Valenzuela Meets With Track Officials

Jockey Patrick Valenzuela, who hasn’t ridden since Jan. 19, had an informal meeting with track stewards and the regional supervisor of the California Horse Racing Board on Wednesday morning at Santa Anita.

Valenzuela, whose conditional license to race was suspended Jan. 23, the day after he failed to show up for a drug test, requested the meeting during a phone call Sunday afternoon.

Track steward Tom Ward wouldn’t comment on what was discussed during the meeting, which lasted about 30 minutes, referring questions to CHRB spokesman Mike Marten. No official hearing was scheduled.

If an official hearing is requested, Valenzuela will be given 10 days’ notice to appear.

Former rider Corey Black, who was hired by Valenzuela to serve as his agent the same week he was suspended, said he spoke to Valenzuela after Wednesday’s meeting, just as he had daily for the last couple of weeks.

“He didn’t want to get into any specific details about what went on, but he was really upbeat and seemed pretty optimistic,” Black said. “He said they were pretty receptive to what he had to say. He’s doing really well and he sounded good.”

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Halfbridled, the unbeaten champion 2-year-old filly of 2003, won’t make her first start as a 3-year-old Sunday in the $250,000 Las Virgenes Stakes.

Trainer Richard Mandella wasn’t happy with how last year’s Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies champion had trained recently, so her return has been postponed until the $300,000 Santa Anita Oaks on March 13.

A field of six is expected for the Las Virgenes, a Grade I at one mile. A. P. Adventure, the winner of the Santa Ysabel last month, Friendly Michelle, Hollywood Story, who broke her maiden in the Hollywood Starlet in December, Whoopi Cat, Wildwood Flower and Yearly Report are expected to race.

Julie Krone, Halfbridled’s regular rider, has picked up the mount on Yearly Report, a California-bred trained by Bob Baffert.

In her first day back after being injured in a spill on Dec. 12 at Hollywood Park, Krone on Wednesday finished last with Fade To Blue in the third, seventh with Star Wizard in the fifth and sixth with Devious Boy in the $71,350 Thunder Road Handicap.

Singletary, a 9-1 shot making his first start since finishing fifth in the Del Mar Derby on Sept. 6, won the Thunder Road, beating 2-1 second choice Inesperado by a length.

Ridden by Victor Espinoza for Little Red Feather Racing and trainer Don Chatlos Jr., Singletary, a 4-year-old Sultry Song colt, completed the mile on turf in 1 minute 34.42 seconds. Designed For Luck, the 2-1 favorite who had been idle since finishing seventh in the Breeders’ Cup Mile, finished seventh.

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Candy Ride, who hasn’t run since he beat Medaglia d’Oro in the Pacific Classic more than five months ago at Del Mar, had his first recorded workout since that victory Wednesday morning.

The Argentine-bred, who is owned by Sid and Jenny Craig and trained by Ron McAnally, went three furlongs in 36 seconds.