Frankel Makes the Grades

Trainer Bobby Frankel added two more graded stakes to his ever-increasing resume Saturday at Hollywood Park and neither came easily.

In fact, less than an eighth of a mile from the wire in both races, the hall of famer looked as if he would have to settle for second.

About 90 minutes after 7-1 shot Denon rallied to beat 16-1 pacesetter Night Patrol in the $500,000 Charlie Whittingham Memorial Handicap, 17-10 favorite Milwaukee Brew surged late to beat 10-1 shot Bosque Redondo by a head in the $500,000 Californian.

Making his first start since his authoritative victory in the Santa Anita Handicap on March 2 in his first race in California, Milwaukee Brew was closer to the pace than he had been at the Arcadia track, but his task still seemed difficult nearing the finish.

In position to give jockey Chris McCarron his sixth Californian victory on the day he made his impending retirement official with a news conference before the races, Bosque Redondo had drawn clear and appeared headed to victory.

However, jockey Kent Desormeaux and Milwaukee Brew, a 5-year-old Wild Again horse, prevailed in 1:48 for the 1 1/8 miles. It was the first time since Spectacular Bid in 1980 that the Big ‘Cap winner had come back to win the Californian.

Owned by Frank Stronach, Milwaukee Brew earned his sixth victory in 16 starts and he’ll try for a sweep of Hollywood Park’s two biggest races for older horses when he returns in the $750,000 Hollywood Gold Cup on July 14.

“He’s a good horse,” said Frankel, who had also won the Californian the year before with Skimming. “[Desormeaux] kept him a little closer because it’s hard to make up ground on this track. He made up about two lengths in the last sixteenth of a mile.”

In the Whittingham, Denon, who had failed twice in longer races at Santa Anita, wound up winning by a bit more than a length. Ridden by Garrett Gomez, Denon completed the 1 1/4 miles on turf in 2:01 2/5.

Owned by Flaxman Holdings Ltd. and Ed Gann, the 4-year-old Pleasant Colony colt won for the second time in as many starts at Hollywood Park and the victory was his fourth in 10 races. He had won the Hollywood Derby in his U.S. debut here Nov. 25.

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Six weeks after becoming a stakes winner on the turf, Adoration proved her versatility by winning the $266,800 Hollywood Breeders’ Cup Oaks on the dirt by a length over 29-1 shot Sister Girl Blues. .

It was the third victory in six starts for Adoration, the 3-1 third choice in the Grade II race.

Sister Girl Blues, the longest shot in the seven-horse field, finished a nose in front of 2-1 favorite Saint Bernadette.

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What was supposed to be a showdown between Congaree and Street Cry in the $833,250 Stephen Foster Handicap turned out to be no contest.

Making his first start since his easy victory in the Dubai World Cup on March 23, Street Cry, the 2-1 second choice, rolled to a 6 1/2-length victory at Churchill Downs.

Ridden by Jerry Bailey, who won three of the four stakes the track offered, the 4-year-old Machiavellian colt completed the 1 1/8 miles in the Grade I race in 1:47 4/5. Dollar Bill, the 6-1 third choice, was second and Tenpins was third.

Making his second start of the year after beating a weak field in the Lone Star Park Handicap on May 27 in Texas, Congaree faded to sixth as the 13-10 favorite.

Bailey’s other victories came with Danthebluegrassman, a 9-2 shot who beat 13-10 favorite Stephentown by 2 1/2 lengths in the $109,500 Northern Dancer and with 7-2 shot Distant Valley, who beat Peace River Lady and seven others in the $169,050 Regret. It was Danthebluegrassman’s first race since he was scratched the day before the Kentucky Derby.

A race before the Foster, an in-foal Spain won the $329,400 Fleur De Lis by 3 1/4 lengths over pacesetter With Ability. Spain was bred to Storm Cat after her victory in last month’s Louisville Breeders’ Cup Handicap.