Happyanunoit rebounds from two second-place finishes to win the Beverly Hills Handicap

"IF you're happy and you know it, clap your hands! If you're happy and you know it, clap your hands!"

Beverly Hills H. (G1)
Hollywood Park, July 2, $250,000, 11/4 miles, turf, firm, 1:59.32
1-HAPPYANUNOIT (NZ), m. 5, =Yachtie (Aus)-=Easter Queen (Aus), by =Rajah (Aus).
2-Sweet Life, f. 4, Kris S.-Symbolically, by Flying Paster.
3-Polaire (Ire), f. 4, Polish Patriot-=Headrest (GB), by Habitat.

Owners John and Jerry Amerman led an enthusiastic 12-member chorus singing and clapping four repetitions of the popular refrain in the winner's circle on July 2 almost as efficiently as Happyanunoit (NZ) captured the $250,000 Beverly Hills Handicap (G1) for fillies and mares moments earlier.

A five-year-old mare, Happyanunoit supported her even-money favoritism by drawing off in the stretch to record a three-length victory in time of 1:59.32 for 1 1/4 miles on firm turf under high weight of 121 pounds.

Happyanunoit had emerged as one of the leading distaffers on grass in the nation last year but settled for second-place finishes as the favorite in her first two starts this year. To insure against any further bad luck, the Amermans brought along the mare's foolproof good-luck charm to watch her run for the first time in the United States.

Melissa Moroney, age five, named the horse after her father, Paul, a New Zealand bloodstock consultant, bought Happyanunoit for "$20,000 in New Zealand dollars" at a sale in New Zealand.

Paul Moroney, who sold the mare to the Amermans after she won 3-of-4 starts in New Zealand and Australia, accompanied his daughter.

"John asked me to come over because of the holidays there," Moroney said, "and I said, 'I can even do better than that. I can bring you your good-luck charm.' Happyanunoit was 3-for-3 in races Melissa had seen her run in: her first three starts in New Zealand."

Melissa cheered her favorite horse to victory in a pink Barbie outfit, to the further delight of Amerman, retired chief executive officer of Mattel Inc. The Amermans returned two weeks ago from a three-week vacation to the Aegean Islands in Greece, the only unhappy moment a 2:00 a.m. cell phone call on June 4 to listen to Happyanunoit's upset loss to Astra in the Gamely Breeders' Cup Handicap (G1) at this track.

Gaining redemption

Happyanunoit more than squared the ledger in the Beverly Hills, taking advantage of an opening along the rail to gain the lead midway down the backstretch under jockey Brice Blanc and never looking back. She covered the final quarter-mile in :23.91 to give Racing Hall of Fame trainer Bobby Frankel his first victory in one of the few grass stakes here to have eluded him.

Trainer Julio Canani, whose heavily favored Tranquility Lake was upset in this race last year by Virginie (Brz), finished second again, with 8.30-to-1 fourth choice Sweet Life. Polaire (Ire), the 7.90-to-1 third choice, was third, another 1 1/2 lengths back in the field of five.

Astra, the 1.20-to-1 second choice, finished fourth, another 1 1/2 lengths back but was disqualified to fifth and last for interference with Country Garden (GB) in the stretch. Astra took the early lead, drifted out in the backstretch, battled the winner to the far turn, drifted out again, and weakened in the stretch.

Frankel scratched Spanish Fern and said she would run in either the New York Handicap (G2) at Belmont Park on July 15 or the Ramona Handicap (G1) at Del Mar on September 9.

For Happyanunoit, who raised her earnings to $1,200,408 with her eighth victory in 15 starts, the Beverly D. Stakes (G1) at Arlington International Racecourse on August 19 is her probable next start, according to Frankel. "We're going to have to bring Melissa to Chicago," Amerman said.

Tiznow's Affirmed

Mike Cooper and Cecilia Straub-Rubens of Orange County, California, have been partners in Straub-Rubens's homebreds for 19 years. Until July 1, they appeared in danger of being best known for the one that got away rather than for any of their winners.

