Trainer scores his first Grade 1 victory since losing Stronach horses in late 1997

The bounce was back in trainer Dave Hofmans's stride as he walked to the Del Mar winner's circle. The smile radiated from the heart.

Del Mar Debutante S. (G1)
Del Mar, September 2, $250,000, 7 furlongs, fast, 1:22.61
1-CINDY'S HERO, f. 2, Sea Hero-Cindazanno, by Alleged.
2-Notable Career, f. 2, Avenue of Flags-Excellent Lady, by Smarten.
3-Euro Empire, f. 2, Bartok (Ire)-Lotta Glory Beau's, by Empire Glory.

Hofmans had just sent out Cindy's Hero, a maiden, for a come-from-behind victory in the $250,000 Del Mar Debutante Stakes (G1) for two-year-old fillies on September 2. For Hofmans, the victory ended more than two years without a Grade 1 win.

This is the same Dave Hofmans who won the 1996 Breeders' Cup Classic (G1) with Alphabet Soup. In 1997, Hofmans won the Belmont Stakes (G1) and Haskell Invitational Handicap (G1) with Touch Gold and the Queen's Plate Stakes and Jim Dandy Stakes (G2) with Awesome Again, all for Frank Stronach.

At the end of that year, Hofmans was devastated when Stronach moved all of his horses out of his barn. He could do no better than one Grade 3 stakes win with Green Jewel in 1998 and another Grade 3 stakes victory with Fighting Falcon in 1999. Entering the Debutante, Hofmans had won with 12 of 114 starters this year.

A lot of frustration was erased in less than 90 seconds as Cindy's Hero rallied from ten lengths back in last place with a powerful closing kick to overtake even-money favorite Notable Career in deep stretch to record a three-quarter-length victory in 1:22.61 for seven furlongs. Euro Empire, who battled Notable Career early, finished third, another five lengths back.

Cindy's Hero, a fast-closing second in two previous starts, was the 6.40-to-1 fourth choice in the field of five under Garrett Gomez.

Owners-breeders Tom and Elizabeth Baxter basked in glorious sunshine that matched Tom's yellow sports jacket. "This is our first stakes win," Baxter said. "I'm in the cattle business in Grand Island, Nebraska, and we bought our first Thoroughbreds in 1990. Cindazanno, Cindy's Hero's mom, was one of them. She ran well for Jack Van Berg and is one of three broodmares we have at the farm."

Baxter, who named the horse after his daughter Cindy, had long admired Hofmans's training techniques and sent him the Sea Hero filly. "I liked how he treated his animals and kept them in training," said Baxter. "He doesn't run them into the ground."

Hofmans explained that Cindy's Hero ended up in the Debutante because a six-furlong race did not fill. "I talked with Tom and said if we were third, that would be great," Hofmans said. "We were in the right place at the right time." Cindy's Hero snapped a three-year Debutante winning streak by trainer Bob Baffert. "I saw the fractions, :44 and change to the half, and knew I was dead," said Baffert, trainer of Notable Career. "The other horse (Euro Empire) kept the pressure on her. Silverbulletday got beat the same way in this race. Notable Career tried to fight back but just couldn't do it."

The one-two finishers could meet again in the Oak Leaf Stakes (G1) at Santa Anita Park on October 8.

El Corredor's run

University of Arizona basketball coach Lute Olsen gave a pep talk to Arizona-born Baffert and Arizona owner and automobile dealer Hal Earnhardt in the walking ring before the $245,600 Del Mar Breeders' Cup Handicap (G2) on September 3.

Del Mar Breeders' Cup H. (G2)
Del Mar, September 3, $245,600, 1 mile, fast, 1:35.05
1-EL CORREDOR, c. 3, Mr. Greeley-Silvery Swan, by Silver Deputy.
2-Cliquot, g. 4, Bertrando-Pharapache, by Lyphard.
3-Literal Prowler, g. 6, Literati-Desert Prowler, by Desert Wine.

The talk apparently paid off as El Corredor lived up to his Spanish name-the runner-when he drew off to a 2 1/2-length victory over Cliquot in 1:35.05 for the mile. Literal Prowler, a 14.60-to-1 longshot, finished third, another length back.

El Corredor, favored at 2.60-to-1, scored his fourth straight victory over an 11-month period and first in stakes competition. In his only other start, he finished fourth in his debut here last September. Given a rousing ride by Victor Espinoza, El Corredor tracked 3-to-1 third choice Cliquot from along the rail, squeezed through on the inside at the far turn, drew off in the stretch, and was under restraint approaching the wire.

