Reality Kicks In at Inglewood

A week ago, there were sunshine, a crowd of 51,000 and purses worth more than $11 million for a day of racing at Hollywood Park.

But, hey, there can’t be a Breeders’ Cup at your track every Saturday. So this time it rained, the crowd was an estimated 8,500 and the feature race, the Flawlessly Handicap, was worth $88,150.

Just Lookn, who led all the way, won the Flawlessly by a neck, but the stewards ruled she drifted out through the stretch and bothered Idealistic Cause, who was given the victory.

Idealistic Cause, ridden by Corey Nakatani, paid $9.80. Just Lookn, with J.G. Matos aboard, was moved down to second place, ahead of Victorian Style, with favored Dixie Pearl finishing fourth.

Matos didn’t care to talk about his disqualification, but Nakatani said that Idealistic Cause might have won the race by a length if his filly had been allowed to run straight.

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The prospects are good that Grand Slam will race again.

Survival was the first consideration when Grand Slam clipped heels with another horse in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile and came out of the race with a gaping cut on his left hind leg.

After Wayne McIlwraith operated on Grand Slam last Sunday, the day after the race, there was concern about infection, but Saturday trainer Wayne Lukas said the colt would be transferred today from an equine hospital to Lukas’ Westerly Farm in Santa Ynez, Calif.

“There’s no infection, his blood count is good and the stitches are holding,” Lukas said. “He’s got a good shot to come back and run.”

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Prepo and Refinado Tom, who had a close battle in the William P. Kyne Handicap at Bay Meadows on Sept. 27, will meet again today in the Arcangues Handicap at Hollywood Park.

Prepo won the Kyne by a head over Skip A Stream, with Refinado Tom missing second place by a nose. Since then, Prepo ran in the Jockey Club Gold Cup at Belmont Park, but he was unable to finish, swerving to avoid a spill that led to the death of Coup D’Argent.

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The Thoroughbred Racing Communications weekly poll of top horses doesn’t have a large number of voters, but since 1988 it’s been a perfect predictor for horse-of-the-year honors.

For nine consecutive years, the horses atop the TRC’s final poll also have been voted horse of the year. If the poll holds up this year, Skip Away will be horse of the year. Of the 26 voters who participated last week, Skip Away received the nod from 15. Other horses receiving votes were Favorite Trick, eight; and Gentlemen, Formal Gold and Silver Charm, one each.

About 300 voters determine horse of the year, and that outcome will be announced in early February.

It’s been written that Secretariat, in 1972, and Native Dancer, in 1952, were the only 2-year-olds to be voted horse of the year, but actually a 2-year-old filly, Moccasin, was a horse of the year of sorts in 1965. In the pre-Eclipse award era, there were two year-end polls, and the track racing secretaries’ vote went to Moccasin, while the Daily Racing Form’s electorate picked Roman Brother.

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Trainer Pat Byrne continues to campaign for his undefeated Favorite Trick.

“Favorite Trick dominated an outstanding group of 2-year-olds,” Byrne said. “I don’t think Skip Away beat anything in the [Breeders’ Cup] Classic. Touch Gold didn’t run his race, and Silver Charm and Gentlemen weren’t there. If Favorite Trick doesn’t win horse of the year, you can etch it in stone that a 2-year-old will never win the title.”

Horse Racing Notes

A funeral Mass for Eddie Arcaro is scheduled for Wednesday morning at St. Martha’s Church in Miami. The legendary jockey, who was 81, died Friday after a battle with cancer of the liver. . . . Benchmark, after undergoing surgery for a chipped ankle, will need eight months to recover. . . . Sandpit, who has earned $3.7 million, will be retired after running in the Hollywood Turf Cup on Dec. 14. . . . Santa Anita, citing an effect on on-track attendance, won’t send its satellite signal to nearby Fairplex Park when the meet opens Dec. 26. Santa Anita estimates it loses 200 to 400 patrons daily when Fairplex carries the races.