Columnist Ralph Siraco: Road to Kentucky Derby could pass through Del Mar Futurity — again

Ralph Siraco

Monday, Sept. 11, 2000 | 10:18 a.m.

Ralph Siraco's horse racing column appears Monday, and his Southern California selections run Tuesday through Friday. Reach him c/o Las Vegas Sun, 800 S. Valley View Blvd., Las Vegas, NV 89107.

Before I take my first vacation since starting with the Sun on July 11, 1994, I would like to pass on some notes scribbled across my Daily Racing Form. ...

Take special notice of the winner because he may well parlay that juvenile triumph into a win at Churchill Downs in the Kentucky Derby next May. Silver Charm won the Del Mar Futurity in 1996 before winning the "Run for the Roses" in 1997. ....

Jockey Victor Espinoza will secure his second consecutive Southern California riding title at Del Mar. The 28-year-old jockey takes the title fresh from the riding championship at the spring/summer Hollywood Park meeting.

Espinoza began collecting riding trophies at the Los Angeles County Fair meeting when he won back-to-back titles at Fairplex Park in 1996 and 1997. ...

This year's 18-day Fairplex Park race meet begins at Pomona, Calif., on Thursday.

Dixie Union still sits on the fence after throwing a shoe during the running of this year's Travers Stakes, where he finished fourth. Travers Stakes winner Unshaded suffered a strained tendon in that victory and will miss the rest of this year. ...

Defending Breeders' Cup Mile champ Silic's serious foot bruise sends him to the sidelines. Also, juvenile filly Seeking It All, who finished third in the Spinaway at Saratoga as the favorite, broke a bone in her foot and is out indefinitely. ...

Arlington Million winner Chester House has been retired following that triumph due to an undisclosed injury. K One King has also been retired, and Impeachment, third in this year's Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes, has left the racing wars due to injury.

European Group I winner Sendawar has been retired and will not compete "across the pond." ...

Breeders' Cup Classic favorite Lemon Drop Kid has been syndicated and will stand at stud for the 2001 breeding season for a reported $100,000 fee. Last year's Belmont Stakes and Travers winner will make his final start in the Breeders' Cup Classic. ...

Kentucky Derby winner Fusaichi Pegasus is back in training and should compete at least once during the Belmont meeting before shipping to Churchill Downs for the Breeders' Cup Classic. Already syndicated for $60 million, the son of Mr. Prospector will make the Classic his last career race -- if he races at all.

That was reiterated by trainer Neil Drysdale in an interview during the NBC telecast of the Atto Mile on Sunday. Drysdale was coy when interviewer Mike Battaglia asked about Fusaichi Pegasus' training schedule and where we might see him reappear. Drysdale said that Fusaichi Pegasus will let him know when and if he is ready to run. When Battaglia pushed for a more conclusive answer, Drysdale just said his often-flighty superstar will let him know through his workout preparations. ...

Zippy Chippy has a record of 0-for-20 at five furlongs, 0-for-3 on turf, 0-for-23 on wet tracks and 0-for-61 on fast ovals and is banned from racing at several tracks. ...

Hall of Fame trainer Ron McAnally snapped a 50-loss streak on Sept. 3 when Jimmy Z won the eighth race at Del Mar. The famous 68-year-old conditioner of John Henry won with Duke of Green on Del Mar's opening day, July 26, then went 34 racing days without a winner until Jimmy Z. ...

Aptitude, who finished second in this year's Kentucky Derby and Belmont Stakes, is back in training for Bobby Frankel. There is still an outside shot that the promising runner may compete on Breeders' Cup day. ...

Speaking of Frankel, the Brooklyn-born conditioner remains the hottest trainer in the country. Frankel ventured north of the border on Sunday with turf specialist Riviera and proceeded to captured the Atto Mile at Woodbine race course in Toronto. Frankel has won practically everything in racing but still remains 0-for-the-Triple Crown and Breeders' Cup.

Travis Dunkelberger, 23, has been winning races by the bunch in Maryland and the surrounding area. Last week he won seven races from nine mounts at Timonium, the second time he has booted home a seven-bagger on a single card. In March, he won seven races from ten mounts at Charles Town race track.

In fact, last week he won at least one race at four different race tracks -- Colonial Downs, Charles Town, Delaware Park and Timonium. Did I say this kid can ride? ...

Legislation that would permit telephone betting on horse races in the state of California passed the Golden State's Assembly on Thursday. Assembly Bill 2760 is expected to be signed by Gov. Gray Davis, or sit on his desk for the dormant period before it automatically becomes law. That will open the door for California tracks to offer residents phone betting accounts that would support the fledgling TVG cable television channel, which covers racing 24 hours a day. ...

Also, at France's Longchamp race course, Montjeu cakewalked in the Prix Foy and Sinndar captured the Prix Niel. ...

At Leopardstown, Giant's Causeway won his fifth consecutive Group I race with a victory in the Irish Champions Stakes. Co-owner Michael Tabor, who won the 1995 Kentucky Derby with Thunder Gulch, also owns Montjeu. ...

When the state of New York put its lucrative New York City OTB (off track betting network) up for sale, little did officials expect the intense interest that's being expressed by major players in the racing industry. At deadline time this week, 10 bidders had placed offers for the OTB Betting Corporation. They include AmTote, Inc. with TAB of Australia, Catskill OTB, Churchill Downs, Greenwood Racing, Magna Entertainment Corporation, New York Racing Association with Television Games Network and Penn National Gaming among the top bidders.