Best Pal Ends Seven-Month Drought : Hollywood Park: He surges in stretch to beat Corporate Report by four lengths in the Swaps.

After being nothing for ‘91, Best Pal won the $205,000 Swaps Stakes by four lengths Sunday at Hollywood Park, ending a five-race, seven-month drought at the same track where he scored his last victory.

Only the ownership was the same as Best Pal surged in the stretch for his first victory since the $1-million Hollywood Futurity Dec. 9. Jose Santos rode him that day, and Ian Jory trained him, but for the Swaps, Pat Valenzuela was in the saddle and Gary Jones was the trainer. Best Pal’s owners, John and Betty Mabee, perhaps frustrated that their 3-year-old gelding couldn’t recapture the magic of last year--when he won six of eight starts and earned $1 million--took Best Pal away from Jory after his second-place finish in the Silver Screen Handicap on June 16.

Corporate Report, making his first start since a fourth-place finish in the Belmont Stakes a month ago, was again denied his first stakes victory when he was unable to hold off Best Pal in the stretch.

Corporate Report, with Chris McCarron aboard, finished three-quarters of a length ahead of Compelling Sound in the four-horse field, with Pillaring running last. Compelling Sound might have been best again, as he was by a neck over Best Pal in the Silver Screen, if he hadn’t been caught on the fence, behind Corporate Report and inside of Best Pal, when the serious running began.

Charlie Whittingham, who trains Compelling Sound, was disappointed by the stretch run.

“My horse had nowhere to go,” Whittingham said. “I don’t know how you can get caught in a four-horse race, but he did. My horse managed the weight all right.”

Compelling Sound, ridden by Gary Stevens, had a five-pound weight advantage over Best Pal in the Silver Screen, but because of the conditions of the Swaps, Best Pal carried 114 pounds and Compelling Sound 123. Valenzuela rode with two pounds of overweight, still giving Best Pal a seven-pound edge.

“Pat rode a smart race,” Stevens said. “He had me where there was nothing I could do. He was gaining ground on Corporate Report, and he had me up against the fence. I was trapped like a rat.”

Best Pal’s winning time for 1 1/4 miles was 2:00 3/5, the best clocking for the Swaps since Precisionist won in 1:59 4/5 in 1984. The first three horses were tightly bunched in the betting, Best Pal going off at 7-5, Corporate Report at 3-2 and Compelling Sound at 19-10. Best Pal paid $4.80 to win and earned $120,000.

Before the Swaps, Best Pal had earned almost $300,000 this year. He was third in the San Rafael and second in the Santa Anita Derby, second in the Kentucky Derby and fifth in the Preakness before Compelling Sound overtook him in the stretch of the Silver Screen.

Valenzuela lost the mount on Best Pal last year because of a drug-related suspension. He was back on Best Pal for the Silver Screen and together they have now won six of eight races with one second.

“I’ve always had confidence in the horse,” Valenzuela said. “Chris’ horse had a pretty easy lead, but I knew I had him at all times. I was worried that Compelling Sound might get through on the inside and sneak by and get the advantage on me.”

Jones, who has trained other stakes winners for the Mabees, including Beautiful Glass and Fantastic Look, is uncomfortable about the situation the trainer switch has caused with Best Pal.

“I’ve done nothing different with the horse,” Jones said Sunday, quickly exiting the winner’s circle. “There was the weight spread today and he’s just a good horse. The only thing I’ve done since I’ve got him is not to hinder him.”

Mabee has resisted giving reasons why he took the horse from Jory. On Sunday, he recalled the brief conversation between him and Jones a day or two after the Silver Screen.

“Do you want this horse?” Mabee said.

“Yes,” Jones said. “If I don’t take him, somebody else will.”

Horse Racing Notes

John Mabee indicated that Best Pal will remain within his division, rather than run against older horses in the $1-million Pacific Classic on Aug. 10 at Del Mar, where Mabee is board chairman. . . . Pat Valenzuela and Gary Jones teamed up to win the Swaps with Padua in 1985.

Marquetry, upset winner of the $1-million Hollywood Gold Cup when he carried 110 pounds, would have to pick up 14 pounds if he runs in the Pacific Classic. Consequently, trainer Bobby Frankel might run Marquetry where the weights would be more favorable, in the $500,000 New England Classic at Rockingham Park on July 20. . . . The next race for Mane Minister could be either the Haskell Invitational Handicap at Monmouth Park on July 27 or the American Derby at Arlington International on Aug. 3. Mane Minister finished third in all the Triple Crown races.

For the first 55 days of the Hollywood meeting, through Saturday, overall attendance is up 7 1/2% compared to last year and betting has increased almost 7%. On-track, Hollywood is up almost 11% in attendance and less than 1% in handle.