DEL MAR : Rial’s Surprise in Escondido Gives His Jockey First Victory in U.S.

DEL MAR — The $81,525 Escondido Handicap didn’t seem the likely spot for Jose Fernandez to win his first race in the United States.

The 31-year-old jockey, who won his share of races in his native Argentina, was on Rial, a 28-1 shot who hadn’t come close in his three starts in this country and had earned only $11,520 in his 12-race career.

Although Fernandez didn’t look particularly pretty doing so, he was able to get the 5-year-old Family Crest horse up in the final strides to beat 7-2 third choice Mashkour by a head in 2:14 3/5 for the 1 3/8 miles on turf.

The victory also put trainer Vince Clyne back in the winner’s circle for the first time in ages. The man who trained, among others, Text, Visible and Announcer, is back in business at 76 after retiring in 1985 due to health reasons.

Rial is one of 10 horses under his care and Clyne wasn’t very surprised he was able to win the restricted Escondido.

“He had won a Group I in Argentina,” he said. “They kind of underlooked him a little today. He came over here last year and ran a good race against Criminal Type (he finished sixth, beaten by five lengths in an allowance race Nov. 18 at Hollywood Park). Then, we gave him some time off to acclimate. His two races at Hollywood were against tough company.”

Enrique Carlos Boelcke, Rial’s owner, is the main reason Clyne decided to return to training.

“I was in Argentina for a year and came back to training in March,” he said. “I had to get the right horses and (Boelcke) offered me some. I have three horses for him here and seven others in Los Angeles.”

Speaking through interpreter Pat Valenzuela, Fernandez, who came to the United States 2 1/2 months ago, says he plans on remaining in California.

“The trainer told me to take this horse back and get him to relax, relax, relax,” he said. “He said wait until the last quarter mile, then go wide and give it one last run. It worked out perfectly.”

Mashkour, who took the lead briefly in deep stretch, was nearly two lengths better than Valdali, the 8-5 favorite. Well-placed early by Eddie Delahoussaye, Valdali made the lead into the stretch when a hole along the rail opened up, but he was no match for the first two late.

“I had to move a bit sooner than I wanted to, but when I got through on the inside, I thought I’d win it anyway,” Delahoussaye said. “He was floundering a bit at the beginning. I’m not sure he liked this course. But, we had a good trip and I’ve got no real complaints.”

The Escondido also might have marked the end of the line for Great Communicator. The 3-1 second choice and arguably the nation’s finest turf horse in 1988 threw in another stinker.

Fifth in his 1990 debut last month at Hollywood Park, the 7-year-old Key To The Kingdom gelding was just off pacesetter Miserden for a mile, then weakened late to finish fifth.

“I got beat,” Ray Sibille said. “That’s really all I can say. He just came up short. I don’t know if he needs more racing or what. He just didn’t have enough today.”

Solar Launch is proving to be an $80,000 bargain for trainer Robert Marshall.

Claimed by the optometrist-turned-horseman June 1 from Bobby Frankel, Solar Launch, a 3-year-old son of Sassafras, has been nothing short of brilliant in his two starts for Marshall.

In his first outing for his new barn June 17, Solar Launch equaled Hollywood Park’s record for 6 1/2 furlongs when he won by 5 1/2 lengths in 1:14 4/5.

Idle until Friday, he eclipsed Del Mar’s seven-furlong record when he won the Real Good Deal Stakes by 4 1/2 lengths in 1:20, a tick better than Olympic Native went last year.

“I watched the tapes of his races before I claimed him,” said Marshall, who owns the horse in partnership with Warren Williamson, Hollywood Park’s secretary-treasurer.

“He was lugging out on turns and running crazed and losing two to three lengths. I thought if we could correct that, it was the difference between winning and losing. But, it looks like he’s picked up six or seven lengths.

“We just made an effort to get him more relaxed. Tim Reavey, the exercise rider who once worked Fappiano, has done a nice job. We always take him out at 5:15 and work on keeping him happy and relaxed. He’s mellow now.

“He comes to that spot in the stretch and just accelerates. His race Friday was just like at Hollywood Park. The jockey (Kent Desormeaux) geared him down at the wire, too. Kent said he was pulling him out of the saddle the whole backside.”

Marshall, who decided three years ago he wanted to train horses, says he’ll keep Solar Launch, who has won on the grass, sprinting for now. “I’m going to nominate him to the California Cup sprint and mile turf (Nov. 3 at Oak Tree).”

Horse Racing Notes

Enrique Carlos Boelcke, is a breeder from Buenos Aires who hopes to stay in the U.S. as an assistant to Clyne. . . . Trainer Ron McAnally had two victories Saturday. He took the third with Festin, who won his third in a row from far back under Delahoussaye, and the seventh with Eighty Eight Keys. . . . Laffit Pincay also had a double with Eighty Eight Keys and 9-1 shot Love Conquers All in the fourth.

A field of eight is set for the $270,250 Eddie Read Handicap, the meeting’s first Grade I race. Golden Pheasant is the 122-pound highweight and the other entrants, from the rail out, are Nediym, Notorious Pleasure, Fly Till Dawn, Saratoga Passage, who won the race last year, Classic Fame, Companion and Soft Machine.