It’s Not the Luck of Draw

Jockey Sandy Hawley was hoping for post position No. 5, which is his lucky number and not a bad place to start in Saturday’s $2-million Breeders’ Cup Turf. Hawley would have even settled for the seven hole, which is his wife Lisa’s lucky number.

But post-position draws frequently don’t go the way horsemen want them to, and Wednesday, when entries were taken for Saturday’s seven-race, $11-million day at Woodbine, there were mixed results as 85 horses were named to run. In the 1 1/2-mile Turf, for example, Hawley’s horse, Chief Bearhart, drew the No. 12 post in a field of 14. Chief Bearhart, who finished second to Singspiel, one of the Turf favorites, at Woodbine a month ago, is a colt who likes to run behind the first flight of horses in the early going, but now Hawley fears that he might get fanned out in the 515-foot run to the first turn.

To win, Chief Bearhart will have to do what Northern Spur, Kotashaan, Miss Alleged, Pebbles and Theatrical did: Win the Turf after breaking from outside the No. 11 post. Singspiel, part of Sheik Mohammed’s four-horse entry, drew No. 10 and is the 9-5 favorite.

“If we beat Singspiel, I think we can win the race,” said Hawley, who was two lengths behind the sheik’s colt in the 1 1/2-mile Canadian International. Chief Bearhart, who has run seven of his nine races at Woodbine, is 12-1.

Not unexpectedly, the shortest-priced Breeders’ Cup horse is Cigar, who will open at 4-5 and break from the No. 7 post in the $4-million Classic, which has drawn a capacity field of 14.

Also predictable was that Ricks Natural Star, the refugee gelding from New Mexico, would be the highest-priced horse. In what might be an unprecedented line, Jim Bannon, the oddsmaker at Woodbine, made Ricks Natural Star 99-1 in the Turf. Linemakers usually give the worst horse in any race a courtesy 30-1 number, but Ricks Natural Star has won only two of 23 starts in the cheapest company and hasn’t raced in 14 months. The motley-looking 7-year-old was allowed to enter only after an inspection by a team of veterinarians and a grilling of his owner-trainer, William Livingston, by the three Woodbine stewards. Ricks Natural Star is a threat--a threat to break the Breeders’ Cup record held by Hot Number, who was 212-1 when he finished next to last in the 1993 Juvenile.

Cigar, trying to become the first horse to win the Classic twice, was flown to Toronto on Wednesday afternoon, after working four furlongs in 48 1/5 seconds at Belmont Park. His rivals include Yanks Music, a 3-year-old filly, and the Richard Mandella-trained entry of Dare And Go and Atticus, who are coupled for betting purposes at 6-1. Dare And Go beat Cigar in August in the Pacific Classic at Del Mar, ending a 16-race winning streak by trainer Bill Mott’s horse.

“He was sharp,” Mott said of Cigar’s last pre-Classic workout. “He was up on the bridle. He was anxious. The main thing is that he comes back good and looks good [Thursday]. We are trying to do everything right. We don’t want to make any mistakes, and we feel good about what we have done so far.”

Skip Away, who beat Cigar on Oct. 5 in the Jockey Club Gold Cup at Belmont, would have been a shorter price than the Dare And Go-Atticus entry, but he isn’t running. Owner Carolyn Hine and her husband, Sonny, who trains Skip Away, declined to pay a $480,000 supplementary entry fee that was needed to make their colt eligible.

Hawley, 47, doesn’t have a mount in the Classic, but he will ride Runaway Mary, a longshot in the $1-million Juvenile Fillies, which will be the first Breeders’ Cup race on the card. Hawley is an icon in Canada, having won four Queens Plates in the 1970s and, by his count, having ridden about half of his 6,400 wins at Woodbine. Hawley rode successfully in Southern California for a decade before he returned home in 1988 for the latest chapter in his Hall of Fame career.

“I rode my first winner right here,” Hawley said Wednesday in Woodbine’s track kitchen. “A colt named Fly Along, in 1968. He was my sixth mount. I know it was the sixth, because the rule was that you couldn’t use a whip the first five races you rode, and that was my first race with the stick.”

