Windsharp May Be Just That in Return

The last time trainer Wally Dollase brought a classy mare back from a layoff, Jewel Princess rolled to a five-length victory in the Santa Maria Handicap last month.

Dollase is hoping for a similar outcome today when Windsharp makes her 1997 debut in the $150,000 Santa Ana Handicap.

Third behind Wandesta and Timarida in voting for the top female turf mare last year, the 6-year-old Lear Fan mare is the 8-5 favorite in the Santa Ana, a Grade II at 1 1/8 miles on the turf.

Owned by Martha and Richard Stephen and Prince Ahmed Salman’s Thoroughbred Corp.--the same people who have Jewel Princess--Windsharp will have six opponents over a course where she has three victories and a second place in four races.

“She’s doing great,” Dollase said. “She looks better than I’ve ever seen her look, and her attitude is terrific.

“She fires well when fresh. I remember when she came over from Europe and ran second in a big race in New York [in 1995]. I was surprised at how well she did, and that was off a long layoff. I think I’ve got her tight enough and fit enough to run a good race. I think she’ll run big and she’s training very well.”

The question with Windsharp, who has eight victories in 25 starts and earnings in excess of $911,000, is whether the Santa Ana distance is too short for her. Nine furlongs will be a new experience for her, and her successes have come going 1 1/4 miles or farther. At this meeting last year, she won the San Luis Obispo and San Luis Rey at 1 1/2 miles, beating males and Wandesta both times.

Eddie Delahoussaye, who rode her in both of those victories, will be back aboard this afternoon. The Santa Ana is serving as a prep for either the $300,000 Santa Barbara Handicap at 1 1/4 miles on April 20 or the $400,000 San Juan Capistrano the next day at about 1 3/4 miles.

Two of the other three main contenders in the Santa Ana are also making their first start of 1997.

Donna Viola, the 5-2 third choice, hasn’t been out since winning the Yellow Ribbon over this turf course Nov. 3. Red Roses Story, a 6-1 shot, hasn’t run since Oct. 27 in France, where she had four victories and three seconds in seven starts.

Sixieme Sens, the 2-1 second choice, is the only horse in the race with a victory in 1997, having won the San Gorgonio Handicap on Jan. 19. She has been idle since. She will be trying to give trainer Bobby Frankel his fourth Santa Ana victory in the last seven years and second in three years.

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Making his first start since he finished fourth behind Fastness in the Shoemaker Breeders’ Cup Mile on June 16, Tychonic gamely held off Sandtrap in the final sixteenth and won the $71,125 Cardmania Stakes on Friday at Santa Anita.

Ridden by Kent Desormeaux for Frankel and Juddmonte Farms, the 7-year-old Last Tycoon horse completed the about 6 1/2 furlongs on the turf in 1:13 3/5.

In winning for the 12th time in 32 starts, the 8-5 favorite ran his record to six wins in 13 races on the Santa Anita turf course. He could return to defend his title in the $125,000 El Rincon Handicap two weeks from today.

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The insurance company holding the $25 million infertility policy on Cigar has agreed to allow the 7-year-old to cease breeding, according to Richard Craigo, attorney for owner-breeder Allen Paulson.

Cigar’s policy, arranged through Nelson Stevenson Bloodstock, a London based broker, required that the horse be bred to 20 mares twice and get at least 60% of them in foal to be considered fertile. None of the 34 mares bred to him has become pregnant.

The insurers and Cigar’s owners next must reach a closure agreement stipulating a date for payment. After that is finalized, negotiations will begin to determine ownership of Cigar. Paulson has said that he will seek to regain the horse. He also said he did not anticipate returning Cigar to racing.

Horse Racing Notes

Captain Bodgit, who won the Florida Derby a week ago, will make his next start in the $500,000 Wood Memorial on April 12 at Aqueduct, instead of the Blue Grass Stakes at Keeneland the same day. Apparently, there was no record at Keeneland that Captain Bodgit was ever nominated for the Blue Grass. . . . Trainer Bob Baffert said jockey Gary Stevens will ride Silver Charm in the $750,000 Santa Anita Derby on April 5, meaning Chris McCarron, who has ridden the colt in both of his starts this year, will be aboard Hello. . . . There is a Pick Six carryover for today of $216,034.16.

The Associated Press contributed to this story.