SANTA ANITA : Hickman Creek Victory Is Easy, if You Didn’t Have to Ride Him

Even though the margin of victory was seven lengths, Hickman Creek’s victory in Friday’s $80,925 Los Feliz Stakes was hardly easy money for Gary Stevens.

Hickman Creek, a 3-year-old son of Seattle Slew and half brother of stakes winners Patches and Red Attack, was all over the track in beating Dr. Pain and three others. The 4-1 fourth choice made Stevens work for his share of the $47,175 winner’s check.

“He tuckered me out,” Stevens said. “He kept easing up on the bit. When (Cape Royale) came up inside him, he was fine and went with him. When that horse dropped back, he started getting out on me again. I went to both hands on the inside rein and he got out even more. It’s a good thing we brushed (with 11-10 favorite Real West) in the far turn. That got his mind back on it.

“(Trainer) Wayne (Lukas) said he might put a ring bit on him, so I can get his attention. Like a lot of Seattle Slew’s (offspring), he’s just a little temperamental. He’s ornery, but he’ll get over it. He’s a heck of a horse to go through all that and pull away like he did.”

It was the second victory in five starts for Hickman Creek and the fourth Los Feliz victory for Lukas.

“The main thing is, he ran straight when they straightened out down the lane,” Lukas said. “He was hooked all the way and he was the only one running at the end.”

Real West, who set the pace in the Hollywood Futurity before fading to sixth, couldn’t make the lead running wide and faded in the final furlong. The Gone West colt finished 12 3/4 lengths behind Hickman Creek.

Hudlam’s Sidekick and Old Master were both scratched from the Los Feliz. Old Master, who was fourth in the Hollywood Futurity, will start next in the El Camino Real Derby on Jan. 25 at Bay Meadows.

Pleasant Tap, who is unbeaten at seven furlongs at Santa Anita, will try for another victory at that distance in today’s $110,700 San Carlos Handicap.

An upset winner over Grand Canyon in the 1989 Sunny Slope Stakes and successful in the 1990 Malibu Stakes, Pleasant Tap will have eight opponents in the San Carlos. His main threats would appear to be Answer Do, Frost Free and Cardmania.

The 5-2 morning line favorite, Answer Do won a division of the Turf Express at Hollywood Park in his last start after finishing second twice during the Oak Tree meeting.

Frost Free was the beaten favorite in the Vernon O. Underwood across town, but has won six of his eight sprints on Santa Anita’s main track. Cardmania was third in his first two outings in this country, but Chris McCarron will take over on the 6-year-old Cox’s Ridge gelding today.

At the end of Santa Anita’s card today, the track will simulcast the $100,000 William P. Kyne Handicap from Bay Meadows.

An eight-length winner of the Affirmed Handicap in his last start, Sea Cadet is the 3-5 early favorite in the 1 1/8-mile Kyne. The 4-year-old Bolger colt will be ridden by Alex Solis and will carry top weight of 124 pounds.

Others in the field are Music Prospector, Admirallus, Lord Joe, Charts, Mujaazif and Barton Dene. Mujaazif, who won his American debut Dec. 4 at Hollywood Park for trainer Neil Drysdale, is a half brother of Snow Chief.

Eleven 4-year-old fillies were entered Friday morning for the $113,000 El Encino Stakes, the second leg of the La Canada Series.

The seven-furlong La Brea Stakes was run in two divisions Dec. 29, but only one of the winners is back in the 1 1/16-mile El Encino. Teresa Mc, who won the second division on a sloppy track, is back, but D’Or Ruckus, who won the first in an upset, isn’t because she doesn’t handle two turns well.

Trained by Greg Gilchrist, Teresa Mc has won three in a row and four of her last five starts. She also has won two in a row at Santa Anita. The Moscow Ballet filly won the California Cup Matron last November. Pat Valenzuela will ride Teresa Mc, who is the co-high weight at 119 pounds with Sha Tha.

Fourth in the Matriarch in her American debut, Sha Tha will be making her first start on the main track in the El Encino, but she has worked well on the dirt. Eddie Delahoussaye has the mount for Drysdale, who will also saddle Damewood.

The rest of the lineup includes Exchange, who has won six of 10 starts and four of eight since being claimed for $50,000 by Bill Spawr; Garden Gal, Fappies Cosy Miss, Lady Isis, Paula Revere, Slip With Me and the Lukas’ Grand Girlfriend and Cuddles.

Horse Racing Notes

Hickman Creek covered the mile in 1:38 1/5 and paid $10.40. . . . Wayne Lukas scored his other victories in the Los Feliz with Badger Land in 1986, Manastash Ridge in 1989, and Land Rush in 1990. . . . Santa Anita will move first post to 11 a.m. on Jan. 26, Super Bowl Sunday.

Sandy Hawley, who usually spends the winter at Santa Anita, has one mount on today’s card--longshot Pajaro Pete in the sixth race--and will have three mounts Sunday. . . . David Flores was off his mounts again Friday after being unseated and kicked in the leg when So Snobby stumbled at the finish of Thursday’s second race.