Gomez Keeps Comeback Going Strong at Del Mar

A year ago at this time, jockey Garrett Gomez’s riding career was still on hold because of drug-related problems. But he bounced back last fall, and has quickly become a fixture on the Southern California circuit.

The leading rider at the Hollywood Park meet that closed last Sunday, Gomez, making his first appearance at Del Mar in two years, rode longshot Becrux to an opening-day win Wednesday in the first half of the Oceanside Stakes.

“It’s been a long road,” the 33-year-old Gomez said. “It’s taken a lot of hard work. But once I got back riding, everything else was a bonus.”

Gomez won with Becrux on the front end, holding off any late charges, but similar tactics didn’t work with Khyber Pass in the second half of the Oceanside. Khyber Pass, leading at the eighth pole, finished fifth as El Roblar, an undefeated colt, used a late move to post his third win before 40,046. Racing might be sliding in most precincts, but not for the seven-week meets here. Wednesday’s turnout was the third highest in Del Mar history, and the second highest for an opener.

While Gomez was away, his weight soared to about 150 pounds, almost 30 pounds more than his riding weight. Before his personal problems sidelined him, he earned some impressive stakes wins here. He won the track’s richest race, the $1-million Pacific Classic, with Skimming in 2000-01. Gomez and Eddie Delahoussaye (with Tinners Way in 1994-95) are still the only jockeys to win that stake in successive years.

Becrux, purchased by Barry Irwin’s Team Valor outfit after three straight wins in Italy last fall, paid $28. He has won six of 10 starts, but his last two races were abysmal -- last-place finishes in Dubai in March and at Belmont Park in June.

Irwin said that after the New York race, a breathing problem was discovered and a minor surgery called a myectomy was performed. It’s a procedure, Irwin said, that’s used to prevent a horse from flipping the soft palate.

The Oceanside was Becrux’s fifth win in seven tries on grass. Winning by 1 1/2 lengths over Legal Precedent, he ran a mile in 1:33 1/5, slightly faster than favored El Roblar, who beat In Excelsis by three-quarters of length with a 1:33 3/5 clocking.

“Actually, Becrux has an all-dirt pedigree,” Irwin said, “but we sent him to California figuring he might like the harder turf courses out there.”

Eastern Sand, the even-money favorite, finished seventh under Alex Solis, who picked up his 73rd stakes win at Del Mar with the Richard Mandella-trained El Roblar.

Solis, the leading rider here in 1996 and 2001, trailed Gomez by five wins at Hollywood Park and is expected to challenge for the riding title at Del Mar. El Roblar paid $6.60.

“He’s special,” said Solis, who also rode El Roblar in his second win. “In fact, he’s just about incredible. This is the kind of horse that makes you want to get up in the morning. This was the first time he’d ever stepped foot on grass. Up to this point, the only thing he’s ever done with grass is to eat it. But he’s bred for it, and showed he loves it.”

Mandella took over El Roblar’s training after Bruce Headley had the colt for his maiden win in January.

“It looked like Alex had all the horses measured,” Mandella said. “It looked like he was trying to decide when to push the button.”

Del Mar’s opener was an eventful day for the three stewards, one of whom is Kim Sawyer, who grew up in Hemet but is a newcomer to the Southern California officiating circuit.

Pat Valenzuela, expected to be a factor in the jockeys’ race after leading five times, had his Sunshine Dreamer disqualified from first to second in the third race. Later, Solis, aboard No Toro, claimed foul against Love That Song, who won with Tyler Baze, but the stewards let that result stand.

*

Mike Willman, who co-hosts a racing radio show and has been broadcast coordinator at Hollywood Park for more than 12 years, has been named director of publicity at Santa Anita. Willman succeeds Vince Bruun, who resigned.