Proudinsky, P. Val winning combo

SAN MATEO, Calif. - Although he hasn't won since his career debut in April, when he scored a 15-length victory in Germany, Proudinsky has the most interesting credentials coming into Sunday's Grade 3, $100,000 Bay Meadows Derby at

1 1/8 miles on turf.

Eight 3-year-olds entered the Bay Meadows Derby, including two who are making their turf debut, two who are making their second turf start, and one who is making his third.

Proudinsky moved into trainer Bobby Frankel's barn before the Grade 1 Secretariat at Arlington Park, where he finished fourth. He has finished second in two turf stakes - a minor stakes in his native Germany in May and the Grade 3 Arlington Classic in July, when he lost by a nose in his U.S. debut.

Humberto Ascanio, Frankel's assistant, said Frankel and owner Gary Tanaka considered running Proudinsky in Wednesday's one-mile Bien Bien at Hollywood Park before deciding to come here. The additional distance made this race more attractive, he said.

"He's good-looking and has a lot of talent," said Ascanio. "Every time he works, he runs. The way he's training, he should run well."

Proudinsky will be ridden Sunday by Patrick Valenzuela, who will come to Bay Meadows after riding in the Breeders' Cup.

"Patrick worked him the last two times and was real excited about him," Ascanio said. "He called Bobby and asked to ride him."

Proudinsky will be sitting back in the Bay Meadows Derby, which has plenty of speed.

Also likely to be sitting off the pace is Illuminise, the other European runner in the field. An Irish-bred, Illuminise won the Harold C. Ramser at Santa Anita in her second U.S. start and runs against colts for only the second time in her career.

Trainer Jerry Hollendorfer sends out the stakes winner Passive Income and Dr. Einstein, who both have speed but are 0-1 and 0-2, respectively, on the turf.

Bedlam Bertie, who is 5-3-2-0 on the turf, comes off a wire-to-wire victory in a second-level turf allowance at Golden Gate. Bold Chieftain is a stakes winner and has plenty of speed, although he showed a willingness to rate a bit when he won the Hays Valley in his last start. Bold Chieftain won his lone turf start, a one-mile allowance two starts back.

Trainers Junior Coffey and Kay Cooper each send out a Northwest shipper: Emerald Derby winner Raise the Bluff and Sharper Edge.

Coffey said he believes Raise the Bluff's pedigree - he is by Pine Bluff, a Danzig horse - suggests he will handle the grass.