ROCK HARD TEN ROLLS AT BELMONT HEADLINE ...p10 NEWS For information about TDN, DELIVERED EACH NIGHT call 732-747-8060. BY FAX AND INTERNET www.thoroughbreddailynews.com TUESDAY, JUNE 1, 2004 STRAIGHT OUT OF “CENTRAL” CASTING GAME FACE Pico Central (Brz) (Spend a Buck) has started four Diamond A Racing Corp.’s Noches de Rosa (Chi) times since journeying to the U.S. and every race has (Stagecraft {GB}) evened her budding rivalry with resulted in a photo session. The five-year-old was back Megahertz (GB) (Pivotal {GB}) by winning the GI in front of the camera yesterday after Gamely Breeders’ Cup H. at driving to a 3/4-length score over Hollywood Park yesterday Bowman’s Band (Dixieland Band) in afternoon. It was also a bit of the GI Met Mile at Belmont Park. consolation for jockey Mike “He’s a special horse,” jockey Alex Smith, who lost the mount Solis said. After stumbling at the aboard champion Azeri in the start of the Met, the Brazilian-bred GI Met Mile. “Whew, that moved up to chase the pace as 2-1 takes some of the sting out,” chalk Strong Hope (Grand Slam) took admitted Smith. The Gamely Noches de Rosa Benoit Photo them along through a half in :46 and was the fourth meeting be- Pico Central six furlongs in 1:10.04. It looked as if tween the two distaffers. Noches de Rosa had at- Adam Coglianese photo the crowd’s choice might take them tempted to parlay her natural speed into victory in their gate to wire, but Pico Central closed latest face-off, the Apr. 17 GII Santa Barbara H., but with determination to take over inside the final furlong Megahertz’ late kick proved too much and she ended up and held on for his second straight Grade I score. “I second. “Her last race was dynamite; she ran her heart think this is the toughest race of the year so far,” out,” said winning trainer Richard Mandella, who earned trainer Paulo Lobo said. “This is one of the most presti- his first Gamely trophy. “That filly just outfooted her in gious races in the United States, but I was very confi- the last part.” The dark bay, winner of the G1 Chilean dent because he is a great horse.” Met Mile cont. p2 Oaks in her home country, had upset her archrival the first time they met, posting a front-running score in the Monday, Belmont Park GII Santa Ana H. last March, but was third to Mega- METROPOLITAN H.-GI, $750,000, BEL, 5-31, 3yo/up, hertz in the 2003 Santa Barbara and went to the side- 1m, 1:35 2/5, ft. lines after finishing as the runner-up in the GIII Yerba 1--PICO CENTRAL (BRZ), 119, h, 5, by Spend a Buck Buena Breeders’ Cup H. May 24. Click for the 1st Dam: Sheila Purple (Brz), by Purple Mountain brisnet.com chart or the brisnet.com catalogue-style 2nd Dam: Ecoute (Brz), by Tumble Lark pedigree. Gamely cont. p2 3rd Dam: Mystere (Arg), by Imbroglio (Arg) O-Gary Tanaka; B-Haras Fronteira Pap (BRZ); T-Paulo WINNING BY DESIGN H Lobo; J-A O Solis; $450,000. Lifetime Record: Off the board in three straight before improving to be MG1SW-Brz, 12-8-0-1, $830,145. second in the May 1 GIII Inglewood H., Designed for 2--Bowman's Band, 114, h, 6, Dixieland Band-- Luck (Rahy) got back on track with a 1 1/2-length score Hometown Queen, by Pleasant Colony. ($260,000 in the GI Shoemaker Breeders’ Cup Mile at Hollywood 2yo 2000 KEEAPR). O-Martin Schwartz; B-John W Park yesterday afternoon. It was the first Grade I suc- Rooker (KY); $150,000. cess for the seven-year-old, who crossed the finish line 3--Strong Hope, 119, c, 4, Grand Slam--Shining first as a 58-1 shot in the 2000 GI Hollywood Derby, Through, by Deputy Minister. ($1,700,000 yrl '01 but was disqualified and placed fifth. Trainer Vladimir FTSAUG). O-Eugene & Laura Melnyk; B-Trackside Cerin, who claimed the chestnut gelding for $62,500 Farm, G Seelbinder & Liberation Farm (KY); $75,000. from his second career start, said, “He’s just a brilliant Margins: 3/4, 2 1/4, 1HF. Odds: 3.45, 18.20, 1.95. horse. If I knew as much about training as he does Also Ran: Gygistar, Funny Cide, Saarland, Eye of the about racing, I’d be leading trainer every year.” Tiger, Azeri, Mobil. Shoemaker cont. p3 TDN P HEADLINE NEWS • 6/1/04 • PAGE 2 of 10 Met Mile cont. Monday, Hollywood Park A “Pico” Performance... GAMELY BREEDERS' CUP H.