Familiar Look for Sandpit in Atlantic City

Jockey Corey Nakatani and trainer Richard Mandella hope history repeats itself tonight in the $500,000 Caesars International Handicap at Atlantic City, N.J.

In terms of post position and possible course condition, it has so far. Sandpit had the rail when he won the Grade I a year ago on a soft surface, and he drew the inside post again for tonight’s 1 3/16-mile turf race. The grass course was yielding Friday, and there’s a possibility of more rain today.

Broadcast by ESPN at 3 p.m. PDT and simulcast at Hollywood Park and its satellites, the Caesars International will have seven other entrants, including 1995 turf champion Northern Spur and Awad, who is looking for his first win since last year’s Arlington Million.

First or second in 20 of his 28 starts, Sandpit was never far off the pace last year, got the lead in the stretch and went on to beat Celtic Arms by three-quarters of a length over a soft turf course.

Nearly a month later, the 7-year-old Brazilian-bred came back to win the Caesars Palace Turf Handicap at Hollywood Park, earning his connections a healthy bonus.

If a horse wins both the Atlantic City and Hollywood Park races this year, the bonus is worth $280,000, provided there are at least six starters in each of the events. The Caesars Palace Turf Handicap will be run July 21.

After his victory in the Caesars Palace, Sandpit was winless in his next five appearances before getting back on track in the Hollywood Turf Cup on May 27.

After sitting well off the early pace set by Petit Poucet, the son of Baynoun took the lead and drew away from his five rivals and won by 3 1/2 lengths.

Closest to him at the finish--and probably the horse he has to beat again tonight--is Northern Spur. Perhaps too far off the pace last month, the 5-year-old son of Sadler’s Wells earned the 1995 Eclipse Award with year-ending victories in the Oak Tree Invitational and Breeders’ Cup Turf.

Chris McCarron will ride Northern Spur, who worked at 59 2/5 seconds at Hollywood Park on Tuesday. It was the best of 18 drills at five furlongs that morning.

Awad, third in the San Juan Capistrano and Hollywood Turf Cup in his previous two races, will be reunited with Eddie Maple, who rode him to victory in the Arlington Million.

Rounding out the field will be Lassigny, making his first start since winning the Rothmans International last Oct. 15 at Woodbine; Diplomatic Jet, who scored a 29-1 upset in the Early Times Manhattan at Belmont Park earlier this month; Mecke, Ops Smile and Polaris Star.

*

Hollywood Park will also simulcast the Mother Goose from Belmont Park. The probable favorite is Escena, who won the Fantasy at Oaklawn Park in April, then was beaten a neck by Pike Place Dancer a month later in the Kentucky Oaks.

Others in the lineup are Cara Rafaela, winless in six starts this year, but second four times; Mesabi Maiden, who won the Black Eyed Susan at Pimlico at 14-1; Little Miss Fast, Yanks Music, Mama Dean and Double Dee’s.

*

Only five fillies and mares were entered Friday morning for Sunday’s $175,000-added Milady Breeders’ Cup Handicap at Hollywood Park.

The Milady, a prep for next month’s Vanity, features a rematch between Twice The Vice and Jewel Princess, who last got together in the Santa Margarita in March at Santa Anita. Twice The Vice got the win and Jewel Princess was third, beaten by three-quarters of a length.

Since then, Twice The Vice has beaten Halo America and Serena’s Song in the Apple Blossom at Oaklawn Park. Jewel Princess beat Serena’s Song in the Louisville Breeders’ Cup Handicap at Churchill Downs, then was second to Borodislew--also in the Milady--in the Hawthorne Handicap. The other two Milady entrants are Top Rung and Urbane.

*

Cigar will try to tie Citation’s modern-day North American record of 16 consecutive victories next month at Arlington International Racecourse in Chicago if he has recovered from a bruised right front foot, a track spokesman told the Associated Press on Friday.

A special $1-million race was created for Cigar on July 13.

“He was supposed to have worked out today [at Belmont], but the track was not in good shape,” Arlington spokesman Tony Rau said. The workout was put off until today.

“If the workout turns out OK, we’re very firm on bringing him in,” Rau said. He said other details were being worked out and would be announced Monday.

The 6-year-old horse has been sidelined for three weeks because of the bruise, forcing him to skip the Hollywood Gold Cup on June 30.

Horse Racing Notes

Skip Away keeps drawing unfavorable post positions. Stuck in Post 16 for the Kentucky Derby, Post 11 in the Preakness and Post 13 in the Belmont Stakes, Skip Away drew the outside box in a field of 11 for Sunday’s $300,000 Ohio Derby at Thistledown. Second in the Preakness and Belmont, trainer Sonny Hines’ colt is the 7-5 choice in the 1 1/8-mile Derby. . . . Patio De Naranjos is the 5-2 favorite in today’s feature at Hollywood Park, the $65,000 added Jim Murray Handicap at 1 1/2 miles on turf. . . . Tinners Way worked seven furlongs in 1:25 2/5 Friday morning prepping for next Sunday’s $1-million Hollywood Gold Cup. . . . Services for longtime thoroughbred trainer William Morris, who died recently after a lengthy illness, will be held at 3 p.m. Tuesday at Oakdale Cemetery in Glendora. Morris retired in 1987 after beginning his career in 1950.

*

The Associated Press contributed to this story.