HOLLYWOOD PARK : Marquetry Avoids Heavy Load by Entering LeRoy Handicap

A week after he finished second in his 1992 debut, Marquetry returns in the $162,800 Mervyn LeRoy Handicap today at Hollywood Park.

The 1 1/16-mile LeRoy is the first prep for next month’s Hollywood Gold Cup, which was won by Marquetry in a 27-1 upset last year. The Californian at 1 1/8 miles follows on June 7, 20 days before the 1 1/4-mile Gold Cup.

Trainer Bobby Frankel decided to run Marquetry back so quickly, rather than wait three weeks, because the way the Californian is weighted, his 5-year-old Conquistador Cielo horse would have to carry 126 pounds. He’s in with 119 pounds today.

David Flores will ride Marquetry, who finished behind Light Of Morn at seven furlongs last week, and he drew post seven in the field of eight. Coupled with Now Listen, who also is trained by Frankel and owned by Juddmonte Farms, they are the 2-1 favorite on Russ Hudak’s morning line.

Frankel will be trying for his fourth victory in the Grade II Mervyn LeRoy. He won with the since-retired Louis Cyphre last year and with Mehmet and Fighting Fit in 1982 and ‘83, respectively.

Another Review, the upset winner of the San Bernardino Handicap April 4 at Santa Anita, is the 5-2 second choice. Treated with Lasix for the first time in the San Bernardino, he responded with an easy victory, and his final time of 1:47 2/5 was two seconds faster than A.P. Indy’s clocking in the Santa Anita Derby three races earlier. Kent Desormeaux has the mount for trainer Chris Speckert.

“His last race was very impressive,” said Speckert, who plans on bringing the Buckaroo colt back in the Californian. “He might be good enough to race with the top handicap horses later. I don’t know.”

Charlie Whittingham will send out two representatives: Qathif, a turf specialist, and Sir Beaufort.

The other entrants are Silver Ending, who ended a long losing streak when he won the Bates Motel last month at Santa Anita; Charts, who equaled a track record at Golden Gate when he won the Golden Gate Budweiser Breeders’ Cup Handicap in 1:39 2/5 on April 18, and Native Boundary.

Making his first start for trainer Ron McAnally, Algenib won the $60,000 Spence Bay Handicap Saturday.

Relaxing nicely under Laffit Pincay, the 122-pound highweight and even-money favorite defeated 16-1 shot Irish Empire by a length to win for only the second time in nine U.S. outings. Algenib’s last victory was July 13 at Hollywood Park, which was his first race in this country.

A 5-year-old Oak Dancer horse, Algenib completed the 1 3/16 miles on turf in a course-record 1:52 3/5, but it is a distance that is run infrequently.

After running last in the Santa Anita Handicap, Algenib, who was only beaten a head by Tight Spot in the Arlington Million last year, was moved to McAnally’s barn. He has been trained by Wally Dollase.

“I watched a lot of his tapes,” McAnally said. “Even Friday I watched the tapes of the races he ran in Argentina and he seemed to run like he did today, running four or five lengths off the pace and then making his move.

“This is the kind of horse that would control you, and you’ve got to be in control of the horse. I’ve got a lot of good help, and they deserve a lot of the credit (for calming Algenib down). They know what to do I just guide them.

“We came close to running in the ($500,000 Hollywood) Turf Handicap (May 25). It was tempting the way he was training, but the more I thought about it, getting a horse’s confidence back is the most important thing. I don’t know (where he’ll start next). I just take them one at a time.”

No matter how Charts fares in the Mervyn LeRoy, trainer Noble Hay III had a successful weekend at Hollywood Park.

The Northern California-based Hay saddled Charm A Gendarme to a wire-to-wire, $60.80 upset in the $112,500 Senorita Breeders’ Cup Stakes Saturday.

Part of the mutuel field in a field of 14 3-year-old fillies, the daughter of Batonnier went right to the lead from the rail under Rafael Meza and held off 19-1 shot Moonlight Elegance by half a length to win in 1:33 3/5 for the mile.

Charm A Gendarme has won half of her eight starts, and the combination of Hay-Meza would like to stage another upset with Charts, who is 12-1 on the line.

“We’re tickled to death and looking forward to (the LeRoy),” said Hay. “We just like this filly a whole lot. We didn’t expect her to run that fast, but I knew she would run a big race and I expected her to be no worse than third.”

In her stakes debut, Moonlight Elegance was half a length in front of 16-1 shot Morriston Belle, who finished half a length in front of More Than Willing, the 2-1 favorite. Pacific Squall, Hopeful Amber, Society Doll, Miss Turkana, Crystal Stepper, Chimmy Rock, Wine ‘N Music, Peaceful Road and Storm Ring completed the order of finish.

Horse Racing Notes

After only two shows, Hollywood Park has dropped its Monday and Tuesday programs on Channel 56. . . . Charm A Gendarme’s victory in the Senorita was sandwiched by upsets by Wretham and 28-1 shot Cool Offer, triggering a $36,861.60 payoff in the late triple. . . . Kent Desormeaux, who leads the standings with 18 victories, Corey Nakatani and Laffit Pincay all had two victories Saturday.