An Excellent Result for Excellent Meeting

Although the margin of victory was only a neck, Excellent Meeting showed why she is no worse than the second-best 3-year-old filly in the country behind Silverbulletday on Sunday at Hollywood Park.

As the 7-10 favorite in the $125,000 Princess Stakes, Excellent Meeting, the daughter of General Meeting, looked beaten with a little more than an eighth of a mile to run but got up to beat 19-1 shot Colorado Song in 1:41 3/5 for the 1 1/16 miles.

Making her first start since being pulled up in the Preakness for owners John and Betty Mabee’s Golden Eagle Farm and trainer Bob Baffert, Excellent Meeting notched her fourth stakes win of 1999 and seventh of her career under jockey Kent Desormeaux.

Last after a half-mile in the field of six, Excellent Meeting moved up along the inside without urging, but had to drop back when she lacked room, and it appeared then Colorado Song, who had taken the lead from pacesetter and 5-2 second choice Olympic Charmer and Dianehill in midstretch, was on her way to the upset.

“That was a hard-fought one,” Baffert said. “That was her class and heart and determination at the end.

“I wasn’t going to run her, but then when we worked her, I just told [assistant trainer] Eoin [Harty], ‘Tune her up a little bit and maybe we’ll start her in the next one [the Hollywood Oaks on July 17].

“But I’d rather race her than put a lot of hard works into her. That was a good hard work there. It helps them mentally. They need to come back after a loss [like the Preakness]. I’m just glad she’s back. I told Mr. Mabee we got back some of the entry fee from the Triple Crown. We had a lot of expenses there. If they were going to beat her, today was the day.”

No better than third in her three previous tries in graded stakes company, Colorado Song finished second, three-quarters of a length in front of Dianehill. Then came Olympic Charmer, who is probably going to be most effective sprinting in her career, Tout Charmant, Baffert’s other entrant, and the overmatched Holywood Picture, who was beaten nearly 22 lengths.

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With Gary Stevens staying in Europe to ride Beat All in the Irish Derby on Sunday, Jerry Bailey has picked up the mount on Real Quiet in next Sunday’s $1-million Sempra Energy Hollywood Gold Cup. Earlier this year, Bailey, who won the Gold Cup last year with Skip Away, rode Silverbulletday twice for Real Quiet’s owner Mike Pegram and trainer Baffert.

A field of five is probable for the Gold Cup. Besides Real Quiet, the other four expected to go are Old Trieste, Malek, who worked five furlongs in 59 2/5 Sunday morning for trainer Richard Mandella, Puerto Madero, who went the same distance for Mandella in 59 flat, and Budroyale.

Horse Racing Notes

Worldly Ways, part of the heavily favored three-horse entry, won the $100,000 All American Handicap on closing day at Golden Gate Fields. Jockey Russell Baze rode the winner for owners John and Betty Mabee’s Golden Eagle Farm and trainer Jerry Hollendorfer. Worldly Ways completed the 1 1/16 miles in 1:40 3/5 and the entry paid $3.20. . . . At Hollywood Park, jockey Martin Pedroza won the ninth race with Bold Capital to finish a seven-winner week. . . . Run Johnny, the 6-5 favorite under jockey Pat Day, won the $100,000-added Aristides Handicap at Churchill Downs. The 7-year-old gray son of Johnny Blade completed the 6 1/2 furlongs in 1:16 1/5.