Favorite Kumari Continent Finally Makes Grade in Oaks

Close to a graded stakes win a couple of times in the past, Kumari Continent broke through Saturday at Hollywood Park.

Second to Surfside in the Santa Anita Oaks on March 12 and second to Classy Cara in the Honeymoon Handicap on May 27, the 3-year-old Kris S. filly won the $150,000 Hollywood Oaks, a Grade II event.

Kumari Continent, owned by Trudy McCaffery and John Toffan and trained by Paco Gonzalez, was the 8-5 favorite against four opponents and outfinished Queenie Belle to win by a neck in 1:49 for the 1 1/8 miles.

Ridden with confidence by jockey Kent Desormeaux, Kumari Continent tracked pacesetter Cash Run then collared the runner-up near the wire. It was her third win in seven lifetime starts and was easier than the margin of victory would indicate.

“Things worked out well for us, we had a great trip,” said Desormeaux, who had won the Hollywood Oaks in 1992 on Pacific Squall for the same connections.

“She accepted the fact that there was a horse in front of her, and, consequently, she relaxed very well. She’s a very talented horse. That’s obvious. Trudy, John and Paco have got themselves a very nice horse.”

Saudi Poetry finished third, 1 1/2 lengths behind Queenie Belle, then came Cash Run and Kentucky Storm, who found the going much rougher in Southern California after three consecutive victories at Golden Gate Fields and Pleasanton.

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Bob Baffert hopes having the favorite in today’s $500,000 Swaps Stakes isn’t a bad omen again.

A year ago, the trainer saw his General Challenge, the overwhelming 1-2 choice against only three opponents, lose by a head to 5-2 second choice Cat Thief in the Grade I.

This afternoon, one of Baffert’s two representatives in the Swaps--along with 8-1 outsider Spicy Stuff--is Captain Steve, the 6-5 favorite on Russ Hudak’s morning line.

After losing his first five starts of the year, including defeats in the Kentucky Derby and Preakness, Captain Steve went to Prairie Meadows last month and beat seven outclassed rivals in the $250,000 Iowa Derby.

Since returning to California, the son of Fly So Free has trained swiftly at Santa Anita and will be making his first appearance at Hollywood Park since Dec. 18. That day, he turned in one of the best performances of his career, winning the Hollywood Futurity for owner Mike Pegram by four lengths.

The colt Captain Steve most has to fear is the rapidly developing Tiznow. A full brother to Budroyale, the son of Cee’s Tizzy can do something in only his fifth career race that Budroyale has never done--win a Grade I.

Trained by Jay Robbins and owned by Michael Cooper and Cecilia Straub-Rubens, who also bred the colt, Tiznow has won two in a row at Hollywood Park, including a game victory in the Affirmed Handicap three weeks ago. Leading rider Victor Espinoza will again be aboard.

Completing the field in the Swaps are Millencolin, who was third in the Affirmed, Grey Memo and Spacelink, who will race on Lasix for the first time after finishing third in his first start of 2000 on June 23.

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Besides the Swaps, there are two other stakes on today’s next-to-last card at Hollywood Park, and like the Swaps, both have small fields.

Only five were entered in the $250,000 Sunset Handicap and the entry of Bienamado and Single Empire is the prohibitive 2-5 choice versus Self Feeder, Deploy Venture and Neotorque. Squirtle Squirt, who already has two stakes wins at the meet, is the 4-5 favorite against four other 2-year-olds in the $100,000-added Hollywood Juvenile Championship.

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Taking full advantage of a paceless field, Jostle, the 5-2 second choice, slowed things down under jockey Mike Smith and went gate-to-wire in the $350,000 Coaching Club American Oaks at Belmont Park.

Owned by Fox Hill Farm and trained by John Servis, the 3-year-old daughter of Brocco won for the sixth time in 11 starts and completed the 1 1/2 miles in 2:29 4/5 while beating 12-1 shot Resort by 3 1/4 lengths.

Secret Status, the 2-5 favorite who had taken advantage of fast fractions to win the Kentucky Oaks and Mother Goose in her previous two starts, was third under jockey Pat Day, four lengths behind Jostle.

Horse Racing Notes

Although Gary Stevens has declined comment, there is widespread speculation that the Hall of Fame jockey, who retired last Dec. 26 because of chronic knee problems, will return to riding early next month at Del Mar. Stevens, 37, has been working horses for various trainers at Hollywood Park. . . . Vignette, the longest shot in the field at 6-1, skimmed the rail and went on to win the $80,550 Great Lady M. Handicap by two lengths Saturday at Hollywood Park. A 5-year-old Diesis mare trained by Neil Drysdale for Augustin Stable, Vignette was ridden by Victor Espinoza and completed the 5 1/2 furlongs on turf in 1:02 2/5. High Margin was second, a neck in front of 7-5 favorite Sea Of Ice. . . . Espinoza has clinched his first major local riding title. Entering the final two days, Espinoza leads Corey Nakatani, 60-49, and Nakatani isn’t named on any horses on Monday’s closing day card.