Ex-stakes winner Futural claimed

INGLEWOOD, Calif. - J.T. Marshall, the northern California trainer, took four horses to Del Mar last summer and left for home before the meeting ended, unsatisfied with his results.

"I took BB's," he said. "I should have taken Howitzers."

Thursday at Hollywood Park, Marshall added to his stable for the upcoming Del Mar meeting, which opens on July 24. On behalf of owner Kim Hart, Marshall claimed two horses for $80,000 each - Futural and Catz.

Marshall claimed Futural out of an optional claimer at 1 1/16 miles. He finished last of five after a poor start, losing by 10 lengths to Dig for It.

Catz, who won the Glendale Handicap at Turf Paradise in February, finished third in an allowance race/optional claimer Friday over a mile on turf. Catz finished 1 1/2 lengths behind the heavily favored Reine de Romance, who won for the first time since the Grade 2 San Clemente Handicap at Del Mar last July.

In 2001, Futural finished second in a $100,000 claimer at Santa Anita in February and then won three consecutive stakes - the Tokyo City, San Bernardino, and Mervyn LeRoy Handicaps. Futural was first under the line in the Hollywood Gold Cup in July but was disqualified and placed third for causing interference. He was turned out late last year with injury.

Marshall, 58, says Futural could appear at Del Mar, the northern California fairs or at Hastings Park in Vancouver, where Hart resides.

"He's an old class horse," Marshall said of Futural. "The owner just wanted him. He might run on the fairs in the odd stakes."

Craig Dollase trained Futural until Thursday. The decision by Hart and Marshall caught him off guard. "I was a little surprised he got claimed," Dollase said. "But he's been a good horse for me."

Milwaukee Brew set for Californian

Milwaukee Brew, the winner of the Santa Anita Handicap in March, returns in next Saturday's $500,000 Californian Stakes, one of three stakes on what could be an outstanding program.

The card also features the $350,000 Charles Whittingham Memorial Handicap over 1 1/4 miles on turf and $250,000 Hollywood Breeders' Cup Oaks over 1 1/16 miles for 3-year-old fillies.

Milwaukee Brew, who is trained by Bobby Frankel, will have no shortage of opponents. The Californian probables include Bosque Redondo, Investor's Dream, Lethal Instrument, Momentum, Pie N Burger, Reba's Gold and Redattore.

Freedom Crest will not start in the Californian Stakes. The winner of the Grade 2 Goodwood Breeders' Cup Handicap last fall, Freedom Crest has been turned out after finishing sixth in the Lone Star Park Handicap in Texas on May 27, trainer Richard Baltas said.

Baltas said Freedom Crest has bled on occasion this year.

"I'll give him 90 days," Baltas said. "His lungs are getting bad and he needs a break."

The Oaks and Whittingham Handicap are likely to have smaller fields than the Californian. The Oaks probables are Adoration, Ile de France, Ladylore, and Respectful. Adoration won the Grade 3 Senorita Stakes on May 4 but was held out of the Honeymoon Handicap over 1 1/8 miles on turf this weekend.

"I didn't want to run a mile and an eighth," trainer David Hofmans said. "She just ran a good, solid mile and I want to build her up."

The Whittingham is the final Grade 1 on turf for males at the meeting. The probables include Cagney, Denon, Night Patrol, Ringaskiddy, Sarafan, and Skipping.

Denon is winless in two starts since the Hollywood Derby last November. At the Santa Anita meeting, he was fifth in the San Luis Obispo Handicap and San Luis Rey Stakes.

Tamara Princess returns in allowance

Tamara Princess, the winner of the Torrey Pines Stakes at Del Mar last summer and a sister to 2000 champion older mare Riboletta, makes her first start of the year in a $55,000 allowance race/optional claimer on Sunday.

Owned by Aaron and Marie Jones and trained by Eduardo Inda, Tamara Princess has not started since finishing sixth in the Grade 2 Lady's Secret Breeders' Cup Handicap at Oak Tree last October. Problems with quarter cracks have delayed her comeback, Inda said.

Tamara Princess faces five others: Argentine invader Palmarola, Imperatriz Rafaele, Leanessa, Song of Summer, and Salty Helen.

One ticket on $415K pick six

The pick six on Thursday produced a meet high payoff of $415,482.80 for one ticketholder.

Many tickets were knocked out when Fairway Vice ($28.20) won a turf sprint for maidens in the first leg, the third race. The other winners of the pick six races were Nikawa ($5.40), Sideshow Caper ($11.60), Bel Air Belle ($11.60), Dig for It ($8.40), and Discover Me ($41).