With Almeida Injured, Dollase Finds Solis a Jewel in El Encino

Alex Solis was happy to win the $126,300 El Encino Stakes on Saturday at Santa Anita on Jewel Princess, but he wished the victory had come under different circumstances.

Not named to ride in the Grade II race originally, Solis picked up the mount on the winner because Goncalino Almeida had been severely injured in a spill during the day’s second race.

Successful with 12 of his 89 mounts through the first 19-plus days of the meeting, Almeida was diagnosed with two broken legs after being taken to Arcadia Methodist Hospital. He will be sidelined indefinitely.

Almeida, 39, was injured when Rue De Fraise, his mount in a 6 1/2-furlong race down the hillside turf course, broke his left shoulder while out of view behind the trees. Brice Blanc, who was riding Toakeeni, was also unseated when he tried to avoid the fallen horse and rider, but he escaped injury. Rue De Fraise, who had failed to win in any of his six starts in this country before Saturday, was destroyed.

Once it was learned Almeida would be unable to ride, Jewel Princess’ trainer, Wally Dollase, wasted little time choosing Solis, saying he had enjoyed luck with the rider.

In a race that surprised everyone because heavily favored Urbane didn’t go right to the front, Jewel Princess, the 5-2 second choice in a field reduced to four after Privity and Sharp Point were scratched, stayed close to the slow pace, then kicked away in the final furlong to win by 2 1/2 lengths. She completed the 1 1/16 miles in 1:41 4/5.

Sleep Easy, who had set the pace, was 3 1/2 lengths clear of Urbane, and Evil’s Pic completed the order of finish.

Jockey Corey Nakatani’s tactics on Urbane, who was also the odds-on favorite when beaten in the Bayakoa last month at Hollywood Park, certainly didn’t go over big with trainer Randy Bradshaw or Samanta Siegel, who owns the filly with parents Mace and Jan Siegel.

“[Urbane] breaks a half-length in front, and [Nakatani] just throws her head away,” said Bradshaw. “I told him, ‘The only thing I want to do is send her away from there. If somebody gets stupid down the backside, then let them go on.’

“They go [slow 23 3/5- and 47 2/5-second fractions], and he puts her right in the pocket where she can’t get out. Then he expects her to run when they fly home. She had no chance.”

Siegel didn’t hide her displeasure, saying at one point to Bradshaw, “[Urbane] will cool out faster than we do.”

Dollase and owner Richard Stephen certainly had no gripes with Solis, and Jewel Princess loves Santa Anita’s main track. She has won her last two route races in Arcadia by a combined margin of 11 1/2 lengths.

“It was a nice surprise to pick up this mount, but I feel so bad that it had to happen because [Almeida] got hurt,” Solis said. “I plan to go right to the hospital to visit with him as soon as I get out of here.

“When I asked [Jewel Princess], she really kicked on. When she’s on her game, she can beat anybody, I think. She’s a very nice filly.”

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Hoping to pick up where he left off last year, Eclipse Award winner Northern Spur heads a field of 10 in the $150,000 San Marcos Handicap at 1 1/4 miles on the turf.

After losing in his first two starts in this country after being bought by Charles Cella, Northern Spur added Lasix and won the Oak Tree Invitational and Breeders’ Cup Turf to wrap up the championship as the nation’s top male turf performer.

The Oak Tree Invitational showed the 5-year-old could handle Santa Anita’s turf course, but he drew the extreme outside and will carry 123 pounds, three fewer than he did in the Breeders’ Cup and one fewer than the Invitational.

After finishing a distant second to Alphabet Soup in a sloppy Native Diver Handicap, El Florista is the 7-2 second choice in the San Marcos for trainer Gary Jones. The 6-year-old won three of nine turf starts in South America, and he figures to be helped by the added distance.

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Cavonnier, the 4-1 second choice, beat 104-1 shot Sergeant Stroh to win the $200,000 El Camino Real Derby at Bay Meadows in San Mateo by a neck in 1:43 2/5 for the 1 1/16 miles.

Cara Rafaela, the 1-2 favorite who was the first filly to run in the Derby, finished fourth under Gary Stevens.

Ridden by Martin Pedroza for trainer Bob Baffert and owners Mr. and Mrs. Robert Walter, Cavonnier paid $10 for his fifth victory in 10 starts. E C’s Dream finished third.

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Horse Racing Notes

Alex Solis won three races Saturday and Laffit Pincay and Corey Nakatani each won two. . . . Trainer Bill Spawr also had two victories, taking the fourth and fifth with Corky’s Pal and Super Trax.