Crafty Friend Is Now Fast Prince of Bel Air

It took a track record to beat Crafty Friend in his California debut last month, and it would have taken another to handle the 4-year-old Crafty Prospector colt in the $107,300 Bel Air Handicap on Saturday at Hollywood Park.

After losing by a half-length to Elmhurst, who eclipsed the record for 7 1/2 furlongs with a final time of 1:26 3/5 on June 11, Crafty Friend equaled the track standard for 1 1/16 miles with a two-length victory over Hesabull and four others in the Grade II Bel Air.

Trained by Wally Dollase for Prince Ahmed Salman’s Thoroughbred Corporation, which purchased him early this year, Crafty Friend completed the distance in 1:40, matching the mark set by Power Forward on Dec. 19, 1987.

On the lead throughout under Alex Solis in a race that saw The Exeter Man and New Century scratched earlier in the day, the 8-5 favorite set solid fractions (23, 46, 1:09 1/5 and 1:33 3/5 for the mile), repelled a challenge from Hesabull and drew clear in the final yards.

This was the fifth win in 15 starts for Crafty Friend, but things will get tougher for him in his next start. Dollase indicated Saturday he’ll be pointed for the $1-million Pacific Classic on Aug. 9 at Del Mar, meaning a date with Gentlemen and Siphon at equal weights.

“We might go against the big boys,” he said. “This is a pretty damn good horse. He’s eligible for [the Pacific Classic] and we’ll look at it. It’s a Grade I race and this horse might be a Grade I horse.

“You always dream of having a horse that’s as good as anybody in the country and this horse might be as good as anybody in the country. Who knows? Until you try ‘em, you don’t know.”

Although Dollase was hoping Crafty Friend would be sitting second while Hesabull was on the lead, Solis didn’t have many options breaking from the inside, but he was impressed with the way the winner relaxed.

“This horse really is something special,” said Hollywood Park’s runaway leading rider. “He came out of there running and he was really relaxed when we got to the backside.

“He equaled the track record and I could feel he was really running all the way around there. But, at the same time, he was relaxed and not using himself. That last race did him a lot of good.”

Hesabull, the 5-2 second choice, finished six clear of race longshot Arriverderci Baby, then came Surachai, defending champion Cleante and Just Java. Hesabull now has three wins, two seconds and two thirds in seven starts on the Hollywood Park main track.

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Getting ready for the $1-million Haskell Invitational on Aug. 3 at Monmouth Park, Kentucky Derby and Preakness winner Silver Charm worked five furlongs in 59 3/5 Saturday morning at Santa Anita.

Jockey Gary Stevens, who had arthroscopic knee surgery the day after riding Gentlemen to victory in the Hollywood Gold Cup on June 29, was aboard for trainer Bob Baffert.

“He worked great,” said Stevens, who will to return to ride a couple of races Wednesday, which begins the final week of racing at Hollywood Park. “He was blowing a little bit. [Baffert] really hasn’t done a lot with him the last couple of weeks, so this was a pretty serious work. He handled it well, went great and his attitude was great. He enjoyed it.”

After returning to California from Churchill Downs, where he was sent after finishing second to Touch Gold in the Belmont Stakes on June 7, Silver Charm came down with a slight temperature and missed a few days of training.

“He needed this work,” Baffert said. “I had to stop on him, but he’s fine now. He was pretty eager [Saturday]. We’ll set him down good in his next work.”

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Bob Lewis, who along with wife Beverly has been actively involved with racing since 1990, was recently elected chairman of the board of the Thoroughbred Owners of California.

The owner of Silver Charm, Serena’s Song, Timber Country and others, Lewis was elected to succeed Ed Friendly, who resigned last month after serving as the TOC’s chairman for three years. Friendly remains on the group’s board.

“This is an exciting and challenging time for thoroughbred racing,” Lewis said. “As in so many things, the challenges and excitement are even more pronounced in California.”

Horse Racing Notes

There is a Pick Six carryover for today of $344,908.29. . . . Trainer Jack Van Berg won twice Saturday, scoring with longshots Cat Doctor and Parilla. . . . Jockey Joy Scott turns 39 today. . . . Jockey Chris McCarron needs three victories to reach 6,500.