Magicalmysterycat Is Tour de Force for Lukas

Even though she didn’t remind anyone of the filly the race was named for, Magicalmysterycat did what she was supposed to do in the $103,096 Landaluce Stakes on Monday at Hollywood Park.

Magicalmysterycat, the even-money favorite in a field of four 2-year-old fillies, defeated 2-1 second-choice She’s Classy by three lengths in running 1:11 for the six furlongs.

Magicalmysterycat, a daughter of Storm Cat out of the Valid Appeal mare Nannerl and a $1.1-million yearling purchase by Satish Sanan’s Padua Stables, is unbeaten in three starts and is one of many promising 2-year-olds trainer Wayne Lukas has around the country.

“When horses come to her she kicks on with it,” Lukas said. “She runs well in company and I think as we go down through the season, there will be company.

“It is a little early yet, but we think [the current crop of 2-year-olds] is as good as some of . . . [the] good years. We’ve had some pretty impressive winners. There’s a little bit of depth every place.”

Magicalmysterycat’s victory under jockey Chris Antley was her second in stakes competition. She won the Cinderella at Hollywood Park last month and provided Lukas with his record sixth victory in the Landaluce, which was called the Hollywood Lassie until 1983. Landaluce set the stakes record of 1:08 with a 21-length victory in the race but died later in the year because of a blood disorder. She is buried in the Hollywood Park infield.

Magicalmysterycat veered in at the break and got away last, but quickly joined She’s Classy and Desert End, and had the lead after a 21 3/5-second quarter mile. She didn’t have to run a fast final quarter--26 seconds--to pull away.

Said Antley: “Of the fillies who have shown themselves, she’s right near the top. I’m sure that there will be a lot of good fillies who will come out of the woodwork, ones who haven’t run yet. But, in the early stages, her ability has been enough to keep her unbeaten.”

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Behrens, the 1-5 favorite, made it four graded stakes victories in a row when he won by 2 3/4 lengths over longshot Catienus and six others in the $400,000 Suburban Handicap at Belmont Park.

Behrens, ridden by Jorge Chavez for the Rudlein Stable and William Clifton and trainer H. James Bond, covered the 1 1/4 miles in 2:01.

The 5-year-old Pleasant Colony horse entered the Grade II Suburban having won the Gulfstream Park, Oaklawn and Massachusetts handicaps in succession. He has won eight of 17 starts lifetime.

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Royal Shyness, the 11-10 favorite, made it three consecutive sprint victories over the Hollywood Park turf course in defeating 14-1 shot Iza Bon Bon by two lengths in the $76,720 Great Lady M. Handicap.

Royal Shyness covered the 5 1/2 furlongs in 1:01 3/5.

Corey Nakatani rode the winner for owners R.D. Hubbard and Connie Scezny and trainer Richard Mandella.