Wild Wonder Enjoys Southland Debut With Rout in Mervyn LeRoy

Hardly a slouch as a 3-year-old in 1997, Wild Wonder has come back even better this year.

Making his first start in Southern California, the 4-year-old son of Wild Again picked up his initial graded stakes victory with a 5 1/2-length triumph in the $107,200 Mervyn LeRoy Handicap on Saturday at Hollywood Park.

With Eddie Delahoussaye riding for owner Verne Winchell’s VHW Stables and trainer Greg Gilchrist, the 8-5 favorite sat a few lengths off the fast pace set by Crafty Friend and Budroyale, then took charge in mid-stretch and drew off to win in 1:40 4/5 for the 1 1/16 miles.

A winner three times in seven starts last year while racing primarily in Northern California, Wild Wonder had placed in a couple of graded stakes in New York as a 3-year-old, then went to the sidelines.

Since returning, he has two wins and two seconds in four starts and could come right back against tougher in the $250,000 Californian on May 31.

“I knew he was a very tough, consistent horse and I was impressed that he was able to finish third against some tough horses [in the Gotham and Riva Ridge last year],” said Delahoussaye, who had never ridden Wild Wonder. “He’s also nice because he can go to the front or he can come from off the pace.”

Seeking his fourth consecutive victory, Budroyale, the 5-2 second choice, had to settle for second, a half-length in front of Flick, then came Hal’s Pal, Crafty Friend, Megan’s Interco and Flying With Eagles.

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Jockey Laffit Pincay Jr. picked up his 254th stakes victories at Hollywood Park after directing 5-1 shot Parkview to a gate-to-wire score in the $100,000 Snow Chief Stakes.

Second only to Bill Shoemaker, who had 280 stakes victories at Hollywood Park, Pincay, 51, got away with soft fractions on the front end and won by 1 1/2 lengths in 1:43 2/5 for the 1-1/16 miles.

Owned and bred by Carl and Olivia Cannata and trained by Bill Spawr, Parkview was running for a $25,000 claiming tag as recently as January, but he has improved immensely and the victory Saturday was his third in five starts. All three have been with Pincay.

“There was no speed in the race and I didn’t really want to be on the lead, but with those fractions [23 4/5, 47 1/5 and 1:11 3/5 for six furlongs], I’ll be on the lead any time,” said Pincay, who also won the sixth race for Spawr on favored Enjoy The Moment. “He just relaxed in front and every time somebody came up close to him, he had something left.”

Windsor Gold, a 12-1 shot, was second, a nose in front of General Gem, then came A Touch Of Grey, 17-10 favorite Champ’s Star and Brimfield Bound.

Spawr said Parkview, a son of Dance In Time, has become more relaxed and that’s the main reason for his improvement.

“We decided to nominate him to this race [which is restricted to California breds] and the race came up right and we just got lucky,” Spawr said. “This horse is as tough as nails. He’s put some weight on and his coat has a better color now. He was a little high-strung when we first got him, but he’s learned to relax and gotten more confidence in himself.”

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Hoping to rebound, I Ain’t Bluffing is the 4-5 favorite against only four opponents in the $100,000 Hawthorne Handicap today at Hollywood Park.

Disqualified after finishing first in the El Encino Stakes on Jan. 18, then third as the 3-2 favorite in the La Canada, the 4-year-old Pine Bluff filly won the seven-furlong Railbird Stakes over the same track in her only start at Hollywood Park last spring.

Perhaps uncomfortable on the wet fast track in the La Canada, I Ain’t Bluffing, who is owned by Jan, Mace and Samantha Siegel, has trained well in the interim for trainer Ron Ellis. Chris McCarron will ride the filly, who has won six of 11 in her career.

Fun In Excess will try to keep things rolling for owner Mike Pegram and trainer Bob Baffert, who teamed to win the Kentucky Derby on Saturday with Real Quiet. The 4-year-old In Excess filly is the 2-1 second choice and will break from the inside under jockey David Flores.

Completing the field are Tomorrows Sunshine, a sharp sprinter who will try to stretch out to 1 1/16 miles in the Hawthorne, Dynashore and Sister Queen.

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Skip Away, who hasn’t run since winning the Gulfstream Park Handicap more than a month ago, will compete in the $750,000 Pimlico Special for a second time next Saturday.

Second to Gentlemen in the 1997 Special, the 5-year-old son of Skip Trial will be heavily-favored in the Grade I, which is run at 1 3/16 miles.

Owned by Carolyn Hine and trained by husband Sonny, Skip Away could have as few as four rivals in the Pimlico Special--Precocity, Wagon Limit, Hot Brush and Draw.

Owned by John Franks and trained by Bobby Barnett, Precocity most recently was the upset winner of the Oaklawn Handicap. Wagon Limit and Draw finished 1-2 in the Westchester Handicap at Aqueduct and Hot Brush won the John B. Campbell at Pimlico.

Horse Racing Notes

Saturday’s combined mutuel handle at Hollywood Park and its satellites was $23,142,344.80, a record for the track excluding the Breeders’ Cup. A record $5,104,486 was wagered on the Kentucky Derby. The previous record of $4,621,694 was set in 1995.