Magical Ride for Stevens

When jockey Eddie Delahoussaye went down in a spill early Friday evening, Bo Hirsch, the owner of Del Mar Debutante hopeful Miss Houdini, immediately phoned his trainer Warren Stute.

Hirsch told Stute, who will turn 81 on Sept. 30, they were going to need a new rider. “If Gary Stevens is open, we’ll get him,” Stute said.

With Delahoussaye absent because of soreness until Wednesday, Stevens, who just started riding again on Friday after undergoing arthroscopic knee surgery on Aug. 1, did inherit Miss Houdini, an 11-1 shot, and they performed some magic together Saturday.

Making her second career start seven weeks after she broke her maiden at nearly 9-1 at Hollywood Park, the 2-year-old Belong To Me filly swept to the lead around the turn, drew clear, then held off an unlucky Santa Catarina, the 9-10 favorite, to win by a neck in the $250,000 Debutante.

The last Grade I of the meet made it a sweep for the Stute brothers of the two local major stakes for 2-year-old fillies. Three weeks earlier, Mel Stute, 75, had won the Sorrento with Buffythecenterfold.

Trying to remain unbeaten and become the first to win both the Sorrento and Debutante since Brave Raj in 1986, Buffythecenterfold faded to seventh as the 7-2 second choice after prompting the early pace.

Hampered by a leg infection after her initial victory, Miss Houdini, who is out of the mare Magical Maiden, a stakes winner and earner of over $900,000 for Warren Stute, was given ample time to recuperate, but her trainer wasn’t brimming with confidence going into the Debutante.

“I only bet $40,” he laughed while glancing out at the $24.80 win price showing on the tote board. “If I really liked her, I would have bet a couple of hundred.

“I don’t think she broke that great, but she loomed up there fast. She did get to the front a little early, but I have a lot of confidence in Gary.”

Favored on the strength of an impressive maiden victory on Aug. 11, Santa Catarina lacked room at a critical stage entering the stretch, and while she and Mike Smith were searching for somewhere to run, Miss Houdini had opened up a big advantage.

The $950,000 yearling purchase made up nearly all of the deficit in the last furlong while finishing 9 1/2 lengths clear of 12-1 shot Indy Groove, who won a three-way battle for third over Sea Jewel and Little Bit A Swiss.

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Making only his second start for owner John Oxley and trainer John Ward, Sky Mesa became a Grade I winner, scoring a surprise in the $200,000 Hopeful Stakes at Saratoga.

The seven-furlong Hopeful was supposed to be dominated by Zavata, the 3-10 favorite and a winner of three in a row, including a pair of stakes, but the son of Phone Trick could do no better than third, nearly four lengths behind the winner.

Ridden by Edgar Prado, Sky Mesa, a 2-year-old son of Pulpit and the 7-2 second choice, won by 1 3/4 lengths over 17-1 shot Pretty Wild in 1:23.

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Jockey Jose Valdivia Jr. had a profitable day in Pennsylvania, winning the two richest events in the fourth annual Claiming Crown at Philadelphia Park.

Valdivia won the $125,000 Emerald Stakes on turf with favored Nowrass, then came back a race later to take the $150,000 Jewel Stakes with California shipper and 8-5 choice Truly A Judge.

Trained by Dave Bernstein for owners Gaylord Ailshie and Alan Aidekman, the 4-year-old Judge T C colt completed the 1 1/8 miles in 1:50 1/5 while defeating 5-1 third choice Quiet Mike by 5 1/4 lengths.