Affirmed H. (G3)
Hollywood Park, July 1, $134,250, 11/16 miles, fast, 1:42.35
1-TIZNOW, c. 3, Cee's Tizzy-Cee's Song, by Seattle Song.
2-Dixie Union, c. 3, Dixieland Band-She's Tops, by Capote.
3-Millencolin, c. 3, Dehere-Imaglee, by *Grey Dawn II.

That may all have changed when lightly raced Tiznow scored a game neck victory over prohibitive favorite Dixie Union in the $134,250 Affirmed Handicap (G3) for three-year-olds in a style reminiscent of his famous big brother, Budroyale.

The gelding Budroyale, like Tiznow a California-bred son of Cee's Tizzy out of the Seattle Song mare Cee's Song, made his debut here on December 9, 1995, was claimed for $32,000, and after several barn changes blossomed into one of the leading handicap horses in the nation last year. He has earned more than $2.8-million.

Cooper winced at the thought of what might have been but smiled at the prospect of Budroyale's little brother waiting in the wings. Two things were almost certain for Tiznow: he was not going to be gelded, and he was not going to run with a tag.

"When Budroyale started running good, we got our hopes up," said Cooper in the winner's circle. "This is a big thrill for us, our first graded stakes winner. I'm still tingling."

So were many of the onlookers after a stretch-long battle that would have made Budroyale proud. Tiznow, who broke his maiden here by 8 1/2 lengths at the Affirmed distance of 1 1/16 miles on May 31 in his third start, was third along the rail most of the way but was in tight quarters around both turns.

Despite being shuffled back at the far turn, Tiznow came on again along the inside to challenge, briefly yielded a short lead to the stalking Dixie Union in midstretch but fought back to prevail in 1:42.35. Millencolin, who set much of the pace, finished a creditable third, another two lengths back.

Performing Magic, the 2.40-to-1 second choice after victories in the Derby Trial Stakes (G3) and Illinois Derby (G2) in his last two starts, faded to fifth in the field of six, more than 16 lengths behind the winner.

Tiznow, ridden by Victor Espinoza, carried a feathery 111 pounds, 11 less than 4-to-5 favorite Dixie Union. He went off as the 10.80-to-1 fourth choice. Trainer Jay Robbins, who also conditioned Budroyale for his first start, was able to make light of that race after Tiznow's victory, alluding kiddingly to "his brother that I lost for $32,000 first time out, what's his name?"

Robbins thought he had a good one from the beginning, and not just because of Tiznow's big brother. "I've had as much confidence in him as any horse I've trained with the exception of Stylish King, who never realized his potential," said Robbins. "He's one of the best movers I've ever seen, and he's very competitive."

Robbins, who sent out Raise a Stanza to win the 1989 Affirmed as a $76.60 surprise-the highest win payoff in the history of the race-joined late Racing Hall of Famer Laz Barrera as the only trainers to win the stakes twice. Tiznow and Dixie Union are expected to meet again in the $500,000 Swaps Stakes (G1) at 1 1/8 miles on July 23.

Cooper and Straub-Rubens are eagerly looking forward to the debut of Tiz Sweet, a two-year-old full sister to Tiznow and Budroyale, possibly at Del Mar, with Robbins again training. Don't expect to find her entered in a claiming race, either.

FINISH LINES-Sea of Ice scored her first stakes victory in the $77,400 Valkyr Handicap for California-bred fillies and mares, covering 5 1/2 furlongs on turf in 1:01.85 to edge favored Dusty Heather by a neck. Trained by Marty Jones for owners-breeders Paul and Mari Ann Nicoletti of Del Mar, the four-year-old daughter of Iam the Iceman out of the Believe It mare See and Believe recorded her fifth victory in 11 starts and first in four grass outings. Unbeaten in four outings on the Hollywood Park main track during the past two years, she is apparently at her best here during this time of year. Ridden by David Flores, Sea of Ice was dismissed as the 8.80-to-1 fourth choice. Lacquaria, making her first start since October, finished third, another 1 1/4 lengths back.