Valenzuela Is Back in Form With Win

Jockey Patrick Valenzuela won on his first day back riding after being sidelined because of a bruised knee suffered during a starting gate mishap on April 22.

Riding King Of Happiness, the 2-1 second choice, for the first time, Valenzuela and the 6-year-old Spinning World horse prevailed by a nose over stablemate and 6-5 favorite Red Fort to take the $107,200 Inglewood Handicap on Saturday at Hollywood Park.

In helping trainer Neil Drysdale sweep the top two prizes in the Grade III, King Of Happiness won for the fifth time in 19 starts for owner Maktoum al Maktoum in his first appearance since he finished fifth in a Grade II at Belmont Park on Oct. 9.

After tracking the slow pace set by longshot Mister Acpen, King Of Happiness took charge around the far turn, drew clear, then got the best of a head bob at the wire to win in a rapid 1:40.67 for the 1 1/16 miles on turf.

“I would have been happy with a dead heat,” Drysdale said. “I really couldn’t tell who won because it was just a bob. One head was up and one was down.”

*

Funny Cide, the 2003 Kentucky Derby and Preakness winner, won’t make his first start as a 5-year-old in today’s $75,000 Kings Point Handicap at Aqueduct.

Scheduled to start as the 127-pound highweight for Sackatoga Stable, the Distorted Humor gelding was declared out of the 1 1/8 -mile race on Saturday by trainer Barclay Tagg.

“I won’t run him,” he said. “The combination of carrying a lot of weight and a wet track are very unappetizing. I’ll probably just train him up to the Pimlico Special,” on May 20.

*

Wend, the 7-10 favorite, remained unbeaten in four starts on turf with a 5 1/2 -length victory in the $150,000 Hollywood Wildcat Breeders’ Cup Handicap at Calder.

Owned and bred by Claiborne Farm and trained by Bill Mott, the 4-year-old Pulpit filly ran the 1 1/16 miles in 1:40.73 under jockey Jerry Bailey.

The Hollywood Wildcat was one of four stakes on the card at Calder.

Longshots won the other three -- Final Prophecy taking the $75,000 Carterista Handicap at 12-1, Hal’s Image winning the $100,000 Unbridled at 9-1 and 4-1 third choice Nightmare Affair ran down 11-10 favorite Toscani to win the $75,000 Ponche Handicap.

*

High Strike Zone, a 7-1 shot, overtook pacesetter Yessirgeneralsir in the final eighth of a mile and held off favored Supah Blitz to win the $300,000 Texas Mile at Lone Star Park.

Ricky Faul rode the Smart Strike gelding for owner Don Erickson and trainer Amos Laborde. It was the seventh win in 24 starts for the 5-year-old. He ran the distance in 1:35.74.