SANTA ANITA : Desormeaux’s the Hot Rider as Ski Dancer Scores Upset

After a lackluster meeting at Del Mar, Kent Desormeaux is off to a banner beginning at Oak Tree.

He made it three stakes victories in the first 10 days of the meeting when 6-1 shot Ski Dancer defeated Radu Cool by a neck to win the $107,200 Harold C. Ramser Sr. Handicap on Saturday at Santa Anita. Desormeaux also tops the jockey standings with 13 victories, three more than Corey Nakatani and Laffit Pincay.

Rested since finishing fifth in the Princess Stakes on June 18 at Hollywood Park, Ski Dancer earned her first victory in three turf starts and third in 11 starts overall for owner Jeff Kallenberg and trainer Gary Jones.

Desormeaux, who won the Goodwood with Soul Of The Matter and the Norfolk with Future Quest last week, was confident Ski Dancer would run well.

“She’s been working unbelievably,” he said. “I’ve been on her the last three works. She must like to run well fresh because she usually breaks kind of tardy, kind of lackadaisical, and today she left there with some authority. She’s been telling me for about three weeks that she was ready to go.”

Radu Cool, in her turf debut, was second, half a length ahead of 2-1 favorite Jewel Princess, who, surprisingly, was taken back to last on a turf course that favors speed, then made up a lot of ground late.

Nowhere to be found were Princess Afleet and Main Slew, each of whom rattled off three consecutive wins at Del Mar. The 2-1 second choice, Princess Afleet finished seventh, 3 1/2 lengths ahead of Main Slew, who is 0 for 8 at tracks other than Del Mar.

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Exchange, one of the best claims in recent memory, has been retired and left Friday for owner Sid Craig’s Rancho Paseana in Del Mar.

Taken by trainer Bill Spawr for $50,000 for Craig in 1991, Exchange went on to become a multiple-stakes winner and earned more than $1.2 million in her 29-race career. She finished with 15 victories, including the Grade I Matriarch last Nov. 27 at Hollywood Park. A 7-year-old Explodent mare, Exchange’s final start came when she took the Orchid Handicap at Gulfstream Park on March 12.

“Her ankles are getting a little bigger,” said Spawr. “She isn’t sore or lame or anything like that, but, perhaps, she’s a bit arthritic. It would have been tough to get her ready for the Matriarch [next month].

“It’s just like losing one of your kids. She’s almost human-like. She’ll never get the credit she deserves. She was just too smart, never doing any more than she had to. She’d make the lead and then just wait and wait on horses. But just try and outrun her in the stretch and she’d show you who was boss every time.”

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Future Quest, who followed his win in the Del Mar Futurity with a victory in the Norfolk Stakes a week ago, will miss the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile because of an injury.

The 2-year-old Relaunch colt apparently suffered a fracture in his right front leg while winning the Norfolk. “He won’t need surgery, but, obviously it’s going to require some time off,” said trainer Ron McAnally.

Owned by Verne Winchell, Future Quest has three wins in four career starts. McAnally and Winchell will still have a representative in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile. Exetera, who finished third in the Norfolk, will ship to Belmont Park.

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Yearly Tour, who hasn’t been worse than third in six starts this year, but has only one win, is the 8-5 favorite in the $125,000 Las Palmas Handicap today at Santa Anita.

Owned by John and Betty Mabee’s Golden Eagle Farm and trained by Dave Hofmans, Yearly Tour has been second three times and third twice in graded stakes this year, but her lone victory came against California-breds this summer.

She figures to be on or near the lead today from her rail post in the Las Palmas, which serves as the prep for the $600,000 Yellow Ribbon on Nov. 12.

Lady Affirmed, who is winless in four starts in 1995, is the 3-1 second choice. The field also includes defending champion Aube Indienne, who has been returned to trainer Rodney Rash after being with Charlie Whittingham for her last eight starts.

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Making her initial start for trainer Randy Bradshaw and her first start since being injured in the Kentucky Oaks, Urbane romped to an eight-length win in the $95,000 Maryland Million Oaks at Laurel.

Ridden by Corey Nakatani, the 1-5 favorite against six other Maryland-breds sat third for the first six furlongs, then drew away in the stretch. She completed the 1 1/8 miles in 1:50 3/5 on a sloppy track.

“We’re not going to the Breeders’ Cup [Distaff],” said Bradshaw, who trains the Citidancer filly for owners Jan, Mace and Samantha Siegel. “She had too much time off and this is only her first race back.

“I’d like to have a month between races. Right now, we’re looking forward to the 4-year-old races in California for a rematch with Serena’s Song. She came into this race well and she’ll get better.”

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Horse Racing Notes

Assistant trainer Rafael Becerra saddled Ski Dancer in place of Gary Jones, who is in Toronto, where he will run Morgana in the E.P. Taylor Stakes today at Woodbine. Also on the program at Woodbine is the $1,088,750 Rothmans International at 1 1/2 miles on turf. Kent Desormeaux will ride Talloires in the Grade I, Gary Stevens has the call on Volochine and Corey Nakatani will be aboard Hasten To Add. . . . Virginia Carnival, ridden by Ron Warren and trained by Brent Sumja, upset heavily favored Helmsman to win the $100,000 Bay Meadows Derby on Saturday.