Kumari Continent, challenged in the stretch, charges back to win the Hollywood Oaks, plus reports on the Swaps Stakes, Sunset Handicap, and Hollywood Juvenile Championship Stakes as the Inglewood track nears the conclusion of its spring-summer meet

From Prairie Meadows in Iowa to Prairie Avenue in suburban Los Angeles, Captain Steve has rediscovered his best form.

Swaps S. (G1)
Hollywood Park, July 23, $500,000, 11/8 miles, fast, 1:48.01
1-CAPTAIN STEVE, c. 3, Fly So Free-Sparkling Delite, by Vice Regent.
2-Tiznow, c. 3, Cee's Tizzy-Cee's Song, by Seattle Song.
3-Spacelink, c. 3, Mane Minister-Captain's Launch, by Northern Flagship.

"Thank goodness he's back," trainer Bob Baffert said with a sigh of relief after Mike Pegram's Captain Steve rallied from just off the pace to score a convincing win in Hollywood Park's $500,000 Swaps Stakes (G1) for three-year-olds on July 23.

One of the leading two-year-olds of 1999, Captain Steve was winless in his first five starts this year before he won the Iowa Derby at Prairie Meadows racetrack on July 3.

"Iowa was a confidence builder," Baffert said. "You could just tell he was a different horse after that. He enjoyed training again."

Captain Steve had not set foot onto the Inglewood, California, track-located on Prairie Avenue-since he captured the Hollywood Futurity (G1) last December 18.

"He ran so well before the Santa Catalina (Stakes [G2])," Baffert said of the colt's three-year-old debut at Santa Anita Park on January 30. "He bruised a foot on a muddy track training up to that race and just wasn't the same again for much of this year. I gave him a little freshener after the Preakness (Stakes [G1]), in which he finished fourth and he started putting on weight again." Ridden for the first time by Corey Nakatani, Captain Steve stalked pacesetter Millencolin until the far turn, took a short lead, turned back a mild bid by Tiznow at the top of the stretch, and pulled clear to win by 2 1/2 lengths in 1:48.01 for 1 1/8 miles.

The lightly raced Tiznow, winner of the Affirmed Handicap (G3) in his last start, finished a creditable second, one length ahead of Spacelink in the field of six.

"I would have been so disappointed if he didn't run well today," Baffert said of the winner, a Fly So free colt out of Sparkling Delite, by Vice Regent. "And I needed this race real bad. I was disappointed that Silverbulletday ran third in the Delaware Handicap (G3) earlier. And Princess Belle ran fourth in a stake in Texas."

Capt. Steve Thompson, the husky Louisville police officer for whom Pegram named the colt, attended to cheer on his namesake and hoisted Pegram's grandson, Gator, onto his shoulders in the winner's circle.

Thompson spoke to Pegram in Delaware on his cellular phone in the winner's circle immediately after the race and broke into a loud laugh. "I told Mike we've got beer money," explained Thompson.

Baffert is planning a champagne campaign now for Captain Steve, with possible stops in the Haskell Invitational Handicap (G1) at Monmouth Park on August 6 and Saratoga Race Course's Travers Stakes (G1) on August 26. Captain Steve, the 9-to-10 favorite in the Swaps, recorded his sixth victory in 15 starts and raised his earnings to $1,460,256.

Jay Robbins, trainer of Tiznow, said, "I wish he had settled a little kinder. We'll go to Del Mar and find something there."

Bienamado's Sunset

When Bienamado arrived in Juan "Paco" Gonzalez's stable last fall, he was being prepared for the Hollywood Derby (G1). But Gonzalez detected heat in the knee of the highly regarded colt and recommended that he be given the winter off at the Eskay Creek Farm of owners-breeders John Toffan and Trudy McCaffery in Bradbury, California.

Sunset H. (G2)
Hollywood Park, July 23, $250,000, 11/2 miles, turf, firm, 2:25.06
1-BIENAMADO, c. 4, Bien Bien-Nakterjal (GB), by =Vitiges (Fr).
2-Deploy Venture (GB), g. 4, =Deploy (GB)-Tasseled, by Tate Gallery.
3-Single Empire (Ire), h. 6, =Kris (GB)-Captive Island (Ire), by Northfields.

The trainer's cautious approach appears to be reaping big dividends this year after Bienamado posted his second easy victory in as many starts with a 11Ú2-length triumph in the $250,000 Sunset Handicap (G2) at 1 1/2 miles on firm turf. Bienamado, rated in second by Chris McCarron most of the way, wrested the lead from Self Feeder (Ire) at the far turn and turned back a spirited bid by Deploy Venture in the stretch. Deploy Venture (GB) held on for second, 1 1/2 lengths in front of Single Empire (Ire).

