Memories Of Silver Favored in the Yellow Ribbon Stakes

Memories Of Silver, who earned the biggest victory of her career in the Beverly D a little more than two months ago, will try to add another Grade I victory to her resume in the $500,000 Yellow Ribbon Stakes today at Santa Anita.

Trained by James Toner for owners John and Joan Phillips, the 4-year-old Silver Hawk filly and 2-1 morning-line favorite will have seven opponents in the 1 1/4-mile turf contest as she seeks her seventh win in 11 starts on the grass.

Since making her 1997 debut on June 8, Memories Of Silver, who will be ridden by Jerry Bailey, has two victories, a second and a third in four starts.

“She’s definitely improved with age,” Toner said. “I believe she’s the best filly in America right now and not too many people will disagree with me.

“She ran a super race in the Beverly D. Memories Of Silver and Maxzene [the runner-up] put on quite a show, like they always do. My filly laid it all on the line that day.”

Her main opposition today is likely to come from Ryafan, the 5-2 second choice, and Dance Design, who is 3-1 on Jeff Tufts’ line.

Owned by Juddmonte Farms, Ryafan was very impressive in her American debut, winning the Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup at Keeneland a month ago despite an eventful trip. It was her fifth victory in eight starts and she will remain in California with Bobby Frankel after the Yellow Ribbon. She is owned by Juddmonte Farms.

The beaten choice in the Beverly D when she was third after setting the pace, Dance Design did have an excuse that day.

“Her white blood cell count was high [before the race],” trainer Dermot Weld said. “She suffered a little travel sickness and it obviously took a bit out of her. She still ran a big race to finish third.”

A winner of seven of 14 overseas, the 4-year-old Sadler’s Wells filly is also entered in both the Breeders’ Cup Distaff and Turf on Saturday and Weld also mentioned the Japan Cup on Nov. 23 as a possibility for her next start if she comes out of the Yellow Ribbon.

Owner Gary Tanaka will be hoping to win the Yellow Ribbon for a second consecutive year. After winning with Donna Viola at nearly 10-1 in 1996, he will be represented by the entry of Squeak and Fanjica. The former, a 3-year-old British-bred, has won four of six in England and France and will be ridden by Gary Stevens, who was aboard Donna Viola last year.

Fanjica, who has made her last three starts in New York, returns to a course where she finished second, beaten by a head by Donna Viola, when last seen in the Santa Barbara Handicap earlier this year. Chris Antley will ride and the entry is 10-1.

Rounding out the field are Real Connection, the iron mare who has picked up four of her seven victories on the Santa Anita turf course and who was second in the Yellow Ribbon a year ago at 20-1, La Soberbia and Golden Arches.

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Three races before the day’s main event, eight 3-year-olds will get together in the $250,000 Oak Tree Derby, a race that used to be called the Volante Handicap.

Lasting Approval, who has three victories and two seconds in six races on the grass, is the 3-1 choice in the 1 1/8-mile race. This will mark the first start in California for the son of With Approval. Lasting Approval drew the rail and will be ridden by Alex Solis.

Others in the Derby, from the inside out, are Steel Ruhlr, Early Colony, Belgravia, Fabulous Guy, Verglas, Flying With Eagles and Voyagers Quest.

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After getting together in a listed stakes race in France on Sept. 21, Prussian Blue and Embraceable You staged a rematch in the $125,000 Carleton F. Burke Handicap on Saturday at Santa Anita.

While Prussian Blue got the best of his opponent again, it was a lot closer this time. Prussian Blue won at La Teste while Embraceable You struggled home seventh over a soft course he didn’t handle, but the difference between the two Saturday was a nose.

Pulling jockey Kent Desormeaux into a tie with Gary Stevens atop the standings with two days remaining in the meeting, the 9-2 second choice made a successful U.S. debut, winning in 2:31 1/5 for the 1 1/2 miles on turf.

Also newly arrived in the U.S., Embraceable You, a 9-1 shot, finished a length clear of Kessem Power. Lord Jain, the 4-5 favorite, was fifth.

“He just came two weeks ago and I haven’t had enough time to mess him up,” trainer Jean-Pierre Dupuis said after Prussian Blue’s upset victory. “We just put new shoes on him and fed him and took him on some long gallops every two days. He’s a lovely horse and has good form. He’s been very consistent.”

Jockey David Flores, who finished last on Top Glory, did well to get around the course. His mount was so rank early that the saddle slipped forward, then the rider had his foot slip out of his right iron, then came out of his left iron on purpose while the 4-year-old gelding was racing very wide while on the lead.

“There was no way I was going to pull my saddle back up without taking my feet out of there, because the horse was still pulling,” Flores said. “I just pulled my feet out of there on the turn and got my saddle back under me.”

Horse Racing Notes

Jockey Alex Solis was taken to Arcadia Methodist Hospital for precautionary X-rays of the big toe on his right foot after it was banged in a starting gate mishap before the ninth race. Solis’ scheduled mount in the race, first-time starter A Prospect For Nan, was scratched, delaying the start for a few minutes. . . . Jockey Chris McCarron was off his mounts Friday and Saturday because he went to New York to watch his daughter Stephanie ride in a show jumping contest at Madison Square Garden. While he was away, McCarron was fined $400 by Oak Tree stewards Ingrid Fermin, Pete Pedersen and George Slender for a whip violation. He was cited for causing a break in the skin on Letthebighossroll when the 9-year-old finished second to Red in last weekend’s California Cup Sprint. It was a second offense for McCarron.