Azeri Is Sight to See at Hollywood Park

Even when Sister Girl Blues, a 12-1 longshot, had the lead after three-quarters of a mile in the $250,000 Vanity Handicap on Saturday, the trainer of heavily favored Azeri, Laura De Seroux, wasn’t worried.

“I have very strong binoculars and I could see Azeri was cruising and [jockey] Mike [Smith] was confident,” she said.

De Seroux’s eyes weren’t playing tricks on her. The 3-10 favorite against six rivals, Azeri ultimately took over and went on to win her 10th in a row and 13th in 14 starts.

Only shown the whip in the stretch, the reigning horse of the year won for the fifth time in as many starts at Hollywood Park and became the fourth filly or mare to win the Vanity twice, joining Annie-Lu San, Convenience and It’s In The Air.

Owned by Michael Paulson, Azeri, who carried 127 pounds successfully for the second time in her career, had two lengths on Sister Girl Blues, who carried 111, at the finish and completed the 1 1/8 miles in 1:48.48.

“She is just amazing,” Smith said. “Going down the backstretch and into the far turn, I was thinking I could blow it open right now if I wanted, but if I did open up and we win by 10, then they give her 130 pounds or something next time.

“So, I thought I would just sit there with her and get her running late. I felt very comfortable. Galloping out, I went to pull her up and she took off. I had to get the outrider to come get me.”

With the Breeders’ Cup at Santa Anita this fall, Azeri probably won’t make any cross country trips in 2003, so Del Mar is where she figures to surface next. Perhaps, she could take on males for the first time in the $250,000 San Diego Handicap on Aug. 3 or try to defend her title in the $300,000 Clement L. Hirsch Handicap a week later. Both races are 1 1/16 miles and both are Grade II’s.

Bare Necessities, the 5-2 second choice who raced coupled with last-place finisher American Czarina, was third, a half-length behind Sister Girl Blues and 4 1/2 lengths clear of Tropical Blossom.

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Sightseek, the even-money favorite, dominated 8-5 second choice Take Charge Lady and three others to win the $300,000 Ogden Phipps Handicap at a soggy Belmont Park.

Trained by Bobby Frankel for the Juddmonte Farms and ridden by Jerry Bailey, the 4-year-old Distant View filly won by five lengths in 1:40.89 for the 1 1/16 miles over a sloppy surface.

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Wild And Wicked, the half-brother to multiple stakes winner The Wicked North, remained perfect in three starts with a 3 1/4-length win over 15-1 longshot Hackendiffy in the $300,000 Ohio Derby at Thistledown.

A 3-year-old son of Wild Again owned and bred by Mr. and Mrs. Robert Randal and trained by Ken McPeek, Wild And Wicked, the 11-10 favorite, tracked the pace of Hackendiffy for most of the way, then kicked away in the stretch. He ran the 1 1/8 miles in 1:50.08 under jockey Shane Sellers.

Midway Road, the runner-up in the Preakness to Funny Cide, was a non-threatening third.

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Stalking Tiger, the 9-5 second choice, is two for two after a three-length win in the $94,050 Haggin Stakes at Hollywood Park.

Trained by Paul Aguirre for owner David Milch, who bought the 2-year-old son of Twin Spires after his decisive maiden win on May 29, Stalking Tiger completed 5 1/2 furlongs in 1:03.94 under jockey Goncalino Almeida.