Fairmount Park track report

COLLINSVILLE, Ill. - Trainer Jimmy Wiser has always run a high-percentage stable here, but this meet he went winless with his first 43 starters. Stable stars such as Shania's Code and Big Adam J. had raced well, but hadn't won.

But on Sunday, Wiser broke from the slump with a bang, winning with first-timer Bulldog George, a 3-year-old full brother to Shania's Code. Bulldog George overcame mild trouble at the start and drew off effortlessly to score by more than 18 lengths in the excellent time of 1:11.80 for six furlongs. By way of contrast, a few races later 4-year-old Cobra Devil won a two-other-than allowance in 1:12.60. Bulldog George returned $13.

According to Wiser, this win was a long time coming in more ways than one.

"I've had this horse in training for a year and a half, but every time he would get close to a race some nagging little thing would pop up," he said. "I knew he was a good one a long time ago, but I just couldn't run him if I knew he wasn't right. It's been frustrating, but every trainer goes through these things and you have to be patient and do what's best for your horse."

* On Tuesday, trainer Eddie Essenpreis saddled three winners to move into fifth place in the local standings with 20 wins. His winners were Sweetest Star ($7.20) in the fourth, West Lakeshore ($6.80) in the sixth, and Yukon's Sugar ($28.60) in the ninth.