A Home-Track Advantage Didn’t Meet State Approval

The 14th Breeders’ Cup, run Saturday at Hollywood Park, chewed up a truism. California horses don’t own these races when they’re run on their tracks anymore.

Except for Elmhurst, the 7-year-old gelding who was the least likely of the seven winners on Saturday’s card, California-based horses were shut out. California jockeys, who occupy five of the nine spots on the latest national list of purse leaders, rode only one winner--by Corey Nakatani, the pilot for Elmhurst.

California-based horses finished second in four races--Hesabull in the Sprint, Deputy Commander in the Classic, Sharp Cat in the Distaff and Career Collection in the Juvenile Fillies--and only Nationalore in the Juvenile ran third.

All in all, this was the worst group effort by California hopefuls in the five years the Breeders’ Cup has been run at Hollywood Park or Santa Anita. Two of Saturday’s winners--Favorite Trick and Countess Diana--were from Kentucky, two others--Skip Away and Ajina--came from New York, and Chief Bearhart was a Canadian representative.

The beleaguered California-breds, who have never won a Breeders’ Cup race, also had a bad day. Richter Scale, bred in California but a colt who had never run in the state, went off as the second choice in the Sprint, but finished next to last. Richter Scale was the only bobble of the day for trainer Patrick Byrne, who swept the juvenile races with Favorite Trick and Countess Diana. Cal-breds went 0-4 in this Breeders’ Cup, bringing their overall record to 0-39.

As advertised, the Hollywood Park racing strip was playing extremely fast and favored speed, conditions that California horses should have found ideal. In the five Breeders’ Cup dirt races, horses on the lead or close to it were the winners. Elmhurst, who came from last place, 12 lengths behind, to win the Sprint, was the only closer who won.

Before Saturday, shippers had reason to be paranoid about running in California. The 1993 Breeders’ Cup at Santa Anita produced four hometown winners in the five dirt races. Counting that year, plus the 1984 and 1987 Breeders’ Cups at Hollywood and the 1986 event at Santa Anita, locals had won 13 of the 20 races on dirt.

“There wasn’t any reason to expect the local horses to do well this year,” said trainer Bobby Frankel, who didn’t have any starters Saturday. “Our top grass horses were knocked out with injuries. Gentlemen wasn’t able to run. I had Touch Gold as a throw-out because of his foot. And the 2-year-old races were won by a couple of freaks [horses that outrun their potential].”

Of the California horses that did survive the wave of injuries to run Saturday, several either had bad trips or were injured.

Finishing last for the second consecutive race, Belmont Stakes winner Touch Gold re-injured his front left hoof and also bled from the mouth.

“He knocked the hide off,” trainer David Hofmans said. “It was nothing serious, but he’ll get a rest and won’t even go to the track until at least January.”

Frank Stronach, who owns Touch Gold, estimated that he won’t race again for six months.

Souvenir Copy, third choice in the Juvenile, and his stablemate, Johnbill, couldn’t avoid the same path. Trainer Bob Baffert said that Chris McCarron, who rode Souvenir Copy, and David Flores, Johnbill’s jockey, argued after the race. Baffert said that Souvenir Copy also had trouble breathing in the race.

Hollywood Park-based trainer Wally Dollase finished second with both Deputy Commander in the Classic and Career Collection in the Juvenile Fillies, but two other horses were injured. Jewel Princess, trying to win the Distaff for the second time, suffered minor cartilage damage to her ankles while being pulled up before the finish. Helmsman came back lame after finishing 10th in the Mile. Both horses had been ticketed for retirement before Saturday.

Grand Slam, trainer Wayne Lukas’ New York import who was the second choice in the Juvenile, injured his left hind leg going into the crowded first turn and underwent surgery Sunday. It is not certain whether the colt will be able to run again.

Veterinarian Wayne McIlwraith said that besides losing a lot of skin, Grand Slam suffered tendon damage.

“I’ve never seen an injury like this before,” McIlwraith said. “I still feel there’s reasonable hope that he can race again. He’ll probably be out for four to six months. A hind leg [injury] is still compatible with racing soundness. If it was a front leg, I’d be really, really worried.”

Horse Racing Notes

The seven Breeders’ Cup races produced a handle of $73.8 million, $9.2 million of it on-track. The overall handle was the fourth highest of the 14 runnings. . . . In a four-horse field, Kukulcan won his first stake, winning the $98,000 Laz Barrera by five lengths over Ready Eddie. Wild Rush, the 1-5 favorite, couldn’t keep the lead and ran third, beaten by 10 1/2 lengths. “He was running nice,” jockey Gary Stevens said, “but he just collapsed under me. I put a little pressure on him, but there was nothing there.”