McCarron Seeks His Treasure on Today’s Gold Rush Card

Hollywood Park will hold its version of Santa Anita’s California Cup when California-breds take over the program in the second $1.26-million California Gold Rush today.

Jockey Chris McCarron hopes the Gold Rush will be as kind to him as the Cal Cup was to Laffit Pincay last fall.

Not only did the world’s winningest rider get his 9,000th victory aboard Chichim in the Distaff, but he also won four other races, including the $250,000 California Cup Classic with 11-1 shot Sky Jack.

Seeking to become the seventh rider to win 7,000 races, McCarron has six Gold Rush mounts, beginning with 6-1 shot She’s Grand in the $175,000 Fran’s Valentine Stakes.

Unable to win with Duke Of Green on Thursday or Ella’s Pal on Friday, his only two mounts in the first three racing days this week, McCarron’s best opportunities this afternoon look to be with 3-1 second-choice Image Of Glory in the $150,000 B. Thoughtful Stakes, 7-2 second-choice Spinelessjellyfish in the $175,000 Khaled Stakes and 7-2 favorite Cee’s Elegance in the $70,000 Lakeview Thoroughbred Farms Stakes.

Trained by Carla Gaines for Harris Farms Inc. of John Harris, Image Of Glory won the Soviet Problem Handicap by five lengths last month at Golden Gate Fields and has won three of five at Hollywood Park. She will break from the outside post in the field of seven, a good place to be running seven furlongs at this track.

The mare to beat in the B. Thoughtful is Lazy Slusan, who is trained and co-owned by John Dolan. The 6-5 favorite is dropping out of Grade I company. Claimed for $62,500 last summer, Lazy Slusan has won five times for her current connections with her biggest victory coming in the Santa Margarita Invitational Handicap on March 10.

Native Desert, the 9-5 favorite, is the one defending champion Spinelessjellyfish has to fear most in the Khaled, which will be run at 1 1/16 miles on the turf.

An 8-year-old gelding trained by Juan Garcia for owner Miguel Rubio, Native Desert was second to Road To Slew in last month’s Crystal Water Handicap at Santa Anita and he will be looking for his sixth win in 13 starts on the Hollywood Park grass.

Eddie Delahoussaye will again ride Native Desert, a former claimer who has earned more than $1.3 million.

McCarron’s other mounts today are 5-1 shot Romanceishope in the $250,000 Snow Chief Stakes, the richest race on the card, and 20-1 shot Water Czar, a first-time starter for trainer Craig Lewis in the 10th.

Hoovergetthekeys, whose Kentucky Derby dreams ended when he finished seventh of eight as the 11-10 favorite in the Lone Star Derby three weeks ago, is the 5-2 favorite against 10 opponents in the Snow Chief.

Claimed for $32,000 by trainer Brian Koriner for owner Carl Odegaard Sept. 28 at Bay Meadows, the 3-year-old Mt. Livermore gelding has banked $223,280 since and two of his three wins came in the Golden Gate and El Camino Real derbies.

Since his subpar effort in Texas, a race in which he reportedly strained an ankle, Hoovergetthekeys has trained well and he will break from the inside as the 124-pound co-highweight.

Takin It Deep, who scored a 21-1 upset in the California Derby two weeks ago, beating, among others, Early Flyer and Startac, will also carry 124 pounds and is the 7-2 second choice.

A son of Beau Genius who began his career in a $50,000 maiden claimer, Takin It Deep has won two in a row for trainer Gil Matos and owner Milt Douzos.

Completing the field in the Snow Chief, which was won a year ago by Grey Memo--a contender in the Khaled today--are Stocks Are Rising, Jacquie’s Delight, Mr. Joe C, Champagne Day, Cherokee Kim, Upsanddowns, Tony’s Loc and My Two Sons.

*

Broken Vow, the 1-2 favorite, led every step of the way and easily won the $100,000-added Ben Ali Stakes, the closing day feature Friday at Keeneland in Kentucky.

Ridden by Edgar Prado for the Pin Oak Stable and trainer H. Graham Motion, the 4-year-old son of Unbridled completed the 1 1/8 miles in 1:48 2/5.

Perfect Cat was second, Jadada third and Ecton Park, who was making his first start since Sept. 16, was fourth in the field of five.

The victory was the sixth in eight starts for Broken Vow, who had finished third behind Sir Bear and Pleasant Breeze in last month’s Gulfstream Park Handicap.

*

Tranquility Lake, a multiple stakes winner, will make her first start of the year in Sunday’s $100,000 Wilshire Handicap at one mile on the turf.

Trained by Julio Canani for owners Marty and Pam Wygod, Tranquility Lake drew post seven in the field of nine and will carry high weight of 123 pounds.

The rest of the field: Crazy Ensign, Southern House, Jig, Dianehill, Matiere Grise, Louve Mysterieuse, Out Of Reach and La Frou Frou.