-GI, $324,250, HOL, 5-31, Pico Central hinted at future greatness when winning 3yo/up, f/m, 1 1/8mT, 1:48 1/5, fm. the G1 Estado de Rio de Janeiro going a mile on the 1--NOCHES DE ROSA (CHI), 115, m, 6, by Stagecraft (GB) grass in February of 2003, but finished off the board as 1st Dam: Night Girl (Chi), by Noble Fighter the heavy favorite in his next 2nd Dam: Samantha Gal, by *Sensitivo two Brazilian starts. He made his 3rd Dam: Rose Island, by *Pago Pago Stateside debut in an optional O-Diamond A Racing Corp; B-Haras Don Alberto (CHI); claimer at Santa Anita Jan. 25 T-R Mandella; J-M Smith; $187,500. Lifetime Record: after more than eight months on G1SW-Chi, 23-7-5-4, $520,873. *Full to Huilliche (Chi), SP-Chi. the sidelines and crossed the 2--Megahertz (GB), 122, m, 5, Pivotal--Heavenly Ray, finish line in second, but found by Rahy. (12,000gns yrl ‘00 TATDEC; FF600,000 himself in the winner’s circle via 2yo ‘01 GOFARC). O-Michael Bello; B-Cheveley Park Stud Ltd (GB); $62,500. Pico Central A Coglianese a stewards’ disqualification. He came back to wire the field in 3--Quero Quero, 115, f, 4, Royal Academy--Big the Mar. 7 GII San Carlos H. and, with Solis in the Dreams, by Great Above. ($55,000 yrl '01 KEESEP). saddle for the first time, made it three in a row with a O-Old Friends Inc; B-John R Gaines Thoroughbreds & 1 1/4-length tally over Strong Hope in the Apr. 10 GI Pacelco SA (KY); $49,500. Carter H. The jockey had his eye on that rival again Margins: 1, HD, 2. Odds: 3.30, 0.60, 7.50. Also Ran: Dimitrova. yesterday. “I was hoping that Strong Hope would go Out of sight for 10 months, Noches de Rosa returned and that I could just sit off him,” he said. “My horse with a fourth in a tough one-mile allowance Mar. 28, was really keen, but I was able to keep him back. When but failed to last when stretched out to 10 furlongs in we got to the eighth pole and I asked him, he got down the Santa Barbara H. Apr. 17. Jockey Mike Smith put and started running.” As for what’s next, Paulo Lobo her on the lead here, but was quickly joined by Quero said, “I don’t have anything planned. I’m going to re- Quero and allowed that filly to keep her head in front. turn to California and he’s coming back there on Noches de Rosa came on again in the stretch and Wednesday. We’ll see how he comes out of the race strode out for the wire as Megahertz, who had trailed and make some decisions.” Click for the brisnet.com the field by a dozen lengths, came flying up the fence chart or the brisnet.com catalogue-style pedigree. For to be second. “I was a little concerned [when Quero the video race replay, select: broadband or modem. Quero took over], but I think Mike was just taking his time and not getting in a panic,” said winning trainer Not Her Day... Richard Mandella. “When he rallied her back up, boy, Maybe she missed Mike Smith. Without her regular she came.” The winner will point for the GII Beverly rider for the first time, Azeri (Jade Hunter) ran worse Hills H. June 27. As for the odds-on Megahertz, her than second for the first time in her first try against the woes continued without regular rider Alex Solis, who boys. She was close to the pace while racing along the piloted Met Mile hero Pico Central (Brz). Victor Espinoza rail early, but had no closing kick and faded to eighth. “I had subbed for Solis in the GII Santa Ana H. Mar. 27, don’t think she ran the race that we’ve seen her train when the chestnut was disqualified for interference, for, for whatever reason,” trainer D. Wayne Lukas said, and was back on board yesterday. “Into the first turn, I but added, “I don’t regret doing what we did. We took had to touch her shoulder a couple of times because a shot daring to be great. We’ll be back. We’ll get her she was getting a little bit too far back,” said Espinoza. back with her own sex and go from there.” “But she just wouldn’t go.” TDN P HEADLINE NEWS • 6/1/04 • PAGE 3 of 10 Monday, Hollywood Park Monday, Sandown, Britain SHOEMAKER BREEDERS' CUP MILE S.-GI, $456,000, BONUSPRINT.COM HENRY II S.-G2, £109,000, San- HOL, 5-31, 3yo/up, 1mT, 1:32 4/5, fm. down, 5-31, 4yo/up, 2m 78ydsT, 3:34.17, gd/fm.