Sandpit Wins in Atlantic City

Sandpit will be going for another large payday when he comes back in the Caesars Palace Turf Handicap on July 21 at Hollywood Park.

With his win in the $500,000 Caesars International Handicap Saturday at Atlantic City, N.J., the 7-year-old Brazilian bred will be shooting for $1 million if he wins the Turf Handicap. The winner’s share of the purse for the two races and a $280,000 bonus add up to $1 million.

The double wouldn’t be novel to Sandpit, who won for the 12th time in 29 starts Saturday, beating 13-1 shot Diplomatic Jet and six others in 1:55 3/5 for the 1 3/16 miles on turf. He won the same two races last year.

Able to save ground throughout from his rail post and content to sit off the slow pace set by Diplomatic Jet in company with 9-5 second choice Northern Spur, the 6-5 favorite surged through along an opening on the fence and drew clear late under Corey Nakatani.

“He was nice and relaxed and very kind,” Nakatani said. “I could have gone inside or outside [entering the stretch]. He’s as game as they come.”

The 1995 Eclipse champion as top male turf horse, Northern Spur had to settle for third under Chris McCarron. He has won only once in four starts this year.

Diplomatic Jet, Ops Smile, Awad and Lassigny all had last-minute jockey changes. Pat Day, Jorge Chavez, Robbie Davis and Eddie Maple were supposed to fly from Belmont Park to Atlantic City via helicopter, but the helicopter couldn’t take off because of bad weather.

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Yanks Music, an unlucky loser in the Acorn in her previous start five weeks ago, was up in the final strides to beat favored Escena in the $200,000 Mother Goose on Saturday at Belmont Park.

Owned by Audrey Cooper and Michael Fennessy, trained by Leo O’Brien and ridden by O’Brien’s son-in-law John Velasquez, the 3-year-old Air Forbes filly won by a neck in 1:47 4/5 for the 1 1/8 miles.

Beaten by a neck by Pike Place Dancer in last month’s Kentucky Oaks, Escena, the 6-5 choice, ran fast splits throughout and wound up 5 1/2 lengths ahead of Cara Rafaela, the 3-1 third choice.

Yanks Music had trouble when beaten by half a length by Star De Lady Ann in the Acorn and that is her only defeat in five lifetime races.

“The longer she goes the better she is,” O’Brien said. “She’s a pretty decent horse.”

The time was the third fastest running of the Grade I. Lakeway holds the record, winning in 1:46 2/5 in 1994.

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Only five fillies and mares will start in the $175,000 Milady Breeders’ Cup Handicap today at Hollywood Park, but a reasonable case can be made for four of them to win.

Top Rung, the longest shot in the field at 12-1 on Russ Hudak’s morning line, seems the only one without a chance. The 5-year-old Seattle Slew mare has won only once since the start of last year, losing eight in a row.

Of the others, the connections of Urbane have let it be known that their filly is going to have the lead, and she hasn’t been worse than third in four tries at Hollywood Park. Most recently, she had a five-length lead in the Hawthorne, before weakening a bit late and winding up third, beaten by half a length.

Borodislew has won her last two, taking the restricted Santa Lucia Handicap at Santa Anita, then holding on to beat Twice The Vice in the Hawthorne. She will be ridden by Eddie Delahoussaye today, her fourth different jockey in as many starts.

But most of the mutuel attention figures to be concentrated on Twice The Vice and Jewel Princess.

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Polish Admiral collected his first win since Oct. 13, 1994, and gave trainer Richard Cross his initial victory of the meeting with a nose upset of favored Big Sky Jim in the $66,500 Jim Murray Handicap Saturday at Hollywood Park.

Winless in six previous races in this country, the 5-year-old Roi Danzig horse got the lead nearing the wire, then held on to beat the rallying 9-5 choice in 2:26 for the 1 1/2 miles on turf.

Brice Blanc rode the winner, who paid $19.80, for owners Jan, Mace and Samantha Siegel, who got some solace after their Tiger Talk was beaten as the odds-on choice in the race before the Murray.

Big Sky Jim, losing for the first time in three tries on the Hollywood Park turf course, finished two lengths ahead of Bedivere.

Horse Racing Notes

Hollywood Park will offer simulcast wagering on the $300,000 Ohio Derby today from Thistledown. Skip Away, who drew the outside post, will be favored in the field of 11, which also includes Victory Speech, ridden by Rene Douglas. . . . Bunbeg, a 14-1 shot, won the $150,000 Chicago Breeders’ Cup at Arlington International on Saturday. Ridden by Mickey Walls, she paid $31.40 and ran the seven furlongs in 1:23 2/5. Morris Code was second and California invaders Rhapsodic and Igotrhythm, the even-money favorite under Russell Baze, were third and fourth, respectively. . . . Future Quest made a successful return, winning the $62,100 Playa Del Rey by 1 1/2 lengths over Slews Royal Son. A winner of three of four last year, including the Del Mar Futurity and Norfolk, the 3-year-old Relaunch colt had been sidelined since Oct. 8 because of a knee fracture. He ran the 6 1/2 furlongs in 1:15 under Kent Desormeaux.