Jockey Eyes Cigar After Tinners Way Wins

Not long after Tinners Way had won the $248,234 Californian at Hollywood Park on Sunday, Eddie Delahoussaye was looking forward to bigger game four weeks down the road.

That would be the $1-million Hollywood Gold Cup, which will include a horse that was not on hand Sunday--Cigar, winner of 15 in a row.

“Maybe we can beat him,” said Delahoussaye after Tinners Way defeated favored Helmsman by a half-length in a track record-equaling 1:46 3/5 for the 1 1/8 miles.

Making his first start since finishing 14 lengths behind Cigar in the Breeders’ Cup Classic Oct. 28 and after having both of his front knees operated on, the 6-year-old son of Secretariat gave trainer Bobby Frankel his initial victory in the Grade I race. It was Tinners Way’s first victory in five tries on the Hollywood Park main track.

In a field reduced to only four starters after Siphon was scratched because of a bruised foot, Tinners Way sat third behind Del Mar Dennis and Helmsman, began to move on the turn, got the lead in midstretch and went on to win for the seventh time in 25 starts.

Helmsman, also bound for the Gold Cup, finished a head in front of Mr Purple, who was 5 1/2 lengths ahead of Del Mar Dennis. The latter called it quits after setting 23 1/5, 46, 1:09 3/5 and 1:34 1/5 splits.

Tinners Way, the 5-2 third choice Sunday, finished third in the Californian a year ago, then improved to second behind Cigar in the Gold Cup.

Those who thought he might need the race Sunday, then move forward in the next one were proven wrong. Frankel acknowledged he trained the horse, who is owned by Juddmonte Farms, harder this time.

“I leaned a little harder on him this time,” he said. “He ran his best race today and I hope we didn’t cook him for the next race.

“If he could run back [in the Gold Cup] like this and we get some weight, we could have a shot. He beat the best out here, but not the best in the country, and that’s the problem.

“We’ll see how good a trainer I am to get him to the [Gold Cup] in the same condition he was for this one.”

Helmsman, who was looking for his second Grade I victory of the year and his third in four starts on dirt, had no excuses.

“He ran a real big race, he’s a heck of a horse,” trainer Wally Dollase said. “Proving he comes out of the race OK, we’ll take on Cigar in the Gold Cup. Hopefully, we’ll get a break in the weights . . . either way we’ll be there.”

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Unbridled’s Song has a new ailment.

Bothered by a sore foot going into the Kentucky Derby, then a lung infection after the Peter Pan last week, the 3-year-old now has been found to have an ulcer.

“We took him to Dr. [William] Reed, he ‘scoped him and there was evidence of an ulcer,” said trainer Jim Ryerson. “We’ve put him on some medication and will keep him in light training. I don’t think any race is definite for him right now.

“He’s not really in any discomfort. Hopefully, this is not something serious and it’s something we can get under control.”

Horse Racing Notes

Because of a decline in on-track attendance, the purses at Hollywood Park have been cut 8%, beginning Wednesday. . . . Hollywood Park will feature a Monday night card on June 10, with first post at 7 p.m. . . . Let Bob Do It, winner of the Will Rogers Handicap earlier in the meeting, was given top weight of 120 pounds for Saturday’s Cinema Handicap. . . . The highweights for Sunday’s Gamely Handicap are Matiara, Pharma and Twice The Vice at 119, but only the first two are considered probable starters. . . . Corey Nakatani rode three winners Sunday.