Lazy Slusan Continues to Be Shrewd Investment

Lazy Slusan is the claim that just keeps on giving to trainer John Dolan, who co-owns the 6-year-old mare with Sam Longo, who will turn 94 next month.

Taken for $62,500 last July 29 at Del Mar, the California-bred has won seven of 11 since, including the $254,300 Milady Breeders’ Cup Handicap Sunday at Hollywood Park.

The 11-10 favorite in the field of six, Lazy Slusan won her second Grade I of the year--she took the Santa Margarita Handicap on March 10 at Santa Anita--and went over $1 million in career earnings. With her $157,980 payday Sunday, she has earned $1,034,410 with $784,450 going to Dolan and Longo.

Ridden by Victor Espinoza, the daughter of Slewvescent was bumped hard at the start, was content to have only longshot Mimi’s Cafe beat for the first six furlongs, swung wide around the turn, and from there it was only a matter of what the margin of victory would be.

At the wire, she had 2 1/2 lengths on 8-1 shot Lady Melesi and completed the 1 1/16 miles in 1:42 1/5.

Feverish, the 9-5 second choice, was a no-excuse third and has now been beaten by Lazy Slusan in four of their last five meetings. La Ronge, Frankly My Dear and Mimi’s Cafe completed the order of finish.

“It worked out well,” Dolan said. “I was a little bit worried that Feverish would be out there cruising on her own. As it worked out, it was perfect.

“Our game plan is maybe the Breeders’ Cup [Distaff]. I always tell people no matter what type of horse you’re with, allowance, stakes or claiming, it’s hard to keep them peaking throughout the whole year. If I can keep her in this kind of condition come Breeders’ Cup time, I think I’ll be in good shape.”

Early Pioneer, who won the 2000 Hollywood Gold Cup at 24-1 for owners David and Holly Wilson and trainer Vladimir Cerin, is scheduled to make his first start of the year in the $75,000 Ack Ack Stakes on Wednesday.

The 7 1/2-furlong race, if the field remains intact, will be one of the more interesting races of the Hollywood Park meet. Also scheduled to run are Elaborate, the likely favorite, Big Ten, who won last year’s Californian, and Grey Memo.

Claimed for $62,500 by his current connections from Golden Eagle Farm and trainer Jerry Hollendorfer in 1998, Early Pioneer hasn’t been out since finishing third behind Captain Steve and Golden Missile in the Kentucky Cup Classic last Sept. 16 at Turfway Park.

In addition to his upset in the Gold Cup, the 6-year-old Rahy gelding did not finish worse than third in his six starts last year and also won the Grade II San Bernardino Handicap at Santa Anita on April 9, beating, among others, General Challenge at nearly 27-1. The hope is that Early Pioneer will return to defend his title in the Gold Cup on July 1.

Owned by Trudy McCaffery and John Toffan, Elaborate won his first start of the year by four lengths, dominating as the 3-5 favorite. He has won six of 16 and will again be ridden by Chris McCarron.

Completing the field, from the inside out, are Smile Again, Saint Wynn, who is also trained by Cerin, Ceeband and National Saint.

Brite Girl ($7.60) won the $50,000-added Sunnyvale Handicap at Bay Meadows. She has won 17 of 58 races and is five for six in 2001. . . . Bienamado, who won the San Marcos and San Juan Capistrano Handicaps this year, will carry top weight of 124 pounds in Sunday’s $350,000 Charlie Whittingham Memorial Handicap, a Grade I at 1 1/4 miles on the turf. Among those expected to oppose him are White Heart (120 pounds), Senure (117), Timboroa (116), Falcon Flight (115), Cagney and Catchacoma (113) and Bombard (112). Possible starters are Kerrygold (115) and Kudos (114). . . . Probables for Sunday’s $500,000 Californian, the final major prep for the Hollywood Gold Cup: Aptitude, City West, Futural, Skimming and Irisheyesareflying.