Bienamado, is a four-year-old son of Bien Bien, who won the 1993 Sunset at four under McCarron for Gonzalez, Toffan, and McCaffery en route to becoming one of the leading turf runners in the nation.

"They're very similar," Gonzalez said of the two horses. "Bien Bien used to run up close to the pace, too." Bienamado will make his next start in the Arlington Million (G1) on August 19.

Bienamado, coupled in a 1-to-5 entry with Single Empire, completed the 12 furlongs in 2:25.06 under high weight of 122 pounds. Bienamado, who began his career in England, registered his fourth victory in nine starts and lifted his earnings to $381,089.

New Bold Forbes?

When Joe Garcia Jr. worked as an exercise rider for late Racing Hall of Fame trainer Laz Barrera, he exercised Bold Forbes, who carried his speed to win the 1976 Kentucky Derby (G1).

Hollywood Juvenile Championship S. (G3)
Hollywood Park, July 23, $105,900, 6 furlongs, fast, 1:09.98
1-SQUIRTLE SQUIRT, c. 2, Marquetry-Lost the Code, by Lost Code.
2-Legendary Weave, c. 2, Basket Weave-Graduation Time, by Mehmet.
3-Drumcliff, c. 2, Polish Numbers-Queen Crab, by Spend a Buck.

Garcia, since turned trainer, thinks he may be conditioning the colt's reincarnation in Squirtle Squirt, who posted his fourth straight victory in the $105,900 Hollywood Juvenile Championship Stakes (G3) for two-year-olds on July 23.

Squirtle Squirt covered six furlongs in 1:09.98 as the 2-to-5 favorite under high weight of 120 pounds to defeat Legendary Weave by two lengths. Eastern invader Drumcliff finished third, another 1 3/4 lengths back.

"This is by far the best moment of my career," Garcia said after his first graded stakes victory. "I knew he could run from the get-go. His pedigree, by Marquetry out of a Lost Code mare (Lost the Code), indicates he can go long." Laffit Pincay Jr. rode the winner for a record seventh Hollywood Juvenile victory, but it was his first since 1983 with Althea. "This colt is improving, smart, and knows what to do," said Pincay, who also won this race in 1977 with another Barrera-trained colt whom Garcia exercised. His name was Affirmed. Garcia bought Squirtle Squirt for $25,000 at the Barretts March two-year-olds in training sale for owner David Lanzman.The victory raised the colt's earnings to $184,125.

Paco Power in Oaks

Trainer Gonzalez may have given Kumari Continent an edge in winning the $150,000 Hollywood Oaks (G2) on July 22 when he decided to skip the prep race, the Princess Stakes (G2), on June 24.

Hollywood Oaks (G2)
Hollywood Park, July 22, $150,000, 11/8 miles, fast, 1:49.13
1-KUMARI CONTINENT, f. 3, Kris S.-Rajmata, by Known Fact.
2-Queenie Belle, f. 3, Bertrando-Lady Argyle, by Don B.
3-Saudi Poetry, f. 3, Storm Cat-Gone to Venus, by Gone West.

"This filly gives you everything," said Gonzalez, who circled the Oaks after Kumari Continent's previous start, a close second to Classy Cara in the Honeymoon Handicap (G2) at Hollywood Park on May 27. "It's better to give her time between races."

Kumari Continent expressed her appreciation for the break with a game neck victory over Queenie Belle in 1:49.13 for 1 1/8 miles as the 8-to-5 favorite under Kent Desormeaux.

After stalking the pace in second outside pacesetter Cash Run much of the way, Kumari Continent outfinished Queenie Belle, who closed strongly on the rail. Saudi Poetry came in third, another 11Ú2 lengths back, and 3 1/2 lengths in front of Cash Run. Kentucky Storm rounded out the field, only a neck behind Cash Run.

Queenie Belle, Saudi Poetry, and Cash Run ran one-two-three in the Princess. Kumari Continent recorded her biggest victory for owners-breeders Toffan and McCaffery with her third triumph in seven career starts and raised her earnings to $263,590. Now a stakes winner on both dirt and turf, the daughter of Kris S. out of the Known Fact mare Rajmata may be pointed toward the $250,000 Del Mar Oaks (G1) at 11Ú8 miles on turf on August 27.

FINISH LINES-Jockey Victor Espinoza wrapped up his first major meet riding championship by guiding Vignette to a rail-skimming upset victory in the $80,550 Great Lady M. Handicap for fillies and mares on July 22. Vignette, ridden by Espinoza for the first time, covered 5 1/2 furlongs on turf in 1:02.59 for a two-length victory over High Margin. ... Racing Hall of Fame jockey Gary Stevens, who retired in December because of knee injuries, worked horses at Hollywood in late July and is contemplating a comeback at Del Mar.