Virginie’s Margin Is Profit

Hollywood Park Chief Executive R.D. Hubbard got a quick return on his latest investment Saturday.

About 30 minutes after Hubbard purchased half interest in Virginie from Linneo Eduardo De Paula Machado’s Rio Claro Thoroughbreds for an undisclosed amount, the 5-year-old Brazilian-bred mare upset heavily favored Tranquility Lake to win the $250,000 Beverly Hills Handicap.

Virginie, the 9-2 second choice, rallied from last to win by half a length in 2:00 1/5 for 1 1/4 miles on turf.

This was the ninth win in 10 lifetime starts for Virginie and gave trainer Richard Mandella his third victory in the Beverly Hills. He had won the Grade I previously with Beautiful Melody and Reluctant Guest, who finished in a dead heat in 1990, and Corrazona in 1994.

The victory, meanwhile, was the first in a Grade I race for jockey Laffit Pincay since December’s Hollywood Futurity aboard longshot Tactical Cat. Pincay got the mount on Virginie because regular jockey Corey Nakatani was playing in a celebrity golf tournament.

Tranquility Lake, the 3-10 favorite, had won her previous three races on turf--including a 4 1/2-length victory over Virginie in the Santa Barbara Handicap at Santa Anita on April 17. She led by 2 1/2 lengths with one furlong remaining after taking over from pacesetter Chenille but couldn’t hold off the hard-charging Virginie.

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Dr Fong, winless in five starts since coming to the United States from Europe last year, is the 9-5 favorite against five opponents in the $150,000 American Handicap today at Hollywood Park.

Dr Fong will make his first start since finishing fourth over a sloppy track in the Oaklawn Handicap on April 3. The 4-year-old son of Kris S. also will be making his first start on turf since he was fifth in the Hollywood Derby last Nov. 29. In his other turf race in this country, he was second to Ladies Din in the Oak Tree Derby last fall.

The rest of the field includes Eternity Range, Magellan, the defending champion, Special Quest, Takarian and Montemiro.

Horse Racing Notes

Love That Red, who won the Lazaro Barrera Memorial Stakes in his last start on May 31, is the 2-1 choice to win for the fourth time in nine starts in the $69,000-added Harry Henson Stakes today at Hollywood Park. The other top contenders in the 6 1/2-furlong race are Apremont, Freespool and Salish Shaman. . . . Goodtimesinexcess, a 2-year-old son of In Excess owned by Mike Pegram and trained by Bob Baffert, equaled the Magical Mile’s track record for five furlongs when he won the eighth race Saturday in 56 2/5 seconds. . . . Favored Rob ‘N Gin led all the way to win the $100,000-added Poker Handicap Saturday at Belmont Park. Jorge Chavez rode the winner for trainer Robert Barbara and the Sabine Stable. He completed the mile on turf in 1:32 4/5. . . . A race later, Sapphire N Silk held off Marley Vale to win the $150,000-added Prioress. Ridden by Pat Day for owner William Carl and trainer Dallas Stewart, the 3-year-old Pleasant Tap filly completed the six furlongs in 1:09 2/5. . . . Laffit Pincay’s victory on Virginie was No. 8,762, leaving him 71 shy of all-time leader Bill Shoemaker. . . . The Louisiana State Racing Commission has refused to renew the license of jockey Billy Patin, who was ruled to be in possession of an electrical shocking device while winning the Arkansas Derby aboard Valhol in April. Patin was suspended for five years by the Arkansas State Racing Commission, but a temporary restraining order had blocked stewards at Evangeline (La.) Downs from preventing Patin from racing. Patin’s riding license expired Thursday.