Tranquility Lake Again on Scene

With Fiji, the defending Eclipse champion, not scheduled to run until at least the Del Mar meeting, Tranquility Lake has moved to the front of the Southern California female turf division.

Tranquility Lake, owned by Marty and Pam Wygod and trained by Julio Canani, will be odds-on Saturday to win her fourth in a row when she takes on five opponents in the $300,000 Beverly Hills Handicap at Hollywood Park.

Returned to turf after a couple of so-so efforts on dirt last winter at Santa Anita, Tranquility Lake has won her last three by a combined 15 lengths, one a 5 1/2-length victory in the Gamely Breeders’ Cup Handicap over the Hollywood Park course June 6.

The Gamely was her first Grade I victory and she’ll try for another in the Beverly Hills, a 1 1/4-mile race.

Tranquility Lake will be ridden by Eddie Delahoussaye. She drew the rail and will carry high weight of 122 pounds, three more than she did in the Gamely.

“Julio has improved this horse 10 to 15 lengths,” said Marty Wygod. “He’s just got a knack with certain horses and Tranquility Lake is a great example.”

The rest of the field includes Midnight Line, second in the Gamely; Virginie, second to Tranquility Lake in the Santa Barbara Handicap at Santa Anita on April 17; Keeper Hill, and longshots Chenille and Courtesan.

Keeper Hill, owned by Dr. John Chandler and trained by Bobby Frankel, will be trying the turf after two poor efforts on dirt in her first two starts of 1999. Keeper Hill broke her maiden on the grass in her first start in California on Jan. 14, 1998 and went on to win the Kentucky Oaks. She hasn’t been worse than third in three turf races.

Horse Racing Notes

Jockey Chris Antley will begin a three-day suspension Sunday after being disqualified aboard Goldfame in Wednesday’s third race. Antley was cited for failure to maintain a straight course through the stretch, causing interference to favored Moore’s Flat, who was placed first by the stewards.