Dollase Given Princely Offer and Accepts It

Richard Mulhall, the racing manager for Prince Ahmed Salman’s Thoroughbred Corporation, confirmed Saturday that Wally Dollase will be the ever-expanding operation’s private trainer.

Wayne Lukas has been the Thoroughbred Corporation’s primary trainer and has won seven stakes this year with Sharp Cat, the 3-year-old Storm Cat filly who captured the first walkover in California history a week ago in the Bayakoa Handicap.

Mulhall stressed Saturday that Lukas and the Thoroughbred Corporation did not have a falling out and that Salman first tried to enlist Lukas as his private trainer.

“We did not fire Wayne, we tried to hire Wayne,” he said. “He was our first choice, but [being a private trainer] is not something that he is set up to do right now. He has Overbrook [Farm], the Lewises [Bob and Beverly], [Michael] Tabor and other people to train for. There were no hard feelings and we’ve had a great year with Wayne.

“We’ve gotten so big and have a lot of young horses starting off and having a private trainer is something the Prince wanted. We’ve done well with Wally.”

Dollase, who has trained stakes winners Crafty Friend, Jewel Princess and Windsharp for the Thoroughbred Corporation, will be permitted to keep 10 horses for other owners, including Crypto Star, who is supposed to make his first start for Dollase in the Malibu Stakes on Dec. 26 at Santa Anita, promising 2-year-old Orville N Wilbur’s, triple stakes winner Career Collection and Travers hero and Breeders’ Cup Classic runner-up Deputy Commander.

The contract is for three years and is expected to be finalized in the next couple of days, according to Dollase. No financial terms were disclosed.

“I’ve had three horses for the Prince and we get along great,” Dollase said. “We’ve had a dynamite relationship and have been lucky together.

“There are a lot of incentives in addition to the salary. This is an unbelievable opportunity. I’m looking forward to it. It’s another big challenge.”

Dollase said he will be relinquishing 28 horses, but if those owners agree, they would go to his son Craig, who turned 27 six days ago and has won with more than 30% of his starters in 1997. “Providing that all of those owners want him to train, he’ll take over [those 28] and he has eight himself,” he said. “Craig’s as good a trainer as I am.”

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Lukas made it four consecutive wins in the Hollywood Starlet when Love Lock rolled to a 11-length victory over odds-on choice Career Collection Saturday at Hollywood Park.

Following in the footsteps of Serena’s Song, Cara Rafaela and Sharp Cat the previous three years, Love Lock, the 7-2 second choice while coupled in the betting with Well Chosen, who finished fourth, led every step of the way under Kent Desormeaux and completed the 1 1/16 miles in 1:42.

This was the fourth victory in nine starts for the Tabor-owned 2-year-old daughter of Silver Ghost. A virtual no-show in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies, where she finished ninth, nearly 21 lengths behind winner Countess Diana, Love Lock rebounded with a win in the Golden Rod on Nov. 29 at Churchill Downs before the Starlet.

“Obviously, that wasn’t her in the Breeders’ Cup,” Lukas said. “I saw a little bit of trouble, but that wasn’t enough to cause that kind of performance out of her.

“I didn’t have any explanation, but . . . sometimes there isn’t one. I had enough confidence to wheel her right back in the Kentucky race. [Desormeaux] said she didn’t even take a deep breath today. This race has been awfully good to us.”

Career Collection, the 1-2 favorite who had finished second in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies, nearly 12 lengths ahead of Love Lock, was second, two lengths ahead of Snowberg. Marie J, the 4-1 third choice, finished sixth and last.

Lukas also said he had no bitter feelings about the Thoroughbred Corporation’s decision to hire Dollase.

“They offered me the job, but with my situation, there’s just no way,” he said. “I adore the Prince and I’ve had a great relationship with [Mulhall]. We’ve gotten along great and I consider him a friend.

“I’m grateful to have had the opportunity and I think we’ve been very good for them.”

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Third at 14-1 in the Breeders’ Cup Turf last month, Flag Down is the 3-1 morning line choice in the $500,000 Hollywood Turf Cup, one of three graded stakes races on today’s card at Hollywood Park.

A race earlier, the Mike Pegram-owned entry of Johnbill and Real Quiet is the 5-2 morning-line choice in the $250,000-added Hollywood Futurity at 1 1/16 miles. Nine other 2-year-olds are expected to start, including stakes winner Double Honor, Nationalore, who was third in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile, and impressive maiden winner Artax.

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Pro On Ice and Maybe Jack will get together in the first match race at Suffolk Downs since 1937 today at the East Boston racetrack.

Both horses have 12 wins this year and the one-mile race, being called the Suffolk Showdown, will determine which of the two will be the nation’s winningest thoroughbred.

Maybe Jack is the 2-5 favorite and Pro On Ice, who has won his last seven starts, is 4-5.

Horse Racing Notes

Somebody at Monmouth Park in Oceanport, N.J. bet $90,000 to show on Career Collection and, with her second-place finish, the bettor made a $4,500 profit. . . . There was one winning ticket in the Pick Six on Saturday and it was purchased in Las Vegas. . . . Trainer Wayne Lukas has six wins overall in the Hollywood Starlet. . . . Gentlemen is likely to make his first start of 1998 in the $300,000 San Antonio Handicap on Feb. 7 at Santa Anita, a race he won earlier this year. . . . Jockey Victor Espinoza will begin a five-day suspension Friday after being disqualified from first to second on Stephanie’s Jet in the sixth race last Friday. . . . Gary Stevens dropped his appeal of a five-day suspension he received during Oak Tree. He will be sidelined Wednesday-Sunday and be eligible to return for the final day of Hollywood Park’s fall meeting.