Cambiocorsa Is Back on Course

Sometimes a change of course is what a horse needs.

If the horse is Cambiocorsa and the course is Santa Anita’s hillside turf course, it always seems to pay off.

Fifth in her last start in the CashCall Mile at Hollywood Park in July, Cambiocorsa took a 2 1/2 -length victory in the $100,000 Sen. Ken Maddy Handicap Wednesday on opening day of the Oak Tree meet at Santa Anita and is now eight for eight on the unique downhill course.

“I think it’s really something about this course -- and horse,” trainer Doug O’Neill said.

The Santa Anita hillside course, built in the 1950s, has a long, sweeping downhill leg that crosses the dirt of the main track before it connects with the infield oval.

“I think it’s the way it’s configured,” O’Neill said. “I think on your conventional race tracks, when you sprint, the turn comes up right away. She’s one of those that’s not crazy about being held much. ... She tends to ‘displace’ or hyperventilate if you take much hold of her.

“On this course, you can let the reins down and let her do her thing. I think she relishes that.”

It was a good day for O’Neill, who opened with four victories -- Liquidity, Artaxman and Star Of Madraar were his other winners -- tying an Oak Tree record shared by many. What’s rarer is that O’Neill has done it twice, joining only Bobby Frankel and Richard Mandella.

The victory by Cambiocorsa in the Grade III race with regular rider Jon Court in the irons paid $3.00 and was relatively easy, despite a slight bump at the top of the stretch.

Now Cambiocorsa might be headed for another 6 1/2 -furlong turf sprint, the California Cup Distaff on Oct. 28.

“We’ll discuss her future plans with the owners,” O’Neill said, referring to Leroy and Ty Leatherman of Granada Hills and Robert Naify of San Francisco. “But obviously anything down the hill has got to have her name written all over it.”

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Jockey Patrick Valenzuela will be allowed to ride his four scheduled mounts today after scratch time passed Wednesday without an objection by horse racing officials, although the final issue concerning his recent absence has not been completely resolved.

“He’s going to ride [today] and we took entries for Friday and he’s named to ride,” said Richard B. Shapiro, chairman of the California Horse Racing Board. “We’re just waiting on one last thing and hopefully we’ll get it tomorrow.”

Valenzuela could be taken off his mounts for Friday if the information Shapiro called “more of a detail” is not received by scratch time at 10 a.m. today, but Shapiro said he might be allowed to ride anyway.

Valenzuela, who has a history of substance abuse and related suspensions, has not ridden in a race since the final day of the Hollywood Park meet July 16 and spent six weeks in a facility that treats patients with mental health and addiction issues, but passed multiple drug tests before and after his hospitalization.

Although he and attorney Neil Papiano refused to release his medical records, Valenzuela submitted at the CHRB’s request to an examination by David Seftel, a Northern California track physician active in addressing jockey health issues.

“I clearly understand the concern about violating somebody’s medical privacy,” said Shapiro, who said he did not want to “make aspersions” by disclosing details of the case.

“I’m satisfied that I know enough of the situation such that with the present conditions, with what I hope to receive, we will be able to assure everybody that Pat is in good health.”

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The CHRB is investigating an allegation that jockey Carlos Bautista used a battery-operated buzzer designed to shock a horse into running faster during the second race at Fairplex Park Sunday, spokesman Mike Marten said. Bautista’s mount, Royal Medallion, finished third in the race, which was won by Just A Lane Change, ridden by his brother, Alex Bautista.... Precisionist, who won the 1985 Breeders’ Cup Sprint, was euthanized at age 25 in Kentucky because of an inoperable tumor.