Landaluce Stakes a Special Race for Lukas

If Magicalmysterycat wins the $100,000 Landaluce Stakes on Monday at Hollywood Park, she will give trainer Wayne Lukas a record sixth victory in the track’s biggest race for 2-year-old fillies.

Although only a Grade II and with a purse that, by today’s standards, is not substantial, the Landaluce holds special meaning for Lukas.

Lukas, who is scheduled for induction into racing’s Hall of Fame next month, trained the filly the race was renamed for 16 years ago.

Landaluce wasn’t around long, but she left a lasting impression in a five-race career spanning July 3-Oct. 23, 1982.

Owned by Barry Beal and Bob French, Landaluce, a daughter of Seattle Slew out of the Bold Bidder mare Strip Poker and the 2-year-old filly champion, died in the early morning of Nov. 28, 1982, the victim of what Lukas earlier this week called a blood disorder. If all had been well, Landaluce would have run later that day in the second Hollywood Starlet.

Before tragedy struck, the $115,000 yearling purchase was unbeaten. After beginning her career with two victories at Hollywood Park, she won the Del Mar Debutante, then took the Anoakia and Oak Leaf Stakes during the Oak Tree meet at Santa Anita.

Never higher than 4-5 in any of her starts, Landaluce ran her most memorable race in her first stakes appearance. Those who saw it will probably never forget the 39th running of the Hollywood Lassie, as the Landaluce Stakes was known from 1945-82.

Seven days after beating maidens in her debut, Landaluce demolished her outclassed foes, winning by an amazing 21 lengths in 1:08 for the six furlongs. The final clocking was a stakes record that still stands.

Half a length behind Barzell after a 21 2/5 opening quarter, Landaluce had a 1 1/2-length lead after a 43 4/5 half-mile, extended the margin to nine after five furlongs in 56 flat, then completed her masterpiece by running the final eighth of a mile in 12 seconds under jockey Laffit Pincay Jr.

In the aftermath, Lukas chuckled when he remembered a comment by Ray Sibille, the rider of Bold Out Line, who finished second at 22-1.

“Somebody asked Ray what he thought,” recalled Lukas. “He said, ‘I beat everybody I could see.’

“She was probably the most brilliant horse I’ve ever trained. It’s still interesting now to wonder what would have happened had she lived. Her brilliance was breathtaking. She didn’t have any limitations that I could see.

“I remember one day I told [jockey Angel] Cordero [Jr.] to work her a half-mile and to go in about 49 [seconds]. He worked her and when he got back I asked him what he thought she went. He said, ‘About 48 4/5 or 49.’ We went by the clockers and they yelled down, ’45 2/5.’ ”

In what turned out to be her final race, Landaluce won the Oak Leaf by two lengths. Visually, it was her least impressive victory and left some believing she was going to be vulnerable in longer races.

After the Oak Leaf, she was to have ended her year by running in the Starlet, then trying the likes of Roving Boy and Desert Wine and other males in the Hollywood Futurity on Dec. 12.

Six days before the Starlet, however, and the morning after she had worked five furlongs at Hollywood Park, Landaluce developed a 103-degree fever. Her condition deteriorated over the next few days and she died with Lukas cradling her head. Two weeks later, she was buried in the infield at Hollywood Park.

“Looking back, there was absolutely no chance she could be saved,” Lukas said. “Every organ in her body was affected. I’m still grateful to Marje [Everett, the former chief executive of Hollywood Park] for changing the name of the Lassie to honor her.

“Landaluce taught me not to get too close to any horse because that was one of the hardest things I ever had to get over. It bothered me and affected the stable for a long time.”

Hollywood Park will also offer the $75,000 Great Lady M. Handicap on Monday, another race named for a horse once trained by Lukas.

Bought by Lukas for $65,000 for owner Bob Spreen, the gray daughter of Icecapade finished her career with 14 victories, nine seconds and seven thirds in 58 starts. She was a stakes winner at 3, 4 and 5 on both dirt and turf.

As a broodmare, she was the dam of 1986 Breeders’ Cup Distaff winner and horse-of-the-year Lady’s Secret, a result of her mating with Secretariat.

“I was in Atlantic City for a race with Effervescing and I remember watching a filly run fourth in a $35,000 claimer,” Lukas said. “I liked the way she looked and I had never seen a filly try as hard as she did.

“We were able to buy Great Lady M. and she was hickory. I loved the way she showed so much determination and she passed on all of her best qualities to Lady’s Secret.

“If a guy needed to feed his family, she was the kind you wanted to own.”