Columnist Ralph Siraco: 3 rivalries come down to photo finishes

Ralph Siraco

Monday, July 23, 2001 | 10:33 a.m.

Ralph Siraco's horse racing column appears Monday and his Southern California selections appear Tuesday-Sunday. Reach him c/o Las Vegas Sun, 2275 Corporate Circle Drive, Suite 300, Henderson, NV 89074.

These days in racing, outside of the Breeders' Cup day showdown of champions, it is rare theater to be treated to a real one-day, one-race shoot-out.

So, when racing fans saw three showdowns within six days (two human and one equine), it amounted to a genuine rejuvenation in the sport of kings.

When this column last appeared, the closing day of the Hollywood Park spring/summer meeting was to decide the riding title between jockeys Alex Solis and Laffit Pincay, Jr. After day 65 of the 66-day session, Solis and Pincay were deadlocked at 61 victories apiece from a combined 566 rides. Pincay was scheduled to ride six horses while Solis had secured seven mounts on the Monday finale.

Pincay had been in this situation before, having taken the 1991 Hollywood Park spring/summer honors by winning the last race on the last day. It was his 14th Hollywood Park riding trophy and his last spring/summer title -- before last Monday.

Solis had seven overall Hollywood Park titles of which four came in the spring/summer season. Fate stepped in early on the final day's card. David Flores was scheduled to ride Gibson County in the day's second race.

But Flores had to extend his absence from riding due to a Friday night mishap in the Hollywood Park paddock. He was kicked in the head by his mount and was still smarting from chin stitches and nine cracked teeth. So, trainer Bob Baffert called on Pincay to sub on the prohibitive favorite.

Gibson County reported home for an easy victory at $3.40 and gave the 54-year-old rider win 62. One up on Solis.

After losing on his first mount in the first race, Solis sat on the third race favorite and wasted no time evening the score. Kipper's Kitten led from gate to wire to give Solis number 62.

Pincay fell short of pulling a surprise in the fourth race when he finished second on Weed Runner, a 20-1 morning line long shot, while Solis finished off the board on My Captain, 7-2 on the early line.

The tie continued through the seventh race on the card. Pincay would once again outrun the odds with Backhaul, who scored at $18.20.

Solis evened the score when he took the featured eighth race on The Seven Seas at $2.60.

In the final race, Pincay scaled a horse named Rise And Shine while Solis' hopes sat with a steed named Stuff And Nonsence. PIncay took the initiative and had Rise And Shine bounding on the lead in the sprint finale. Solis loomed dangerously on the final turn, but Rise And Shine had destiny calling.

Pincay won the last race on the last day to win the title -- again. For the 41st time in his legendary career, the Panamanian racing icon captured a riding title.

While this showdown played out in Southern California, another was brewing in New York. Jockeys Edgar Prado and John Valasquez, Jr. were slugging it out at Belmont Park. With a week to go, Prado lead Valasquez by one victory, 56-55.

On Saturday, Prado had scored three victories to draw within one of Valasquez. Then in the Grade I Coaching Club American Oaks, jockey Chris McCarron was unseated from the favorite, Starrer, five strides out of the starting gate in the 1 1/2-mile feature. Valasquez quickly seized the moment with Tweedside and won the $350,000 stakes. At the end of the day, Valasquez led 64-62.

Unlike the Hollywood Park finale, Prado needed to outscore Valasquez plus two on the final day of the meeting.

On Sunday, Valasquez struck first with a fourth-race victory on Pegs Halo at $2.90. Now, Prado would have to score in a hurry. Bing, bang, bong. Prado put together three wins in a row. The fifth race with Spavinaw at $5.30, the sixth atop Cyclorama at $4.60 then the seventh race astride Alida at $7.40.

It happened again. The last race on the last day of the meeting.

Here, Valasquez had to hold off Prado throughout the long Belmont Park turf stretch to gain the title. Exaltado and Valasquez reached the finish line in the nick of time to beat Prado and St. Sunset in the final strides. Valasquez won the Belmont spring/summer title, 66-65. Wow.

Finally, there was an equine showdown on Sunday at Del Mar. Ever since last year's Breeders' Cup, there has been a subtle war of words spewing from the camp of sprint star Caller One and that of defending sprint champion Kona Gold. Trainer James Chapman will tell anyone who listens that his Caller One could have and should have beaten Kona Gold in the Breeders' Cup Sprint. Breaking from an inside post at Churchill Downs, Caller One had to overcome a tardy start, rushed up to take the lead, then tired finishing fourth to Kona Gold.

Caller One returned this year to annex the recent Los Angeles Handicap at Hollywood Park after taking the $2 million Dubai Golden Shaheen in the Arabian desert in March. Kona Gold has started twice this year, winning the San Carlos and Portero Grande Handicaps at Santa Anita.

The two have been ducking and weaving so much this year that Del Mar had tried to arrange a match race.

They practically got it in the Grade II Bing Crosby Handicap on Sunday. Caller One against Kona Gold in their first meeting since the Breeders' Cup Sprint.

A cat and mouse strategy at entry time was played right up to scratch time Sunday at Del Mar. Chapman had scratched Caller One from a big race showdown in the last minute before, but not this time.

The stage was set. At the start of the six-furlong battle at the beach, Caller One, under Corey Nakatani, sprinted clear with Kona Gold and Alex Solis within view. At the top of the homestretch it looked as if Kona Gold had too much to do and not enough time to do it. But, in the final eighth of a mile, Kona Gold pinned his ears and determinedly caught Caller One on class and heart. Caller One had been defeated by Kona Gold again. Fair and square.

Jockey Alex Solis celebrated after crossing the finish line as if he had won the Kentucky Derby. Trainer Bruce Headley was relieved to have the pressure of seven in a row behind him. Now Kona Gold will keep the same schedule that led him to victory at the Breeders' Cup last year: a start in the Ancient Title Handicap at Oak Tree on October 6, then on to defend the Breeders' Cup Sprint title at Belmont Park on October 27.

If the sport continues on its hot streak of showdowns, then there's a good chance Caller One will be there along with Solis, Pincay, Valasquez and Prado.