choice. Most recently, the Polish Navy colt beat Wharf, another San Bernardino entrant, by three-quarters of a length in the Rising Market Handicap.

The rest of the field for the Grade II includes Let’s Be Curious, Stoller, Nancys French Fry, Newton’s Law and Numerous.

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Funeral services will be held today in North Miami Beach for Arnold Winick, 67, who died Thursday after a lengthy illness.

Winick, the father of trainer Randy Winick, was a successful trainer for a number of years, particularly in Florida. He won the training title 12 times at Gulfstream Park and three times at Hialeah. He also won six titles at Arlington Park. He trained Hold Your Peace, who finished third in the 1972 Kentucky Derby after winning the 1971 Arlington-Washington Futurity and the Flamingo Stakes.

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Horse Racing Notes

Pat Valenzuela was off his mounts Saturday because of food poisoning. . . . Because of the health problems of former agent Harry Hacek, Alex Solis has hired Scotty McClellan, Chris McCarron’s longtime agent, to work for him. McCarron agreed to the arrangement. Agent Bob Meldahl also does double duty, booking mounts for both Corey Nakatani and Laffit Pincay. . . . There is a Pick Six carryover of $117,906.75 for today’s card at Santa Anita. . . . Pyramid Peak, going more than seven furlongs for the first time, won the $200,000 Flamingo at Hialeah Park. The 3-year-old Mt. Livermore colt was ridden by Herb McCauley for trainer John Ward. . . . Urbane, who just missed behind Serena’s Song in both the Hollywood Starlet and Santa Anita Oaks, will make her next start in the Ashland. . . . Taking advantage of Daylight Savings Time, which began today, Santa Anita will offer a 3 p.m. post time on April 21, the final Friday of the meeting. The nine-race card will run until approximately 7 p.m. and be followed by simulcasts from Golden Gate, Los Alamitos and Hong Kong. . . . Hutcheson Stakes and California Juvenile winner Valid Wager will make his first start for new owner Harry T. Mangurian in the $81,975 Friar Rock Stakes today at Woodbine. . . . Heavenly Prize, the Eclipse Award winner as the nation’s top 3-year-old filly last year, will make her 1995 debut in the $150,000 Oaklawn Budweiser Breeders’ Cup at Oaklawn Park.