Another Executive Is Tossed Into the Mix at Santa Anita

The shake-up at Santa Anita continued Thursday when Mike Harlow, who had been director of racing and racing secretary at Turf Paradise in Phoenix, was named to those positions at the Arcadia track.

Harlow, who will begin his new post in the middle of July, replaces Tom Robbins, the director of racing at Santa Anita, and racing secretary Tom Knust. The two positions have been consolidated.

Robbins, named vice president of racing at Santa Anita in 1990, will continue to serve as director of racing at Del Mar.

On Monday, Lonny Powell, who also had been at Turf Paradise, was named the new president and chief executive officer at Santa Anita by Frank Stronach, who purchased the track in December.

According to sources close to the scene, more changes are expected to be announced soon.

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A small field is extremely likely for the $1 million Sempra Energy Hollywood Gold Cup, which will be run for the 60th time on June 27.

Only four--Old Trieste, Puerto Madero, Real Quiet and Malek--are considered probable for the Gold Cup and the only other possible at this point is Budroyale, who won the Super Diamond Handicap five days ago.

With jockey Gary Stevens likely to remain overseas to ride Beat All in the Irish Derby at the Curragh the same day as the Gold Cup, Real Quiet needs a rider.

Chris Antley, who took over for Stevens on Silver Charm in what turned out to be the gray’s final start in last Saturday’s Stephen Foster Handicap at Churchill Downs, would seem a possibility, and Kent Desormeaux won the Kentucky Derby and Preakness on the 4-year-old last year, but no decision has been made by trainer Bob Baffert and owner Mike Pegram.

Antley, meanwhile, was off his mounts again Thursday after taking off his final two mounts Wednesday, including Asilmottamrich, who won the sixth.

Behrens, who leads the National Thoroughbred Racing Association’s Champions on Fox series with 28 points, is likely to surface next in the Suburban Handicap on July 5 at Belmont Park and Victory Gallop, who won the Foster impressively and is arguably the top handicap horse in the nation, is reportedly being pointed for the Whitney on Aug. 1 at Saratoga.

Puerto Madero, who has 20 points thanks to his victory in the Donn Handicap in January, can regain the lead in the NTRA standings with a win in the Gold Cup. The series concludes with the Pacific Classic on Aug. 29 at Del Mar.

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Rock O, who broke his maiden convincingly in his debut April 30, heads a field of nine 2-year-olds entered Thursday morning for Saturday’s $69,000-added Haggin Stakes.

Trained by Jim Chapman for Carolyn Chapman and Teresa McArthur, the son of Brocco won in 51 flat for the 4 1/2 furlongs and Malibu Moon, who finished second, four lengths clear of the rest of the field, returned to graduate in his next start.

Garrett Gomez will again ride for Chapman, who also entered two others--Popular Kat and Caller One.

A debuting son of Katowice, Popular Kat has trained as if he has some talent and will be ridden by Martin Pedroza, while Caller One seems an unlikely starter given he just ran Sunday. The son of Phone Trick was beaten by Dixie Union, who ran five furlongs in 56 3/5, only missing by a tick the track record set by Magical Mile 10 years ago.

The rest of the field, from the inside out, includes Ares, who beat maiden claimers in his only start; Knight Raider, fourth in last month’s Westchester; Suspicious Minds and recent maiden winners Gomezmerize, Star Maker and Delight Of Summer.

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The day after he won a Group II stakes with Cape Cross at Royal Ascot, Stevens returned to win the Duke Of Edinburgh Handicap on Blueprint, who is owned by Queen Elizabeth.

Trained by Sir Michael Stoute, Blueprint beat Banbury by 1 1/2 lengths in the 1 1/2-mile turf race. The 4-year-old son of Generous could be headed to Australia for a start in the Melbourne Cup.

“This is a special kind of pleasure,” Stevens told the Daily Racing Form. “Riding a winner for the Queen in my first try at her own racecourse is a new kind of thrill.”

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Jockey Laffit Pincay won twice Thursday, taking the first with Acefromouterspace ($6.60) and the fifth with Sparkling Spirit ($7.40) and he now has 8,753 career victories, leaving him 80 behind all-time leader Bill Shoemaker. . . . Forty-one days into the meet, which concludes July 19, Alex Solis tops the jockey standings with 40 victories, leaving him 11 ahead of Garrett Gomez. . . . Ron McAnally tops the trainers with 19 victories, eight more than Julio Canani and Ted West. . . . Apprentice jockey Kevin Radke, who has 36 wins at Golden Gate Fields to rank third in the standings behind Russell Baze and Dennis Carr, will begin riding at Hollywood Park on Wednesday, according to agent Joe Griffin. . . . General Challenge, who was 11th when encountering much trouble in the Kentucky Derby, worked six furlongs in 1:10 3/5 Thursday morning at Santa Anita for trainer Bob Baffert. His main goal is the $500,000 Swaps Stakes on July 18 at Hollywood Park. . . . Today is the last Friday afternoon card of the season in Inglewood. Post time will be 7 p.m. for the last four Fridays of the meet.