Favorite Pharma Faces Four in Wilshire Handicap Today

If racing fans are so inclined, they can spend about two-thirds of their day today--and part of Sunday morning--at Hollywood Park.

After the gates open at 9 a.m, bettors will be able to wager on races at seven tracks--Pimlico, Woodbine, Hollywood Park, Golden Gate Fields, Cal Expo, Los Alamitos and Hong Kong; on four different breeds: thoroughbreds, harness horses, quarter horses and Arabians--through the day and night.

The first of six simulcasts from Pimlico Race Course--including the Preakness--is the $200,000 Pimlico Distaff, and the scheduled post time is 9:41 a.m. The other simulcasts are the $75,000 William Donald Schaefer Handicap, the $50,000 Sir Barton Stakes, $200,000 Maryland Breeders’ Cup Handicap and the $200,000 Early Times Dixie Handicap.

There will be nine live races locally, topped by the $125,000 Wilshire Handicap at 1 1/16 miles on the turf.

A wire-to-wire winner of the Santa Ana Handicap in her last start at Santa Anita, Pharma is the 7-5 favorite to make it two consecutive victories when she runs against only four opponents in the Wilshire.

With Chris McCarron busy with Cavonnier in the Preakness, Corey Nakatani will ride the 5-year-old Theatrical mare for trainer Ron Ellis. She has won two of her three starts on the Hollywood Park turf course.

Matiara, who defeated Pharma in the Buena Vista Handicap before finishing third behind her in the Santa Ana, is the 8-5 second choice.

Trained by Richard Mandella, the 4-year-old Bering filly has trained well lately--she worked a mile in 1:38 1/5 on May 9--and will be ridden by Kent Desormeaux. Desormeaux won the Wilshire a year ago with Eclipse Award winner Possibly Perfect.

The field is completed by Didina, the 5-2 third choice who is unbeaten in two starts on the Hollywood Park turf, Real Connection and Artica.

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Danjur, perfect in three starts and considered probable for Sunday’s $100,000 Thirty Slews Handicap, will instead run in the $75,000 Jaipur on Sunday at Belmont Park.

Unbeaten in two starts on the Belmont main track last year, the son of Dayjur has made only one appearance in 1996.

He scored a record-setting victory in the Churchill Downs Turf Sprint on May 3. He completed the five furlongs in 56-flat under Jerry Bailey.

In Danjur’s absence, the Thirty Slews, which will be run at 5 1/2 furlongs on the turf, attracted eight entrants--Cominalittlehot, High Charger, Daggett Peak, Score Quick, Gundaghia, Bouldedash Bay, Concept Win and Cyrano Storme.

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Represented by Didina in the Wilshire, trainer Bobby Frankel will also send out Nimble Mind in the $100,000 Yerba Buena Handicap today at Golden Gate Fields.

Russell Baze will ride the 4-year-old Lyphard filly in the 1 3/8-mile turf race as she goes for her third victory in four American starts.

The field also includes Vieille Rose, Lady Lodger, Dynatar, Don’t Read My Lips, Traces Of Gold, Swiss Deal and Fanjica.

Horse Racing Notes

Petit Poucet, a hard-luck second in the Early Times at Churchill Downs on Derby Day, will make his next start in the $200,000 Early Times Manhattan on June 8. . . . David Flores begins a five-day suspension today after an incident in last Monday’s fifth race. . . . Awad worked six furlongs in 1:13 and Earl Of Barking went seven furlongs in 1:25 Friday morning preparing for the $500,000 Hollywood Turf Handicap on May 27. Earl Of Barking is the defending champion in the race.