FAIRPLEX : Pomona Invitational Draws Some Big Names

Not everybody is fond of the little dirt track at Fairplex Park in Pomona and the circus atmosphere that surrounds it.

But this afternoon, lured by a purse of at least $150,000 for the Ralph M. Hinds Pomona Invitational Handicap, a few of racing’s bigger names will be on hand, hoping to end up in the winner’s circle.

The winning horse and jockey will take a sharp left at the Ferris wheel, gallop past the swine and sheep on the backstretch then past another Ferris wheel before making the stretch run.

But, hey, this is the Los Angeles County Fair.

And if you happen to be one of the really casual race fans, atop that first Ferris wheel come post time, you might catch a glimpse of Alex Solis, who flew in from Japan just for this race, the richest of the 19-day meet.

Don’t look for him to be leading, though; his mount, Nancys French Fry, the 2-1 morning line favorite, is a late closer.

Solis is too big a name nowadays to make Fairplex a regular stop. But he has been here before, winning eight stakes races, including the Pomona Invitational aboard He’s A Saros in 1987.

Laffit Pincay Jr., 48, who has been in winning circles around the world about 8,300 times, has returned to Fairplex as well, to ride Flying Sensation, who has won only one of 15 starts, but has still earned $313,648.

Corey Black is another former Fairplex regular--he won the riding title in 1986-89--here for the Pomona Invitational. He will be aboard Regency, owned by Prince Khalid Abdullah’s Juddmonte Farms and trained by Hall of Famer Bobby Frankel.

One horse that cannot be overlooked, however, has no star in the saddle. Pollock’s Luck, coming off a fourth-place finish in a quality stakes race at Del Mar and the early second-choice today, will be ridden by Goncalino Almeida, who has been here since the meet began Sept. 14.

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Horse Racing Notes

Oncefortheroad, the bettors’ choice ridden by Danny Sorenson and trained by Randy Bradshaw, outdueled Score Quick down the stretch and won by little more than a neck in Saturday’s $100,000 Pomona Derby, a race of about 1 1/8 miles for three-year-olds.