Horse Racing: Another exciting weekend

Ralph Siraco

Thursday, Sept. 19, 1996 | 11:59 a.m.

It promises to be another exciting weekend of racing in the race books of Nevada. Last weekend, it was a six-pack of graded events over the Saturday and Sunday cards at Belmont. Although the Woodbine Million wasn't offered for wagering in local race books, the race was still a major steppingstone to the Breeders' Cup at the same venue on Oct. 26. Woodbine Million winner Skip Away may not be headed for a Breeders' Cup Classic showdown with Cigar, but the victory all but locked up the division title for 3-year-old honors -- unless a sophomore surprises Cigar in the Classic, that is. The Belmont sextet should produce contenders in Canada in several Breeders' Cup races.

As for this weekend, the third renewal of Kentucky Cup day will be held at Turfway Park in Florence, Ky., on Saturday. The six-race series is featured by the Kentucky Cup, and the $1.25 million events will certainly produce others on the way to Breeders' Cup.

On Sunday, the $750,000 Super Derby renews for the 17th time at Louisiana Downs, and a strong field of contenders have assembled from all corners of the country for this Grade I event. In the inaugural 1980 running, Belmont Stakes winner Temperance Hill caught his favorite conditions, an off track, and won. Super Derby IV was won by Kentucky Derby winner Sunny's Halo, while the following year, the somewhat goofy Gate Dancer prevailed to give Laffit Pincay Jr. back-to-back victories and three of the first five Super Derbies overall.

The Super Derby turning point came in 1987 when Alysheba parlayed a Kentucky Derby victory into a Super Derby on his way to an exciting nose defeat in the Breeders' Cup Classic to Ferdinand. Sunday Silence also turned the Kentucky-Super Derby double in 1989, then rolled right on to a Breeders' Cup Classic victory over Easy Goer. Soul Of The Matter claimed Super Derby XV with a rousing win over eventual Breeders' Cup Classic winner Concern, and last year, it was Mecke who claimed the prize and rolled it over to an Arlington Million win this year. No doubt, the Breeders' Cup-Super Derby link will continue this year when the 1 1/4-mile event contests in the bayou. Unlike the Woodbine race last week, both the Kentucky Cup races and the Super Derby will be offered in Southern Nevada race books.

It was a rare day of racing on Wednesday afternoon in Northern California. Russell Baze, the perennial riding leader, blanked out with six chances on the eight-race card at Bay Meadows. The best he could manage was a pair of seconds and thirds and could have been the primary reason for the $38,770-plus Pick 6 carryover today.

When Calling You held on to win the Wednesday feature at Fairplex Park at the Los Angeles County Fair racing in Pomona, it was the second consecutive day that jockey Victor Espinoza took down the big race of the day. As you recall, Espinoza was aboard for the surprise Aprisa Stakes score of Clever Code at $18.60 on Tuesday. In Wednesday's feature, he engineered another upset victory with the 2-year-old filly by taking the lead at $11.20 and holding off the hard-charging favorite Justadarling with David Flores, who, by the way, seemed to be very upset with falling short off the stretch run.

Ironically, the Espinoza win helped the rider climb into a tie in the jockey standings with Flores at eight wins apiece. Flores was held to a single winner, while Espinoza doubled for the deadlock. Martin Pedroza, with seven wins, blanked out with five tries to the post.

Wali Esquire became the first two-time winner of the fair season with a victory in yesterday's seventh race. Easily scoring under jockey Mike Hunter, Esquire reported home as the favorite at $3.60. His first win came just four days prior on Saturday, also as the favorite with Hunter aboard. Unlike the longer big meets in Southern California, it is common to see horses run close races at the 19-day fair meet. At this rate, Wali has a chance to rack up a couple of more wins at the bullring this stand.

Finally, hunch bettors collected big at the Meadowlands on Tuesday evening. In a downpour that had the "Big M" track a quagmire, the first-race winner was appropriately named Born In A Splash and returned $32.80 for the sea cruise. Also on Tuesday, in the last race at Fairplex, the winner came romping home at $7. Of course, its name was Bold Tuesday. Go figure.