Swaps Purse to Increase if ‘Big Three’ All Run

After much discussion between Hollywood Park and the Thoroughbred Owners of California, it was announced Saturday that the purse of the $500,000 Swaps Stakes will be increased only if Touch Gold, Silver Charm and Free House all participate.

If the first three finishers in the Belmont Stakes run in the 1 1/8-mile race, which, for now, is scheduled for July 13, they and any other 3-year-olds who ran would be shooting for a winner’s share of $800,000.

The proposal agreed to by Hollywood Park and the TOC calls for a $500,000 bonus to the Swaps purse, $300,000 coming from the purse pool and $200,000 from the track itself. The winner of the Swaps would receive the bonus, plus 60% of the $500,000 purse, or an additional $300,000.

Touch Gold, who thwarted Silver Charm’s Triple Crown bid with a victory by three-quarters of a length in the Belmont eight days ago, is stabled at Hollywood Park and it seems likely he will return in the Swaps. The same goes for Free House, who was second in the Preakness and third in both the Kentucky Derby and Belmont.

Silver Charm may be a different story. He is still in April Mayberry’s barn at Churchill Downs, and trainer Bob Baffert and owners Bob and Beverly Lewis could opt instead for the $1-million Haskell Invitational on Aug. 3 at Monmouth Park in New Jersey.

That would give the gray son of Silver Buck more rest and the Lewises have fond memories of the Haskell, having won it in 1995 with Serena’s Song.

However, Hollywood Park has had talks to televise the Swaps nationally and it is a strong possibility the race could be run later. The track’s spring-summer meeting ends July 21, so July 19 has been discussed as the new date for the race.

“The 1997 Triple Crown grew more exciting with each leg,” said Hollywood Park president R.D. Hubbard in a statement. “These are very talented, highly competitive horses with an incredible will to win. We’d be thrilled to give California fans an opportunity to see them meet next in their own backyard.”

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No matter a handicapper’s preference in the $400,000-added Shoemaker Breeders’ Cup Mile today at Hollywood Park, the odds will be attractive.

Fourteen are scheduled to go in the turf contest and very few can be dismissed from consideration.

Hollywood Park’s morning-line maker Russ Hudak made Rainbow Blues the 7-2 favorite in the Grade II race and it is likely neither he or any of the others will go off at odds shorter than that.

Trained by Charlie Whittingham for owner Silvio Garaventa, Rainbow Blues will be making his first start since finishing second in the Explosive Bid Handicap at the Fair Grounds in New Orleans. That race was run over a yielding course and the 4-year-old son of Bluebird will be more comfortable over Hollywood Park’s firm layout.

In his only other Hollywood Park turf race, Rainbow Blues, who will be ridden by Chris McCarron, was second to Marlin in the Hollywood Derby last Dec. 1.

Making his first start since finishing sixth in the Citation Handicap here last Nov. 30, Helmsman is the 9-2 second choice. Bothered by back problems late last year, the 5-year-old El Gran Senor horse is reported healthy now by trainer Wally Dollase.

Trainer Jenine Sahadi and owners C.N. and Carol Ray, who won the Shoemaker last year with heavily favored Fastness, will try for a repeat with El Angelo, the 5-1 third choice. With Corey Nakatani riding Helmsman, Laffit Pincay takes over on El Angelo, who has won three of his last four and, most recently, the Inglewood Handicap. That’s the same race Fastness won before the Shoemaker in 1996.

Also in the field are Precious Ring, Gold And Steel, Pinfloron, Sharpest Image, Tychonic, Wavy Run, Hesabull, Surachai, Via Lombardia, Donthelumbertrader and Advancing Star. The latter three will race coupled in the wagering as the mutuel field.

Precious Ring will be making his American debut for trainer Steve Young and enters with three victories in 12 starts. Gold And Steel has won five of six at a mile on the turf. Tychonic was fourth in this race last year.

Marooned on the far outside in the overflow field, Advancing Star will be trying to become the third filly to win this, but the other two--Happy Issue and Special Touch--won the race when it was called the Premiere Handicap and was run at six furlongs on the dirt.

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Trainer Carla Gaines won a graded stakes for the first time when Freeport Flight rallied from last after half a mile to beat 2-1 second choice Really Happy by half a length in the $107,400 Princess Stakes.

Ridden by Eddie Delahoussaye, who picked up the mount after the filly he was supposed to ride--I Ain’t Bluffing--was forced to miss the race because of a bruised foot, Freeport Flight paid $9.40 as the 7-2 third choice and completed the 1 1/16 miles in 1:43 4/5.

Owned by Warren Williamson, the 3-year-old Conquistador Cielo filly has three victories in six starts and was second in two of her defeats.

Really Happy, who looked like a winner at the top of the stretch after she put away pacesetter Desert Digger, finished four clear of third-place finisher Desert Digger. Majestical Moment, the 2-1 first choice, was a disappointing fourth.

“I’m in shock,” Gaines said. “When they went off so slow in the first part (23 3/5 and 46 4/5 for the half-mile), I didn’t like her chances. I never thought she’d get there. She’s as steady as they go--one-paced. I’m so excited.”

Horse Racing Notes

Holzmeister, who won the Harry Henson Handicap by 8 1/2 lengths in his most recent start on May 26, is the 7-5 favorite against five other 3-year-olds in the $100,000-added Affirmed Handicap. Set to oppose him going 1 1/16 miles are Deputy Commander, Hello, Falkenham, Coyote Lakes and Young At Heart. . . . Jockey Octavio Vergara, who won the final race on Friday night with longshot Divine Harvest, made it three victories in a row when he swept the early double Saturday with Star’s Thee Law in the first and Yuzum Tutmaz in the second.