Suddenly, She Could Look Like a Million

DEL MAR — Victories have been difficult to come by for Real Connection.

Only once in 27 starts since the beginning of 1996 has the gray, one-eyed mare reached the winner’s circle, and that victory came here nearly a year ago.

The situation looked hopeless a furlong from the finish of the Osunitas Handicap last Aug. 24, but Real Connection beat Tabled With Saros in the final strides.

Lack of effort hasn’t been the problem with Real Connection. In fact, if there is any justice after Real Connection’s Hollywood Park meeting, owner Bill Thomas and trainer Mel Stute’s 6-year-old should win the $300,000 Ramona Handicap today.

No better than fourth in her first five starts of the year at Santa Anita and Bay Meadows, the daughter of Vigors began Hollywood Park with a nose loss to Blushing Heiress in the Wilshire Handicap, a race jockey Goncalino Almeida and some observers thought she had won.

Three weeks later came another nose defeat, to Donna Viola in the Gamely Handicap.

After finishing a nonthreatening fourth in the Beverly Hills Handicap, Real Connection completed her meeting with a head loss to Twice The Vice in the Vanity Handicap.

Three photos, three defeats and if the pictures had turned out differently, the mare who broke her maiden in a claiming race would be a leading candidate for an Eclipse award.

Perhaps today will be her day in the Grade I Ramona, but it has been only 13 days since the Vanity and she will be meeting a small, but talented, field that includes Donna Viola, Different and Auriette.

Real Connection, who will be making her 55th start today and would surpass $1-million in earnings with a victory, worked six furlongs in 1:12 1/5 over Del Mar’s main track five days ago.

The co-highweights in the field at 121 pounds are Different and Donna Viola, who have split their first two encounters of 1997.

In the Gamely, Different was a neck behind Real Connection, and in the Beverly Hills--a runaway victory for Windsharp--Different was a troubled second, nearly two lengths in front of Donna Viola, who also didn’t have a clean trip.

This will be the first try on Del Mar’s turf course for both mares. Jockey Gary Stevens, who will be inducted into racing’s Hall of Fame on Monday at Saratoga, will be aboard Donna Viola. Chris McCarron will ride Different.

Horse Racing Notes

Jockey Pat Valenzuela, who hasn’t ridden in more than nine months, is named on three horses today--Fabulous Guy in the fifth, Surprise Storm in the sixth and Jazzmanian Devil in the ninth--and four on Sunday. Second to Alex Solis in the jockey standings at the 1996 Del Mar meeting with 42 wins, Valenzuela, 34, was arrested last Halloween in Arcadia and charged with vandalism and being under the influence of a controlled substance. The oft-troubled rider has since undergone a diversion program and his license was reinstated by the California Horse Racing Board last week. His new agent is former jockey and trainer Don Pierce. . . . After beginning the year with four losses, Skip Away will try for his third consecutive victory in the $350,000 Whitney Handicap today at Saratoga. The race will be simulcast during the the Del Mar program between the first and second races.