With more than 80 wins, Hawley ranks fifth in the jockey standings this season at Woodbine. He makes an annual winter pilgrimage to California, where he rides a few horses at Santa Anita, works as the off-ice official at Kings’ games and undergoes treatment for a skin cancer that he has been battling for 10 years.

“It’s a melanoma, and it was life-threatening,” Hawley said. “They seem to have it under control now. I had two major surgeries, and I go to California because it’s one of the few places where you can get these booster shots that I need. I get one shot a week for five straight weeks, and there are no side effects.”

Hawley’s agent, Mike Langlais, hands out business cards with the jockey’s weight of 107 pounds imprinted. “We don’t have to worry about printing up new cards,” Hawley said. “I’ve been that weight for a long time.”

Consequently, his horses Saturday will carry a lot of what is called “dead weight”--pads with lead that horses wear under their saddles. Chief Bearhart, for instance, will carry 14 pounds of lead, bringing his impost to the required 121 pounds.

Hawley is winless with eight Breeders’ Cup mounts. The best Breeders’ Cup horse he has ridden, Dance Smartly, was third in the 1990 Juvenile Fillies, then won the 1991 Distaff when she was ridden by Pat Day. Dance Smartly went on to earn $3.2 million, a North American record for a female that could be broken by Serena’s Song in Saturday’s Distaff.

Hawley is still in awe at the talent the Breeders’ Cup assembles. “I look at the Racing Form,” he said, “and it’s just amazing. All those horses, all those riders.”

Maybe it will strike Hawley some day that he’s one of them.

Horse Racing Notes

Lisa McFarland, an apprentice at Woodbine, was named at entry time to ride Ricks Natural Star. She replaces Sally Williams, a Remington Park jockey who had worked the horse there last week. Owner-trainer William Livingston said Williams isn’t riding because she couldn’t be at Woodbine today for a workout. Williams was quoted in the Daily Racing Form as saying that Ricks Natural Star “[wasn’t] ready for a race.” . . . Trainer Wayne Lukas has 10 Breeders’ Cup starters, including favored Honour And Glory in the Sprint. Other favorites are Storm Song in the Juvenile Fillies, Different in the Distaff, the entry of Mark Of Esteem and Charnwood Forest in the Mile and Ordway in the Juvenile. . . . There was intermittent rain Wednesday. Scattered showers are forecast today, with no rain expected Friday or Saturday. Temperatures are expected to reach the high 50s Saturday.

BREEDERS’ CUP ENTRIES

JUVENILE FILLIES

*--*

PP Horse Jockey Odds 1. Sharp Cat Bailey 7-2 2. Minister’s Melody Day 8-1 3. Runaway Mary Hawley 20-1 4. Storm Song Perret 5-2 5. a-City Band Sellers 6-1 6. a-Cheyenne City Stevens 6-1 7. Larkwhistle Walls 20-1 8. Dunbar Hill McCarron 10-1 9. Critical Factor Solis 20-1 10. Barbed Wire Ramsammy 10-1 11. Love That Jazz Smith 8-1 12. Hidden Reserve Velazquez 10-1

*--*

a-Overbrook Farm entry.

* Trainers (by post position): 1. Wayne Lukas. 2. Niall O’Callaghan. 3. Terrance Dunlavy. 4. Nick Zito. 5. Wayne Lukas. 6. Wayne Lukas 7. Roger Attfield. 8. Ron McAnally. 9. Myung Kown Cho. 10. Barbara J. Minshall. 11. Nick Zito. 12. Shug McGaughey.

* Owners (by post position): 1. The Thoroughbred Corporation. 2. Stonerside Stable. 3. Drumlanig Farm. 4. Dogwood Stable, Inc. 5. Overbrook Farm. 6. Overbrook Farm. 7. Anderson Farms, A.M. Cuddy & Rod Ferguson. 8. Sidney Craig. 9. Myung Kown Cho. 10. Minshall Farms. 11. Marjorie Cowan & Irving Cowan. 12. Ogden Mills Phipps.

