HOLLYWOOD PARK : A Victory for Stevens and Soul

Gary Stevens had never ridden Soul Of The Matter, but he had ridden against the colt last year in important races with horses such as Brocco and Bertrando.

“I remembered the colt as being almost petite,” Stevens said. “He reminded me of a big filly.”

Stevens made those remarks Sunday, minutes after making the most of replacing the suspended Kent Desormeaux and riding Soul Of The Matter to a one-length victory over Cleante in the $132,450 Bel Air Handicap at Hollywood Park.

“This horse has grown up,” Stevens was saying. “He’s put on a lot of muscle.”

Now, Soul Of The Matter embarks on a campaign that’s likely to lead to next month’s Pacific Classic at Del Mar and a match-up against Thunder Gulch, who has won the Kentucky Derby and Belmont Stakes under Stevens this year.

Desormeaux is expected to regain the mount on Soul Of The Matter, who because of foot problems had been sidelined for more than eight months. “Unfortunately, I don’t see any holes in this horse,” said Stevens, not relishing the chore of beating a more seasoned Soul Of The Matter on Aug. 13 in the Pacific Classic.

Desormeaux and Stevens talked Friday night about the Bel Air.

“Kent told me that he had been training great,” Stevens said. “He was very confident. He just told me to have a good gallop around.”

Despite his layoff, Soul Of The Matter was the 121-pound highweight in the 1 1/16-mile Bel Air. In his last start, he was fourth in November in the Breeders’ Cup Classic at Churchill Downs, and had won the Super Derby a month before that. The bettors favored You And I, at 119 pounds, and he was 2-5 late in the betting before finally going off at even money.

You And I is a Jekyll-Hyde, virtually unbeatable at Belmont Park but winless in California, and Sunday was no exception. Chris McCarron sent him to the lead from the inside post, and after a six-furlong battle with Luthier Fever in 1:09 2/5, You And I finished last in the five-horse field, beaten by almost eight lengths.

“He ran good for three-quarters of a mile and then stopped to a walk,” McCarron said.

Soul Of The Matter, winning for the sixth time in 11 starts, collected $132,450, sending his earnings to within about $14,000 of the $1-million mark for owner-breeder Burt Bacharach. Soul Of The Matter, timed in 1:41, paid $5.60 to win as the second choice.

“I loved the way my horse looked before the race,” said Bacharach, also commenting about Soul Of The Matter’s beefed-up appearance. “He looked like a different horse before. He was such a slight horse.”

In the absence of trainer Richard Mandella, his assistant, Chris Baker, saddled Soul Of The Matter. Mandella is in Kentucky for this week’s Keeneland yearling sales.

“I’m happy that this horse came back the way he did,” Bacharach said. “It’s not been a good season for Dick, and maybe this will turn things around.”