Dynamic Duo Passing With Flying Colors

If all goes well, John and Betty Mabee’s Golden Eagle Farm could have a shot at a Kentucky Oaks-Kentucky Derby double.

Excellent Meeting already has proved herself one of the top recently-turned 3-year-old fillies in the country, and General Challenge looks as though he’ll be a force in his division.

Heavily favored while racing coupled with Daring General, General Challenge remained unbeaten in two starts with a two-length victory over Warm April in the $150,000 California Breeders’ Champion Stakes on Friday.

Trained by Bob Baffert, who appears loaded with Kentucky Derby prospects again, the son of General Meeting covered the seven furlongs in 1:23 and paid $2.60 as the 3-10 choice. His entrymate, who was fourth in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile, was fourth.

Ridden by Gary Stevens, who was absent when the colt broke his maiden in the slop Nov. 28 at Hollywood Park, General Challenge should improve with experience.

“He still doesn’t have any idea what he’s doing,” Stevens said. “He ran real green with me today. He was sporadic around the turn and he kind of needs something to keep his mind on business through the lane.

“When he made the lead, he was fooling around with me all the way through the stretch. I think he’s going to be a lot more effective around two turns, especially with the stride he’s got.

“He’s huge and he’s a big teddy bear. He has no idea what he just did. He’s just having fun. He’s definitely got all the tools [to be something special].”

Warm April, a $50,000 claim by trainer Jenine Sahadi last fall, was second, a nose in front of 20-1 shot The Chang, who was a little more than a length in front of Daring General.

General Challenge probably will get his chance around two turns in the $100,000 Santa Catalina Stakes on Jan. 31.

“I thought if he ran well today, we’d run in that race,” Baffert said. “We’ll play it by ear.

“He’s a nice colt who is still green. He’s just a big, long, lumbering type of horse. He’s just figuring it all out. He doesn’t know how good he is. He’s a lot like Excellent Meeting. It took her a while to get with the program.”

*

Uncomfortable on a sloppy track when defeated by 31 lengths by Manistique in the Bayakoa Handicap last month at Hollywood Park, Victory Stripes rebounded on dry land Friday.

Never far off the pace, the 5-year-old Argentine-bred mare took the lead in midstretch and drew off to beat 8-5 favorite India Divina by 2 1/2 lengths in the $76,975 Run For The Roses Handicap.

Ridden by Alex Solis for owner Sid Craig, Victory Stripes, the 5-2 second choice, completed the mile in 1:35 2/5. She has five wins in 10 outings.

*

Supercilious, making her first start on the Santa Anita turf course, is the 5-2 favorite against six other fillies and mares in the $100,000 Monrovia Handicap today.

Trained by Richard Mandella for owner Herman Sarkowsky, Supercilious dusted California-breds in the Cat’s Cradle Handicap on Nov. 29 at Hollywood Park and will be looking for her third win in five tries on the turf. Laffit Pincay again will ride the Skywalker mare.

Completing the field in the Monrovia, which is run at about 6 1/2 furlongs, are Morgan J., Sweet Mazarine, Statua, Desert Drama--the 7-2 second choice who won three of 14 in Europe--Plus and Desert Lady. Plus and Statua are the only two starters who have won down Santa Anita’s hillside course.

*

Silver Charm, who will run in the $200,000 San Pasqual Handicap on Jan. 10, worked a mile in 1:37 1/5 Friday morning for Baffert.

“He is Mr. Cool,” Baffert said. “ He’s fit and ready for 1999.”

Malek, who won the Santa Anita Handicap last year, also is scheduled to run in the San Pasqual. He went a mile in 1:38 Friday morning for Mandella.

Malek, a 6-year-old bred in Chile, will be making his first start since finishing fourth behind Silver Charm in the Dubai World Cup last March. Other probable runners in the San Pasqual, which is run at 1 1/16 miles, are Crafty Friend, Dramatic Gold, Musical Gambler and Young At Heart.