HOLLYWOOD PARK : Metamorphose Keeps Frankel on Turf Roll

The distance of the Gamely Handicap wasn’t in Danzante’s favor, Polemic is recovering from an injury and Gravieres suffered a slight setback while preparing for the race and needed more training.

No matter. Even though trainer Bobby Frankel was without three top competitors in the filly-and-mare turf division, he was still able to win the $160,800 Gamely at Hollywood Park on Sunday.

Not only that, Frankel had the exacta. Making her second start in the United States, Metamorphose chased pacesetter and favorite Only Yours most of the way, then took charge to win by 1 3/4 lengths in 1:46 2/5 for the 1 1/8 miles. Guiza, Frankel’s other entrant in the field of six, outfinished Silvered by a head for second.

Owned by Serge Fradkoff, who raced Perrault, Kilijaro and Providential, among others, in California in the early 1980s, Metamorphose lost by a neck to Christiecat in the Beaugay Handicap at Belmont Park last month in her first start for Frankel.

“It was really soft going, and it was her first race in seven months,” Frankel said. “She got a little tired and her saddle slipped.”

Against one opponent, Alcando, who hadn’t raced since October and four others without a victory this year, 4-year-old Metamorphose couldn’t have asked for an easier place to become a Grade I winner. Nor could she have had a better trip.

“Bobby told me she was a very easy filly to ride,” said Gary Stevens, who has won three of the last four stakes at Hollywood Park. “He said that you could do whatever you wanted with her.

“I was a little worried when we turned into the stretch because (Only Yours) got away from her a little bit. My filly takes some riding to get her to kick in, but once she does kick in, for a little filly, she’s got an extraordinary stride to her.”

Metamorphose, the 9-5 second choice, has won three of 10 starts and could return against Kostroma, Martessa and Lady Blessington in the Beverly Hills Handicap on June 28.

“I’ve got some good fillies for later in the year,” Frankel said. “When you’ve got a few who can run, (you can afford) not to put pressure on one. Now I know how (trainer) Charlie (Whittingham) felt all those years.”

Only Yours finished fourth after taking an easy lead.

“Fourth best, how’s that,” jockey Chris McCarron said. “(Only Yours) just got outrun. I don’t have any excuses.”

Trainer Bob Hess Jr. won three times to increase his lead in the Hollywood Park standings.

The leader since the first week of the meeting, Hess won with heavily favored J.F. Williams in the third race, 7-1 shot Liztoane in the fifth and 2-1 choice Manipulate in the seventh. McCarron rode Liztoane, and leading rider Kent Desormeaux was aboard the other two.

A 3-year-old son of Broad Brush, J.F. Williams justified his 2-5 odds, despite stumbling badly at the start from his inside post position. Liztoane ran down pacesetter Joli’s Princess, and Manipulate led wire-to-wire in winning her first start since July 29. She has won three times in four starts at Hollywood Park.

Missy’s Mirage scored a three-length wire-to-wire victory over Harbour Club and four other fillies and mares in the $200,000, Grade I Hempstead Handicap Sunday at Belmont Park.

Running over a sloppy track, the 5-2 second choice ran the 1 1/8 miles in a stakes record 1:47 under Eddie Maple. She had fractions of 22 3/5, 45, 1:08 4/5 and 1:33 3/5 for the mile. Versailles Treaty, the 6-5 favorite, was third, a neck behind Harbour Club.

“This might be the best horse I’ve trained,” Allen Jerkens said of Missy’s Mirage. “She’s been training great and she ran great. I think we’ll give her a vacation now. I think we should.”

Horse Racing Notes

Laffit Pincay’s riding quintuple on Saturday was the first five-winner day for a jockey at Hollywood Park since 1989. Pincay had two such days that year. . . . Trainer Ron Ellis was fined $300 for the use of more than one non-steroid, anti-inflammatory drug to treat Porcupine Ridge, who finished second in the seventh race on May 7. . . . Algenib, who is scheduled to make his next start in the Golden Gate Handicap, worked six furlongs in 1:12 3/5 Sunday morning. . . . Hollywood Park will take bets on both the Belmont Stakes and the Nassau County Handicap, the fifth race in the American Championship Racing Series, on Saturday. Post time will be 1:10 p.m.