Valenzuela Faces Stewards Today Over Absence

Jockey Pat Valenzuela is scheduled to meet with stewards Ingrid Fermin, Dave Samuel and George Slender this morning after missing his three scheduled mounts Thursday.

Valenzuela, 34, who returned from a long suspension and began riding here Aug. 2, called the stewards about 2:30 p.m., saying he wouldn’t be riding, and was told to report today. The oft-troubled jockey had already missed his mount in the first race, longshot Woodfordcounty Mis, who finished sixth at 29-1 under Martin Pedroza.

A winner only twice with his first 57 mounts at the meeting, Valenzuela lost a victory Thursday. Blue Talent, the filly he was supposed to ride in the eighth and final race, won at 9-1 under Julio Garcia.

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After a two-day carry-over in the Pick Six, form prevailed much of the day Thursday and there were 129 winning tickets, each worth $9,179.80.

Never better than fourth in her four previous appearances, Blue Talent was the biggest surprise in the sequence as she paid $21.60. The other winners in the Pick Six were favorites Cabo King, $7; Ragged Shoes, $6; Call Me A Prince, $3.80; Miss Universal, $3.60, and Code Name Rocky, the only other double-digit winner who paid $13.20 winning the sixth.

Chasing the $408,112.08 carry-over, the Pick Six pool on Thursday was $1,388,9996.

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Life in the United States has certainly made a difference for Miss Universal.

Winless in 15 starts in Europe when she arrived here earlier this year, the 4-year-old Lycius filly hasn’t lost since she has been in trainer Ben Cecil’s barn.

Heavily favored against only five opponents, Miss Universal picked up her first stakes victory with a two-length decision over stablemate Mignon in the $55,625 Street Dancer Handicap.

Ridden by Alex Solis, the Irish-bred filly owned by Norman Cheng sat third behind the dawdling pace set by Mignon, the 8-1 fourth choice, then took charge in the final furlong and won in 2:16 1/5 for the 1 3/8 miles on turf.

Street Dancer’s victory came after a much-troubled victory against low-level allowance horses over this turf course on July 25 and a 6 1/2-length maiden victory in her U.S. debut at Hollywood Park on June 14.

Mignon, who has two wins and two seconds in her last five races, was two lengths clear of 5-2 second choice Sagar Pride, then came Haleakala, Butterfield Eight and Desert Dry Sack.

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Owner Frank Stronach and trainer Dave Hofmans, who have had their share of successes this year with Touch Gold and Awesome Again, will try to team for another victory today when unbeaten Relaxing Rhythm takes on five other 3-year-old fillies in the $70,000-added CERF Stakes.

Perfect in four starts at Woodbine in Toronto and the Fair Grounds in New Orleans, Relaxing Rhythm is the 2-1 favorite on the morning-line as she makes her California debut.

Gary Stevens will ride the daughter of Easy Goer, who has won both on the lead and from off the pace.

Fleet Lady, a seven-length winner of the Fleet Treat here last month and unbeaten in two starts over the track, is the 5-2 second choice. Rounding out the field, after the scratch Thursday of Calling You, are Fair Mims, Silken Magic, Fun In Excess and Granja Realeza.

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Old Topper, who picked up his first stakes victory when he took the Best Pal on Wednesday, probably will be supplemented to the $250,000 Del Mar Futurity on Sept. 10, the final day of the meeting.

Noble Threewitt, 86, who became the oldest trainer to win a stakes at this track, said a decision has been left up to him by owner Barbara Hunter. The supplementary fee for the seven-furlong Futurity is $10,000.

Horse Racing Notes

Kentucky Derby and Preakness winner Silver Charm will make a public appearance Sept. 1 as part of America’s Day at the Races. The gray colt, scheduled to return to action in the opening-day Malibu Stakes at Santa Anita on Dec. 26, will be paraded between races and also appear in the saddling paddock. . . . Apprentice J.C. Gonzalez and Alex Solis won twice Thursday.