Drysdale, Delahoussaye Gang Up on American Field to Win

Trainer Neil Drysdale and jockey Eddie Delahoussaye are tough enough when Breeders’ Cup races are on the line. Put them together in the American Handicap, one of Drysdale’s favorite races, and the rest of the field has only half a chance.

Even that partial chance didn’t materialize for seven rivals in the 57th American when Labeeb, second in the weights and first in the betting, was first at the wire Thursday, beating Gold And Steel by half a length in the $110,200 race at Hollywood Park.

Drysdale also won last year’s American, with Silver Wizard, and he was in the winner’s circle with Man From Eldorado in 1992.

Delahoussaye didn’t ride Silver Wizard or Man From Eldorado, but he and Drysdale have been a thriving firm, and in the Breeders’ Cup they are a force to be reckoned with. Delahoussaye has ridden four of the trainer’s five winners--A.P. Indy, Hollywood Wildcat, Princess Rooney and Prized--in the series.

Delahoussaye was aboard when Labeeb, a new arrival from France, won the Hollywood Derby in November, and he was Drysdale’s man again when the 4-year-old colt was brought back to the races with a win at Hollywood Park seven weeks ago. This time, the full brother of Fanmore, another Drysdale trainee, ran 1 1/8 miles on grass in 1:45 3/5, tying the American Handicap record set by Clever Song in 1987.

“He overcame a lot, winning this race by coming around, especially around the turns,” Delahoussaye said.

Gold And Steel, back home after wins at Golden Gate Fields and Pimlico in his last two starts, made his first start at Hollywood and was a winner with about 20 yards left. “I just couldn’t keep Eddie off me,” Pat Valenzuela said.

Earl Of Barking ran third, beaten by 1 1/2 lengths, and his rider, Goncalino Almeida, claimed foul but couldn’t convince the three stewards, who ruled that interference by Gold And Steel in the stretch didn’t affect the finish.

The highweighted Romarin, who carried 120 pounds, one more than Labeeb, led under pressure for six furlongs but he finished seventh as the second betting choice.

Labeeb, owned by Maktoum Al Maktoum, paid $5.40 for $2 and earned $66,120, winning for the fourth time in 10 starts.

It was Drysdale’s 200th win at Hollywood.

Labeeb has been bothered by a cracked hoof on the left foreleg, but Drysdale said it was the uncertainty of Santa Anita’s turf course that sidelined the horse this winter.

“It was just as well,” Drysdale said, “because the main objective is races later in the year and now I’ve got a fresh horse.”

One who will try to use the $300,000 Eddie Read Handicap at Del Mar on Aug. 4 as his prep for the Arlington Million on Aug. 25.

Beau Jingles, who would finish last, and Kazabaiyn, a horse running off a 3 1/2-month layoff, stalked Romarin early, while Gold And Steel and Labeeb headed the second tier. Kazabaiyn took the lead briefly at the head of the stretch, then Gold And Steel passed him before Labeeb passed both.

Romarin’s half-mile time was 45 2/5 seconds and he went the first six furlongs in 1:09 3/5.

“He just couldn’t go that fast and keep going,” jockey Chris McCarron said. “It was a little too much to ask of him to be zipping along under pressure like that and be able to finish.”

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Drysdale took aim at a $230,125 pot at Arlington, but his Special Price finished third while up front the 3-5 Raintrap, another Hollywood Park shipper, led for every step but the last one and lost by a nose to Vladivostok in the Stars and Stripes Turf Handicap.

Ridden by Solis, Raintrap hadn’t run since winning the San Juan Capistrano Handicap at Santa Anita on April 21, and at Arlington he was carrying 118 pounds, two more than Vladivostok. The winner, at 3-1, was ridden by Craig Perret and is trained by Neil Howard.

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At Belmont Park, Wekiva Springs, a horse whose career started in California, won the $500,000 Suburban Handicap by 1 1/4 lengths, and Smooth Runner, an invader from Hollywood Park, won the $86,000 Poker Handicap by the same margin.

Wekiva Springs, overshadowed in a Bill Mott barn that includes Cigar and Geri, followed up his win in the Brooklyn Handicap on June 15 with his 10th win in 20 starts and boosted his earnings to more than $1.5 million with a $300,000 victory. Mahogany Hall, who was also second in the Brooklyn, beat L’Carriere by six lengths for the runner-up spot.

Wekiva Springs, ridden by Mike Smith, carried high weight of 122 pounds and ran 1 1/4 miles in 2:02 3/5. His win price was $4.

Horse Racing Notes

Dramatic Gold will be flown from California to Chicago on Monday to run against Cigar in the Arlington Citation Challenge on July 13. “We’re going for the second-place money,” trainer David Hofmans candidly said. “Second money is $150,000, which isn’t bad. If we stayed home, there would have been the Bel Air Handicap [July 14], and Hollywood has cut the purse [from $125,000 to $100,000] for that one.” Corey Nakatani has the mount on Dramatic Gold. . . . Another rival for Cigar at Arlington will be Honour And Glory, a 3-year-old who will get a concession in the weights. Honour And Glory left his division to win the Metropolitan Mile at Belmont in his last start. “The horse is awfully good right now,” said Wayne Lukas, who trains Honour And Glory. “And it’s a $1-million race with a small field. We’ll be getting 12 pounds from Cigar and eight pounds from the rest of the older horses.” . . . Other probables for Arlington include Eltish, Jambalaya Jazz, Polar Expedition and Tenants Harbor.