Columnist Ralph Siraco: Frankel triggers holiday weekend fireworks

Ralph Siraco

Monday, July 8, 2002 | 9:22 a.m.

Ralph Siraco's horse racing column appears Monday and his Southern California selections run Tuesday-Sunday.

The Independence Day holiday provided more than traditional fireworks to celebrate our nation's birthday over the long four-day weekend. It also supplied the equine version on tracks across the great land we honored.

Hall of Fame trainer Bobby Frankel, for one, unleashed the barn with representation in 10 added money events from Thursday to Sunday.

He eased into the weekend with Kappa King in the $150,000 American Handicap Thursday at Hollywood Park. Although posted as the morning line favorite, Kappa King could do no better than third in the grass feature.

Friday, Frankel sent out Shibboleth in the $100,000 Poker Handicap at Belmont Park and Carinae at Hollywood Park in the $100,000 Flawlessly Stakes. Shibboleth didn't hit the board in New York while Carinae finished second under the lights in Inglewood.

The big thrust came Saturday. Six stakes races at four different tracks over three time zones started early at Monmouth Park in New Jersey and ended under the lights at Prairie Meadows in Iowa.

The $500,000 United Nations Handicap featured Frankel's recent Whittingham winner Denon facing seven others over the Jersey shore turf course.

With Anticipation waited a year for Frankel vindication in the U.N. The gray beat the Frankel-trained Senure in the 2001 renewal only to be disqualified. Jockey Pat Day inadvertently hit Senure with his whip in the driving finish and was flagged for the flagrancy. This time it was straight and strong for With Anticipation, who set a course record while Frankel finished a closing second again.

Just up the road in Elmont, N.Y., Lido Palace would carry the Frankel banner in the $500,000 Suburban Handicap. Again, Frankel would settle for the Avis spot as Lido Palace, obviously in need of the outing, could not catch the front-running E. Dubai under John Velasquez.

Hollywood Park offered a trio of stakes races Saturday and Frankel had a runner in each.

The inaugural American Oaks featured an international field of 3-year-old fillies to negotiate 1 1/4 miles of Hollywood green for a half million dollars.

Frankel's British import Megahertz had been perfect in four U.S. starts and faced her toughest test stateside in the Oaks. Under jockey Alex Solis, Megahertz charged past all but Dublino and finished a close second. Then, the "Inquiry" sign flashed on the tote board.

Dublino's jockey Kent Desormeaux struck Megahertz twice on the nose with his whip while Dublino shifted ground, impeding the Frankel filly. The judges disqualified Dublino giving the victory to Megahertz.

Next came the $300,000 Triple Bend Handicap, where Frankel sent Blu Air Force to upset 2000 Breeders' Cup Sprint winner Kona Gold. Although the Eclipse Award winner would falter under top weight, it was not Frankel who pulled the upset, as that honor went to Disturbingthepeace. Blu Air Force could do no better than fourth.

The $100,000 Royal Heroine Stakes was the final added money event. Like Megahertz, Surya was undefeated in the U.S. with a pair of solid victories. This time Desormeaux was riding for Frankel. And this time he would win with speed to spare, inciting no objections. Surya cruised for a third consecutive win to give Frankel a pair on the day.

Frankel's last chance on Saturday was the $400,000 Cornhusker Handicap at Prairie Meadows. Eurchre was the defending Cornhusker champion and jockey Jorge Chavez was imported from the Big Apple to partner the Frankel trainee. In the end, Eurchre would be no threat to Mr. John.

Frankel had one more stakes engagement to go on Sunday, the $75,000 Great Lady M. Handicap at Hollywood Park. His German-bred Twin Set was outrun in the turf dash and finished off the board.

The Frankel file produced two victories, three runner-up efforts, a third-place finish and four out-of-the-money runners during the holiday whirlwind.

Jockey John Velazquez captured four for the Fourth in the Big Apple. He won the Tom Fool Handicap aboard Left Bank, who set a track record of 1:20 for seven furlongs on Thursday. He swept both Saturday features with Carson Hollow in the Prioress Stakes and E. Dubai in the Suburban. On Sunday, he completed his foursome by guiding Gygistar to victory, to remain undefeated in four lifetime starts in the Dwyer Stakes -- all at Belmont Park.

In addition to With Anticipation winning the U.N. Handicap at age 7, Cetewayo, at 8-years-old, won the Stars And Stripes Handicap on the Arlington Park turf Saturday. Both seniors established course records.

The Churchill Downs spring meeting, which opened with this year's Kentucky Derby, closed over the weekend with two juvenile races that may shed early light for next year's Kentucky Oaks and Derby.

Saturday's Debutante was won by Awesome Honor while the colt counterpart, the Bashford Manor Stakes, was taken by Lone Star Sky on Sunday. Hall of Fame jockey Pat Day wrapped up his 32nd riding title at Churchill Downs with 72 wins and added to his all-time Churchill Downs total of 2,239 victories.

Finally, the California Racing Fairs banned place and show wagering on America's most consistent runner. Black Ruby, a virtual winning machine, has won so many races on the circuit that the tracks could not sustain the minus-pools she creates. So on Sunday, when the 10-year-old racing mule won her 44th race in 50 lifetime starts, there was only win betting. She has never finished out of the money, with five seconds and a third. Black Ruby paid $2.40 for the victory.