* Weights: 119 pounds each. Distance: 1 1/16 miles. Purse: $1 million. First place: $520,000. Second place: $200,000. Third place: $120,000. Fourth place: $56,000. Fifth place: $20,000. Nominator Awards: $84,000.

SPRINT

*--*

PP Horse Jockey Odds 1. Appealing Skier Smith 15-1 2. Lord Carson Sellers 6-1 3. Capote Belle Velazquez 4-1 4. Iktamal Ryan 20-1 5. Lit De Justice Nakatani 6-1 6. Lakota Brave Solis 12-1 7. f-Paying Dues Day 20-1 8. Boundless Moment Desormeaux 20-1 9. Criolitto McCarron 12-1 10. Honour And Glory Stevens 3-1 11. Friendly Lover McCauley 20-1 12. Langfuhr Chavez 5-1 13. f-Jess C’s Whirl Krone 20-1

*--*

f-field.

* Trainers (by post position): 1. Ben Parkins, Sr. 2. Wayne Lukas 3. Daniel Peitz. 4. Edward Dunlop. 5. Jenine Sahadi. 6. Bruce Headley. 7. Clifford Sise, Jr. 8. Kathy Walsh. 9. Robert Baffert. 10. Wayne Lukas. 11. Joseph Pierce, Jr. 12. Michael Keough. 13. John Forbes.

* Owners (by post position): 1. New Farm. 2. David Reynolds. 3. Lawana and Robert Low. 4. Maktoum al Maktoum. 5. Evergreen Farms. 6. 505 Farms, Bruce Headley, Al Mizrahie & Arna Aldjufrie. 7. W.R. Welty, Lynn Ballantyne & C.P. Owen. 8. Budget Stables. 9. Robert B. & Beverly Lewis. 10. Michael Tabor. 11. Frank Stronach. 12. Gustav Schickedanz. 13. Oleck Thoroughbred Farm, Inc.

* Weights: Chapote Belle 120 pounds; Appealing Skier, Honour And Glory 123; Others 126 each. Distance: 6 furlongs. Conditions: 3-year-olds and up. Purse: $1 million. First place: $520,000. Second place: $200,000. Third place: $120,000. Fourth place: $56,000. Fifth place: $20,000. Nominator Awards: $84,000.

DISTAFF

*--*

PP Horse Jockey Odds 1. Jewel Princess Nakatani 3-1 2. Different McCarron 9-5 3. Mysteriously Kabel 15-1 4. Serena’s Song Stevens 2-1 5. My Flag Bailey 9-2 6. Top Secret Smith 15-1 7. Clear Mandate Perret 15-1

*--*

* Trainers (by post position): 1. Wally Dollase 2. Ronald McAnally. 3. Daniel Vella. 4. Wayne Lukas. 5. Shug McGaughey. 6. George Arnold II. 7. George Arnold II.

* Owners (by post position): 1. Martha & Richard Stephen & The Thoroughbred Corporation. 2. Sidney Craig. 3. Frank Stronach. 4. Robert & Beverly Lewis. 5. Ogden Phipps. 6. John Pierce. 7. G. Watts Humphrey, Jr. & Pamela H. Firman.

* Weights: 119 pounds each. Distance: 1 1/8 miles. Conditions: 3-year-olds and up, fillies and mares. Purse: $1 million. First place: $520,000. Second place: $200,000. Third place: $120,000. Fourth place: $56,000. Fifth place: $20,000. Nominator Awards: $84,000.

MILE

*--*

PP Horse Jockey Odds 1. Helmsman Nakatani 12-1 2. Kiridashi Walls 12-1 3. Volochine Day 20-1 4. Memories Of Silver Bailey 8-1 5. Chaposa Springs Perret 15-1 6. Da Hoss Stevens 5-1 7. a-Charnwood Forest Swinburn 8-5 8. Urgent Request Solis 12-1 9. Spinning World Asmussen 6-1 10. f-Mighty Forum Velazquez 20-1 11. a-Mark Of Esteem Dettori 8-5 12. f-Dumaani Krone 20-1 13. Same Old Wish Sellers 20-1 14. Smooth Runner McCarron 12-1

*--*

f-field. a-Godolphin entry.

