From Turf to the Dirt, De Seroux Is Covered

Laura De Seroux is directing her version of “The A Team” these days. Those interested in watching new episodes should tune in at Del Mar on Sunday and at Arlington Park next Saturday.

Sorry, Mr. T fans, but this isn’t about a revival of a hokey television show.

Rather, De Seroux is calling the shots for Azeri and Astra, her dynamic duo. The trainer, who once served as an exercise rider for the late Charlie Whittingham, will send out Azeri, the country’s top female dirt runner, in Sunday’s $300,000 Clement L. Hirsch Handicap at Del Mar.

Six days later, Astra, generally considered the nation’s best female turf runner, will try for yet another stakes victory in the $500,000 Beverly D. in Illinois.

Owned by the family of the late Allen Paulson, Azeri and Astra have been near perfect in 2002. Each has lost only once while combining to win seven graded stakes.

A 4-year-old daughter of Jade Hunter, Azeri has moved to the head of her division with four consecutive Grade I victories at three tracks. After finishing Santa Anita with a victory in the Santa Margarita, she went east and won the Apple Blossom at Oaklawn Park in Hot Springs, Ark., then returned to California and won the Milady and Vanity at Hollywood Park.

She has won from the lead or coming from off the pace, and if she stays sound, should be tough in the Breeders’ Cup Distaff on Oct. 26 at Arlington.

It is possible the 1 1/16-mile Hirsch, a Grade II known as the Chula Vista Handicap from 1937-99, will be Azeri’s next-to-last race before the Breeders’ Cup. She will carry top weight of 126 pounds Sunday, meaning she’ll be conceding 10-13 pounds to her five opponents.

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The last time trainer Mel Stute won Del Mar’s Sorrento Stakes, it was 1986. Brave Raj beat Breech and Footy, among others.

The filly returned later in the meet to win the Del Mar Debutante, then, less than three months later, Brave Raj, who was owned by the late Dolly Green, scored her biggest victory, winning the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies at Santa Anita.

Stute, who turned 75 on Thursday, would like to repeat the hat trick this year with Buffythecenterfold.

Unbeaten in two starts, the 2-year-old Capote filly will try for her second stakes victory in the Sorrento, a Grade II at 6 1/2 furlongs. The ill-fated Tempera won the race last year before going on to success in the Breeders’ Cup at Belmont Park. Tempera became ill last spring at Churchill Downs and had to be euthanized.

Earlier this week, Frank Stronach bought a majority interest in Buffythecenterfold from owner Allen Brian and it is unclear whether the filly will remain with Stute beyond today’s race.

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Sunday Silence, who won the 1989 Kentucky Derby, Preakness and clinched horse-of-the-year honors with his third victory over Easy Goer later in the year in the Breeders’ Cup Classic, is fighting for his life.

The 16-year-old, a leading sire in Japan, is battling laminitis in his left foreleg. His condition has reportedly worsened in recent days.

According to Teruya Yoshida, who owns Shadai Stallion Station, where Sunday Silence resides, a decision could be made within a week on whether to euthanize the horse.

“[It would happen] if he gets to the point where he appears to be in terrible pain or can’t stand,” Yoshida was quoted as saying. “It would be a formal decision involving several people.”

Trained and owned in part by Whittingham, Sunday Silence won the Santa Anita Derby before handling Easy Goer in the Derby and in a thrilling Preakness. Easy Goer spoiled his bid for a Triple Crown with a convincing victory on his home track in the Belmont Stakes, then Sunday Silence capped his year with a victory in the Breeders’ Cup Classic at Gulfstream Park.

If Sunday Silence has to be euthanized, it will be another blow to the Japanese breeding industry. Shadai also lost successful sires End Sweep and El Condor Pasa last month.