El Corredor was the slight favorite over Prime Timber, who finished sixth after showing little interest. "I've been impressed with him since day one," Baffert said of El Corredor, who came back from a seven-month layoff to win a six-furlong race here on August 7. "He just had a lot of little things, including ankles," Baffert said of the layoff.

The colt, a son of Mr. Greeley, cost Earnhardt $110,000 at the 1998 Keeneland September yearling sale and increased his earnings to $247,920.

Del Mar 'Cap Quest

Trainer Bobby Frankel is a man of principle. He had just won the $250,000 Del Mar Handicap (G2) with Northern Quest (Fr) on September 4 in near-course-record time. The five-year-old horse rallied from last in the field of eight under Chris McCarron to overcome a bias that favored speed on the grass all meet.

But Frankel, who had been critical of a course that became more brown and chewed up than in previous years-apparently because of a faulty new watering system-stuck to his guns and said he would enter no more horses on the turf over the final seven days of the meeting.

"That's it; I'm entering one more horse at this meet-on the dirt," Frankel said. He did not nominate Happyanunoit (NZ) for the $400,000 Ramona Handicap (G1) on September 9, nor will Spanish Fern start on the Del Mar grass.

Northern Quest has become Frankel's primary hope for the Breeders' Cup Turf (G1) since an injury forced the recent retirement of Arlington Million Stakes (G1) winner Chester House.

Frankel bought the son of Rainbow Quest in France last November through bloodstock agent Michel de Zerolo for Charles and Audrey Kenis's 3 Plus U Stable. After overcoming minor injuries, Northern Quest made his United States debut with a third-place finish in the Dallas Turf Cup at Lone Star Park on June 17 and returned with a victory in the Arlington Handicap (G3) on July 29.

"I thought he would be laying a little closer, but the early fractions were legitimate," Frankel said. Northern Quest closed strongly under McCarron to cover 1 3/8 miles on turf in stakes-record time of 2:12.65, just missing Navarone's 1992 course record of 2:12 2/5.

Pacesetter Alvo Certo (Brz) finished second, 1 1/2 lengths farther back, but he was disqualified and placed third for interfering with third-place finisher Perssonet (Chi) in the stretch. Northern Quest, the second choice at 1.90-to-1, posted his sixth victory in 13 starts and raised his earnings to $321,670.

Blueprint (Ire), the 3-to-2 favorite, finished fifth. "I asked and there was no response," said jockey Kent Desormeaux.

Earlier on the Labor Day card, 3-to-10 favorite Saudi Poetry, a $1.7-million Fasig-Tipton Saratoga yearling purchase, recorded her first stakes victory in winning the $79,025 Torrey Pines Stakes for three-year-old fillies.

FINISH LINES-Lazy Slusan, claimed for $62,500 in her previous race, rewarded trainer-owner John Dolan with his richest victory in the $136,200 Solana Beach Handicap for California-bred fillies and mares, winning by two lengths over favored Smooth Player on September 3. ... Favored Jetin Excess jetted to a four-length victory in the $109,000 Generous Portion Stakes for California-bred two-year-old fillies on August 30, covering six furlongs in 1:11.13 under Espinoza, to remain unbeaten in two starts for trainer and co-owner Pico Perdomo. ... Speaking of Time, a four-year-old filly trained by Barry Abrams, won her first added-money race on September 1 when she captured the $79,700 Piedra Foundation Handicap by one length over Flying Lesson in 1:36.23 for one mile under Espinoza. ... John Shirreffs, who trained for Marshall Naify's 505 Farms before its July dispersal, recorded his first winner since going public on August 30 when Lethal Instrument won a $64,050 optional claiming race. Sid Craig purchased the colt out of the dispersal sale for $425,000. ... Trainer Carla Gaines was granted an appeal hearing for a 30-day suspension over a positive clenbuterol test by Nashoba (Ire) on November 27 at Hollywood Park. ... Jockey Robby Albarado returned to the Midwest after three victories with 34 mounts here. ... Fusaichi Pegasus, winner of the Kentucky Derby (G1), worked three furlongs for the second time at Hollywood Park on August 30 and was flown to New York on September 3 for a return at Belmont this fall, according to trainer Neil Drysdale.