* Trainers (by post position): 1. Wallace Dollase. 2. Barbara Minshall. 3. Niall O’Callaghan. 4. James Toner. 5. Martin Wolfson. 6. Michael Dickinson. 7. Saeed bin Suroor. 8. Charles Whittingham. 9. Jonathan Peese. 10. Mark Hennig. 11. Saeed bin Suroor. 12. Kiarin McLaughlin. 13. Robert Barbara. 14. Richard Mettee.

* Owners (by post position): 1. Frank Stronach & Horizon Stable. 2. Minshall Farms. 3. Stonerside Stable. 4. Joan Phillips & John Phillips. 5. Dr. Suresh Chintamaneni. 6. Prestonwood Farm, Inc. & Wallstreet Racing Stables. 7. Godolphin. 8. Stewart Aitken 9. Niarchos Family. 10. Team Valor. 11. Godolphin. 12. Shadwell Farm, Inc. 13. Friendship Stable. 14. Herbert Allen.

* Weights: Memories Of Silver, Spinning World, Mark of Esteem 122 pounds; Chaposa Springs 123; Others 126 each. Surface: turf. Conditions: 3-year-olds and up. Purse: $1 million. First place: $520,000. Second place: $200,000. Third place: $120,000. Fourth place: $56,000. Fifth place: $20,000. Nominator Awards: $84,000.

JUVENILE

*--*

PP Horse Jockey Odds 1. Cash Deposit Kabel 8-1 2. Boston Harbor Bailey 5-2 3. Gold Tribute Stevens 6-1 4. His Honor Jimenez 20-1 5. Gun Fight Day 20-1 6. Ordway Velazquez 2-1 7. Zippersup Nakatani 15-1 8. Sal’s Driver Chavez 20-1 9. Michelle’sallhands Smith 20-1 10. Acceptable Sellers 12-1 11. Falkenham Walls 15-1

*--*

f-field.

* Trainers (by post position): 1. Daniel Vella. 2. Wayne Lukas. 3. Wayne Lukas. 4. David Vivian. 5. Mohammed Moubarak. 6. David Donk. 7. Robert Baffert. 8. Guadalupe Preciado. 9. Mario Zacco. 10. Nick Zito. 11. Michael Harte.

* Owners (by post position): 1. Frank Stronach. 2. Overbrook Farm. 3. Robert & Beverly Lewis and Michael Tabor. 4. Robert Roffey, Jr. 5. Buckram Oak. 6. Phillip Dileo. 7. Michael Pegram. 8. Equity Acres. 9. Mario Zacco & Karon Zacco. 10. Kinsman Stable. 11. Joanne Dye & Gil V. Dye, Jr.

* Weights: 122 pounds each. Distance: 1 1/16 miles. Conditions: 2-year-old colts and geldings. Purse: $1 million. First place: $520,000. Second place: $200,000. Third place: $120,000. Fourth place: $56,000. Fifth place: $20,000. Nominator Awards: $84,000.

TURF

*--*

PP Horse Jockey Odds 1. Diplomatic Jet Chavez 5-1 2. Dushyantor Eddery 8-1 3. a-Swain Peslier 9-5 4. Ricks Natural Star McFarland 99-1 5. Luna Wells Jarnet 15-1 6. Talloires Desormeaux 12-1 7. a-Shantou Dettori 9-5 8. a-Wall Street Santos 9-5 9. Pilsudski Swinburn 6-1 10. a-Singspiel Stevens 9-5 11. Marlin Sellers 15-1 12. Awad McCarron 4-1 13. Windsharp Nakatani 20-1 14. Chief Bearhart Hawley 12-1

*--*

a-Mohammed al Maktoum family entry.

