Rose Has Derby ‘Hope at Age 88

Harold Rose, a trainer for nearly 40 years, has his first legitimate contender for the Kentucky Derby in Hal’s Hope, but no matter what happens the rest of the year, the colt has already done plenty in 2000.

Hal’s Hope, owned and bred by--and named after--Rose, turned the tables on favored High Yield in winning the $750,000 Florida Derby on Saturday at Gulfstream Park. This was the second stakes victory of the meet for the Florida-bred, who won the Holy Bull Stakes at 40-1 odds on Jan. 15 before finishing second to High Yield in the Fountain Of Youth Stakes.

Hal’s Hope, a 6-1 shot ridden by Roger Velez and racing on Lasix for the first time, took the lead from the outset and held off High Yield, ridden by Pat Day, the length of the stretch to win by a head in 1:51 2/5 for the 1 1/8 miles.

“He doesn’t want to let a horse pass him,” the 88-year-old Rose said. “Once he’s in front, he won’t let another one pass him. He has a lot of courage.

“I didn’t think they could outrun him. My expectations have been realized.”

High Yield, the even-money choice, finished 10 clear of 57-1 shot Tahkodha Hills, then came Settlement, Postponed, Scottish Halo, Deputy Warlock, 4-1 second choice Elite Mercedes, Bare Outline and Hades.

“The winner surprised me,” Day said. “I thought I had him on the turn and all I had to do was push the button on my horse and we’d be by him. But the winner hung tough.

“We were in tight through the stretch the first time around, but there are no excuses. I thought we could put the winner away and we couldn’t.”

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When Chilukki was beaten in her first start of 2000, many people--including her trainer, Bob Baffert--figured she would improve because she needed the race and had a wide trip.

But in her second race as a 3-year-old, Chilukki ran worse--finishing eighth in a field of nine as the 7-10 favorite in the $350,000 Fair Grounds Oaks at the Fair Grounds in New Orleans.

Chilukki, the champion 2-year-old filly, was well positioned off the pacesetters in the 1 1/16-mile race, but she showed again why two-turn racing is not her best game.

Shawnee Country, a 28-1 shot when she wore down Chilukki in the stretch to win the Davona Dale Stakes last month, showed that victory was no fluke by winning the Oaks by two lengths over 13-1 shot Eden Lodge.

Shawnee Country, ridden by Donnie Meche, finished with a time of 1:44 4/5 in winning for the fifth time in 11 starts for owner Bill Young’s Overbrook Farm and trainer Wayne Lukas.

“She broke very sharply, but I let the speed go on,” Meche said. “I thought the pace would be faster today. She was really tugging with me on the turn. She had it all today.”

The same couldn’t be said for Chilukki, who is now winless in her last three races around two turns.

“She paced herself nicely,” said Robby Albarado, who replaced David Flores as Chilukki’s jockey. “I tried to nudge her for a move midturn, but she didn’t respond at all. We’ll have to reassess with Mr. Baffert.”

Horse Racing Notes

Surfside is the 2-5 morning-line favorite to run her winning streak to four when she goes against four others in the today’s $300,000 Santa Anita Oaks. If she does what she is supposed to do in the Oaks, Surfside will try males in the $1-million Santa Anita Derby on April 8, then possibly the Kentucky Derby on May 6 at Churchill Downs. Trainer Wayne Lukas said that Surfside will race today without Lasix for the first time since her second career start last summer at Saratoga. . . . David Copperfield, a 3-year-old son of Halo owned by Marshall Naify’s 505 Farms and trained by John Shirreffs, probably earned himself a start in the Santa Anita Derby with a nose win over Wooden Phone in an allowance race at Santa Anita. David Copperfield won for the second time in three starts, completing the mile in 1:37 4/5 under jockey Eddie Delahoussaye. . . . Road To Slew, who until last Dec. 16 was a maiden with eight losses, was a winner at odds of almost 64-1 in the $150,000 Crystal Water Handicap Saturday at Santa Anita. Road To Slew, ridden by Victor Espinoza for owner Nick Cafarchia and trainer Oscar Garcia, won for the third time in his last five starts, beating 5-2 second choice Spinelessjellyfish by a half-length in 1:35 1/5 for the mile on turf. Native Desert, the even-money favorite, was fourth after uncharacteristically trailing the field early.