Day at the Races Is a Day of Upsets at Santa Anita : Capote, Lady’s Secret Only Favorites to Win; Poor Juvenile Showings

Capote was the only favorite besides Lady’s Secret to win Saturday in the Breeders’ Cup, so his victory in itself was not a surprise. What was startling, however, were the poor performances turned in by the good New York horses that ran behind him in the Juvenile.

The Juvenile brought together undefeated Polish Navy, plus Demon’s Begone and Bet Twice. Those three finished in that order in the Champagne at Belmont Park on Oct. 18. And Gulch was also running Saturday, a 2-year-old colt who had been undefeated in five New York races before he finished second behind Capote in the Norfolk Stakes at Santa Anita on Oct. 11.

The best these four could manage was Bet Twice’s fourth-place finish, almost five lengths behind Capote. Gulch was fifth, Demon’s Begone sixth and Polish Navy seventh.

LeRoy Jolley, who trains Gulch, cracked facetious when discussing his colt’s second straight dull race. Breeders’ Cup day brightened later for Jolley when he saddled Manila to win the Turf Stakes.

“I don’t think Gulch ran an eighth of a mile in either of the races he ran in California,� Jolley said, “so you’d have to say that he mustn’t like the track. But since it’s the end of the (Oak Tree) meeting, it’s no problem.�

Jolley said that Gulch might remain in California to run in the $1-million Hollywood Futurity on Dec. 14. Wayne Lukas, who trains Capote, said it’s probable that he will skip the Hollywood Futurity and get a rest before his preps for the Kentucky Derby early next year.

Here’s a look at five of the races on the Breeders’ Cup card:

JUVENILE

Capote, the first of Laffit Pincay’s two Breeders’ Cup winners Saturday, took an early lead and was never threatened, running 1 1/16 miles in 1:43 4/5, which was 1 2/5 seconds faster than he was clocked in the Norfolk.

Qualify, the winner of the Del Mar Futurity, was second, 1 lengths ahead of the 33-1 longshot, Alysheba. Capote paid $6.80.

Polish Navy, who had led all the way in his four previous starts, was far back early in the race, and his jockey, Randy Romero, thought that was a factor.

“He broke inside and kind of stumbled,� Romero said. “Then when dirt from the other horses started hitting him in the face, he wasn’t used to it. He started climbing on me.�

JUVENILE FILLIES

While Snow Chief was at Garden State Park in May, preparing for his win in the Jersey Derby, trainer Mel Stute’s assistant, Gary Gregory, noticed an impressive filly who was for sale.

A few days later, Stute bought Brave Raj for $300,000 on behalf of Dolly Green, a Beverly Hills owner who had recently changed trainers from Laz Barrera to Stute.

“I had never spent that much money on a horse before,� Stute said.

Brave Raj failed to win in her first two starts for Stute, but on Saturday she won her fourth straight stake, splitting horses on the turn for home and coasting in 5 1/2 lengths ahead of Tappiano. Sacahuista, the favorite, finished fourth.

Brave Raj, paying $10 to win and running in 1:43 1/5, which was faster than Capote’s winning time in the Juvenile, boosted her career earnings to $911,150.

The winner had to survive a foul claim by Dave Penna, Ruling Angel’s jockey, who said he was interfered with by Brave Raj in the run down the backstretch.

Scotty Schulhofer, who trains Tappiano, saw his filly lose for the first time in four starts. Schulhofer had respect for Brave Raj before the race, because she had gone from California to Florida to win two stakes recently.

“Anytime a horse goes into Calder and wins, you know she’s dead fit,� Schulhofer said.

Saros Brig ran third, nine lengths behind Brave Raj.

Sacahuista was one of the few disappointments for Lukas on Saturday.

“She didn’t have the zip she usually does, and she wasn’t bouncing over the ground,� Lukas said.

SPRINT

Groovy, the 2-5 favorite and considered to be the best sprinter in the country, was outrun coming out of the gate and wound up fourth as Smile, paying $24, won by 1 3/4 lengths over Lukas’ filly, Pine Tree Lane.

Smile covered six furlongs in 1:08 2/5, with Bedside Promise third, 1 3/4 lengths behind Pine Tree Lane.

Although Smile was second to Precisionist in the Sprint last year and had won two stakes this year, the 4-year-old colt ran sixth, beating only one horse, in the Breeders’ Cup Handicap at Philadelphia Park in his most recent start.

“I’ll take the blame for that one,� Schulhofer said. “The track was very sloppy, and I should have put stickers (special shoes that sometimes help a horse’s traction) on him. As it was, he couldn’t even stand up that day.�

Pine Tree Lane broke quickest, and Goovy found himself in third place, behind the filly and Smile.

“I was surprised that I didn’t get the lead,� said Jose Santos, Groovy’s jockey. “By the time we got to the top of the stretch, I knew we didn’t have a chance. I don’t know what the reason was. Maybe it was the workout.�

Last week, Groovy worked a blazing :32 4/5 for three furlongs in his final tuneup for the Sprint.

MILE

For the second time in three years, Yves Saint- Martin, the French riding star, rode a longshot to victory in the Breeders’ Cup.

In 1984 in the Turf at Hollywood Park, Saint-Martin scored with Lashkari, who was a $108 payoff. Saturday, Last Tycoon, paying $73.80, won the Mile by a head over the late-closing Palace Music. It was another 2 1/2 lengths back to Fred Astaire, who was part of the mutuel field.

Last Tycoon, who had won two major stakes this year in England, is an Irish-bred with a French trainer, Robert Collet, and the 3-year-old colt is owned by an American, Richard Strauss of Dallas.

Last Tycoon was the last foreign horse to arrive for the Breeders’ Cup, shipping in on Wednesday and having only one gallop over the Santa Anita track.

He was wearing American shoes--the kind with toecaps that help a horse grip the course--that are not allowed in France.

Last Tycoon, who was timed in 1:35 1/5, is scheduled to go to stud in England next year.

Sonic Lady, the English filly who had won seven of eight starts, went off the 2-1 favorite and finished seventh.

DISTAFF

At 1-2 odds, Lady’s Secret was a wire-to-wire winner, finishing two lengths ahead of Fran’s Valentine while running 1 miles in 2:01 1/5. Outstandingly, winner of the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies when Fran’s Valentine was disqualified on a foul in 1984, ran third Saturday, 4 1/2 lengths behind Lady’s Secret.

Pat Day went to the whip only twice through the stretch on Lady’s Secret, and they were just backhanded taps.

“We won with practically only a hand ride,� Day said. “She should be horse of the year. She’s done everything.�

Lady’s Secret paid $3. The shortest-priced horse in the three years of Breeders’ Cups was Life’s Magic, who ran as an entry with Lady’s Secret last year at Aqueduct and paid $2.80 after beating her stablemate by 6 lengths.