This Time, Espinoza Wins Without Question

For the second day in a row, jockey Victor Espinoza won the main event at Hollywood Park.

This time around, however, it counted. Deprived of an easy victory on a questionable stewards’ decision when Bob And John was disqualified in the $100,000 Real Quiet on Saturday, Espinoza didn’t have to sweat anything out on Sunday.

Balance, the 19-10 favorite who was hurt by a stewards’ call herself earlier in the month on the grass at Santa Anita, proved she could handle dirt as well in winning the $100,000 Sharp Cat.

Owned by John Amerman and trained by David Hofmans, the 2-year-old Thunder Gulch filly prompted the pace set by Make Mine Minnie, pulled Espinoza to the lead on the backstretch and went on to beat 14-1 shot Sweet Fourty and six others.

In winning by nearly two lengths, Balance ran the 1 1/16 miles in 1 minute 42.58 seconds.

“She’s real good,” Hofmans said. “She likes the dirt. There was some question to some people, but she trained well over it, so we knew she liked it.”

Hofmans said that Balance will make her next start in the Hollywood Starlet, a Grade I, on Dec. 18.

Talullah Lula, the 7-2 second choice, finished third, 6 1/2 lengths behind Sweet Fourty, then came I Can See, My Little Monkey, Cross, Make Mine Minnie and Evening Escort.

* Hector Cuevas, the leading quarter horse rider at Los Alamitos in 2004 and atop the standings again this year, underwent surgery Saturday at UCI Medical Center in Anaheim after breaking his back in a spill Friday night.

Cuevas, 20, was able to move his toes Sunday morning and is “doing better,” Los Alamitos spokesman Orlando Gutierrez said.

The winner of last year’s Champion Of Champions with longshot Cash For Kas, Cuevas was scheduled to ride Finding Nemo in the Los Alamitos Million Futurity on Dec. 9 and Ocean Runaway in the $500,000 Champion Of Champions the following night.

Cuevas was hurt when Southern Icon, a longshot in the second trial for the Los Alamitos Million Futurity, suffered a fatal injury and fell on top of the rider.

* Prankster Cf, the top 870-yard horse in the country, had to be euthanized late Saturday night after suffering a severe fracture of his right knee. The injury occurred during the second trial for the upcoming $175,000 Marathon National.

Owned by Joan and R.D. Hubbard and trained by Paul Jones, the 4-year-old gelded son of former horse of the year Favorite Trick was battling with stablemate -- and eventual race winner -- Takin Cash Bac, when he broke down entering the turn.

“The knee was broken in half,” Jones said. “There was nothing we could do. He was the soundest horse in my barn. He had never been sore. I feel terrible.”

Prior to his fatal injury, Prankster Cf had all won seven of his starts at 870 yards. He finished his career with 10 wins in 24 races and earnings of $229,763.

* Alkaased beat Heart’s Cry by a nose to win the $4,008,872 Japan Cup on Sunday in Tokyo.

A 5-year-old Kingmambo horse owned by Mike Charlton and trained by Luca Cumani, Alkaased ran the 1 1/2 miles on turf in a world record 2:22.10 under jockey Frankie Dettori. The final time bettered the 2:22 4/5 set by Hawkster on Oct. 14, 1989, at Santa Anita.

Zenno Rob Roy, the defending champion in the Group I, finished third under Kent Desormeaux.

The win was the sixth in 16 starts for Alkaased and the third in the Japan Cup for Dettori. Better Talk Now, the upset winner of the 2004 Breeders’ Cup Turf, finished 12th, and King’s Drama, who is trained by Bobby Frankel, was 16th.