New Hollywood Park Tradition : Horse racing: Track runs out of T-shirts as opening night attracts 29,000.

R.D. Hubbard, Hollywood Park’s chief executive officer, received a letter from a fan who was upset that the Inglewood track was ignoring tradition and moving its opening program from Wednesday to Friday night.

The way Friday night turned out, don’t look for any more Wednesday afternoon starts. “I wrote him back that we are changing the tradition,” Hubbard said.

An estimated 29,000 showed up to begin Hollywood Park’s 56th season, nearly double the 14,559 opening-day crowd of last year.

So many came out, despite competition from the Dodgers’ home opener, that even track officials were surprised. Hollywood Park had a T-shirt giveaway, and only 27,000 had been ordered. Vouchers were given to those who didn’t get a T-shirt and they can be redeemed on May 21.

“We’re very excited about opening night,” Hubbard said midway through the nine-race card. “The best move we made was by moving from Wednesday to Friday night, and it’s going to be the new tradition.”

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Forest Gazelle obviously enjoyed the night life himself, setting a track record while winning the $125,000 Los Angeles Handicap.

Giving trainer Bobby Frankel and owner Juddmote Farms their second victory of the evening, the 7-2 second choice defeated Lucky Forever by a length in 1:07 4/5 for the six furlongs. The old record of 1:08 was set by Sam Who on May 20, 1989. Ridden by Kent Desormeaux, Forest Gazelle has won two consecutive starts on the dirt after winning three of eight on grass.

Cardmania, who had won the Los Angeles Handicap in 1992, rallied for third, ahead of Concept Win.

About 45 minutes before the race, Hubbard had told the crowd during a winner’s circle speech to bet on Ferrara in the stake, but the 9-5 favorite finished down the track. Hubbard owns the 4-year-old colt in partnership with L’Aquila Ltd. and Connie Sczesny.

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Brendas Wildindian, who has been improving for trainer Craig Lewis, is favored at 2-1 today in the first running of the $100,000 Miss Hollywood Park Stakes.

Claimed by Lewis on behalf of owner Sam Mevorach for $25,000 last Aug. 24, the 4-year-old Slew’s Royalty filly has won five times in nine starts since then. She is fresh from the best performance of her career, a five-length victory over five rivals in an allowance race last month at Santa Anita.

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Services were held Friday at St. Andrews Church in Pasadena for longtime owner-breeder Ray Dilbeck, 67, who died Monday of cancer.

Owner of a highly successful real estate firm, Dilbeck was involved with racing for more than 20 years, and two of his better horses were stakes winner Bold Windy and Kingdom Found.

“He was a sweet man,” said Gary Jones, who trained both of them for Dilbeck. “I trained for him six or seven years. But he was deceptively tough, one of the toughest guys I’ve ever met in my life.”

Dilbeck is survived by his wife, Minnie, five sons and a daughter.

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Larry The Legend, who had arthroscopic surgery to remove a bone chip from his left knee nearly two weeks ago, continues to progress well and continues to be very popular, according to Lewis.

“I got a stack of mail (Friday) I’ve yet to look at,” he said. “I’m sure most of them are meant for him.”

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Horse Racing Notes

Santa Anita, which was originally going to replace its turf course in sections, will now replace it all in time for the start of the Oak Tree meeting on Oct. 4. . . . Wagering on the races from Woodbine in Toronto will begin today at 10 a.m., and Hollywood Park will also offer betting on the Fort Marcy Handicap from Aqueduct before the first live race.