* Trainers (by post position): 1. James Picou. 2. Henry Cecil. 3. Andre Fabre. 4. William Livington. 5. Andre Fabre. 6. Richard Mandella. 7. John Gosden. 8. Saeed bin Suroor. 9. Michael Stoute. 10. Michael Stoute. 11. Wayne Lukas. 12. David Donk. 13. Wallace Dollase. 14. Mark Frostad.

* Owners (by post position): 1. Fred Hooper. 2. Juddmonte Farm. 3. Sheikh Mohammed al Maktoum. 4. Granny Jani & Papa Doc. 5. Jean-Luc Lagardere. 6. Edward Allred, R.D. Hubbard & Haras du Mezeray. 7. Sheikh Mohammed al Maktoum. 8. Godolphin. 9. Lord Weinstock & Executors of the Late Simon Weinstock. 10. Sheikh Mohammed al Maktoum. 11. Michael Tabor. 12. Ryehill Farm. 13. Martha & Richard Stephen & The Thoroughbred Corporation. 14. Sam-Son Farm.

* Weights: Luna Wells 118 pounds; Dushyantor, Shantou, Wall Street, Marlin, Chief Bearhart 121; Windsharp 123. Others 126. Distance: 1 1/2 miles. Conditions: 3-year-olds and up. Purse: $2 million. First place: $1.040,000. Second place: $400,000. Third place: $240,000. Fourth place: $112.000. Fifth place: $40,000. The Nominator Awards: $168,000.

CLASSIC

*--*

PP Horse Jockey Odds 1. a-Dare And Go Solis 6-1 2. f-Formal Gold Smith 20-1 3. Taiki Blizzard Okabe 20-1 4. Mt. Sassafras Walls 20-1 5. Will’s Way Chavez 15-1 6. Dramatic Gold Desormeaux 12-1 7. Cigar Bailey 4-5 8. Yanks Music Velazquez 10-1 9. f-Mahogany Hall Sellers 20-1 10. Editor’s Note Stevens 15-1 11. Louis Quartorze Day 12-1 12. a-Atticus Nakatani 6-1 13. Alphabet Soup McCarron 12-1 14. Tamayaz Dettori 30-1

*--*

f-field. a-La Presle Farm entry.

* Trainers (by post position): 1. Richard Mandella. 2. William Perry. 3. Kazuo Fujisawa. 4. Barbara Minshall. 5. H. James Bond. 6. David Hofmans. 7. William Mott. 8. Leo O’Brien. 9. James Baker. 10. Wayne Lukas. 11. Nick Zito. 12. Richard Mandella. 13. David Hofmans. 14. Saeed bin Suroor.

* Owners (by post position): 1. La Presle Farm. 2. John Murphy. 3. Taiki Farm. 4. Minshall Farms. 5. Rudlein Stable & William Clifton, Jr. 6. Golden Eagle Farm. 7. Allen Paulson. 8. Michael Fennessy & Audrey Hastings Cooper. 9. Woodlynn Farm. 10. Overbrook Farm. 11. William Condren, Georgia Hofmann & Joseph Cornacchia. 12. La Presle Farm. 13. Ridder Thoroughbred Stable. 14. Godolphin.

* Weights: Yanks Music 118 pounds; Formal Gold, Will’s Way, Editor’s Note, Louis Quatorze; Others 126 each. Distance: 1 1/4 miles. Conditions: 3-year-olds and up. Purse: $4 million. First place: $2.8 million. Second place: $800,000. Third place: $480,000. Fourth place: $224,000. Fifth place: $80,000. Nominator Awards: $336,000.

Event at a Glance

* WHAT: 13th Breeders’ Cup, with purses totaling $11 million for seven races.

* WHEN: Saturday, with the approximate post time of the first race, the Juvenile Fillies, at 10:50 a.m. Pacific. The approximate time of the final race, the Classic, is 2:35 p.m. Pacific.

* WHERE: Woodbine Racecourse (1-mile oval track) in Toronto.

* ORDER OF RACES: Juvenile Fillies, Sprint, Distaff, Mile (on turf), Juveniles, Turf,Classic

* TV: Channel 4, with coverage starting at 10:30 a.m. Pacific.