For Jewel Princess, It Could Be Big Finish

* STORYLINE: No matter what happens in the Distaff on Saturday, it will be the final start of Jewel Princess’ career.

Trainer Wally Dollase hopes she exits having joined Bayakoa, Lure and Miesque in an exclusive club.

Those are the only horses to have won two Breeders’ Cup races. In four days, Jewel Princess will try to repeat her Distaff victory of a year ago at Woodbine.

If the 5-year-old Key to the Mint mare does, it would end a four-race losing streak and would be her first victory since she began 1997 with wins in the Santa Maria and Santa Margarita Handicaps at Santa Anita last winter.

Since the Santa Margarita nearly eight months ago, Jewel Princess has finished second to Halo America in the Apple Blossom Handicap at Oaklawn Park, and third in both the Hempstead and Beldame Handicaps at Belmont Park. Sandwiched between the New York races was a third-place finish in the Vanity Handicap at Hollywood Park. In each of the four races, she was beaten by four lengths.

While this year hasn’t been as productive for Jewel Princess as 1996, when she won four graded stakes besides the Distaff, a victory Saturday could be enough to earn her another Eclipse Award as the nation’s top older filly or mare.

“She’s coming up to the race great,” said Dollase, who trains Jewel Princess for owners Richard and Martha Stephen and Prince Ahmed Salman’s Thoroughbred Corporation. “She had a nice work [five furlongs in 1:00 at Hollywood Park on Saturday] and it was just about what we had in mind.

“Whoever wins this race should probably [win the Eclipse]. That’s fine with me. She’s won it already, so we’re under no pressure. We’ve already decided this is her last race. She’s done enough.”

Two of the losses in her current streak came against Hidden Lake, who has been a terror since going east and joining trainer John Kimmel’s barn. However, those races were around one turn and some think Hidden Lake is vulnerable around two turns.

“We’ve been giving weight to these horses most of the year and we’ll see how Hidden Lake does out here on this firmer surface and around two turns,” Dollase said. “It’s a new ballgame out here.

“The race should set up nicely for Jewel Princess. She’s a one-run horse and if Sharp Cat and Hidden Lake go too fast early, it will help her. I think she’s got a great chance of winning the race. Her mind is her biggest asset. She relaxes extremely well.”

Jewell Princess’ determination in winning the Santa Margarita, in which the slow pace wasn’t in her favor, may have contributed to her struggles since.

“She was as good as she’s ever been the first part of the year, but it’s been a little disappointing since,” Dollase said. “The Santa Margarita took so much out of her and we didn’t rest her until later in the year. Every time she goes out there, she gives you 125%. Her last race in New York [the Beldame on Oct. 19] was just what we had in mind. Hopefully, she’ll run a big race in the Distaff.”

* KEYS TO THE RACE: The lead looks to be there for the taking for Sharp Cat. She was impressive in winning her first start of the fall last month in the Lady’s Secret Breeders’ Cup Handicap at Santa Anita when able to dictate the pace. If she clears easily again Saturday, she could be gone again, but 1 1/8 miles is not her best distance. It is the best distance for her entrymate. Jewel Princess has won four of seven at nine furlongs. Californians want to see if Hidden Lake can duplicate her eastern form in these parts.

THE HORSES

* Ajina tracked Sharp Cat in the Mother Goose at Belmont Park in June, passing her in the final furlong, and could get a similar trip in the Distaff. This will be her first start in California.

* Clear Mandate won a weak renewal of the Spinster last month at Keeneland. She will be trying to better her sixth-place finish in the 1996 Distaff and has two wins and two thirds in six tries at 1 1/8 miles.

* Escena will be coupled in the betting with Ajina because both are owned by Allen Paulson. After winning the Ramona Handicap on turf at Del Mar in early August, she ran poorly in her last two and has never won at the Distaff distance. She does have the services of Jerry Bailey, however.

* Hidden Lake returns to California on a four-race win streak and three of those victories have come in Grade I’s. She was beaten twice by Jewel Princess at Santa Anita last winter, and in her only recent race around two turns, she beat Flat Fleet Feet in the Go For Wand at Saratoga. She is winless in three starts at Hollywood Park.

* Jewel Princess isn’t as good going into this Breeders’ Cup as she was going into last year’s, but she excels at the distance and could benefit if the pace is contested. If she wins, she would retire with 14 victories from 29 starts and more than $2.4 million in earnings.

* Minister’s Melody looks to be out of her element. Her three victories have come in a maiden race at Saratoga, an allowance race at Arlington International and a Grade III stakes at Arlington. This will be her second start in the Breeders’ Cup. She was a distant fourth behind Storm Song in last year’s Juvenile Fillies.

* Radu Cool is a bundle of nerves, but she does have talent. She has won nine of 19 races and has two wins on the Hollywood Park main track. While she could pick up a share of the purse, it is hard to envision her winning, but stranger things have happened in the Distaff. Remember One Dreamer at $96.20 in 1994 at Churchill Downs?

* Sharp Cat will try to take them gate-to-wire, and the last time she ran 1 1/8 miles at Hollywood Park, she won the Hollywood Oaks by three lengths. However, she ran the last furlong in 14 seconds that day and that won’t get it done in the Distaff. Her trainer, Wayne Lukas, won the Distaff with Sacahuista the last time the Breeders’ Cup was held at Hollywood Park in 1987.

* Dance Design is, to say the least, an unlikely participant. The Distaff was her second preference behind the Turf and she finished seventh two days ago in the Yellow Ribbon Stakes at Santa Anita.

(BEGIN TEXT OF INFOBOX / INFOGRAPHIC)

PROBABLE STARTERS (IN ALPHABETICAL ORDER)

Horse: 1. a-Ajina

Wt.: 120

Jockey: M. Smith

Trainer: B. Mott

Owner: A. Paulson

Odds: 4-1

*

Horse: 2. Clear Mandate

Wt.: 123

Jockey: P. Day

Trainer: G. Arnold

Owner: G.W. Humphrey Jr.

Odds: 12-1

*

Horse: 3. a-Escena

Wt.: 123

Jockey: J. Bailey

Trainer: B. Mott

Owner: A. Paulson

Odds: 4-1

*

Horse: 4. Hidden Lake

Wt.: 123

Jockey: R. Migliore

Trainer: J. Kimmel

Owner: T. Farmer & R. Clay

Odds: 2-1

*

Horse: 5. b-Jewel Princess

Wt.: 123

Jockey: C. Nakatani

Trainer: W. Dollase

Owner: R. and M. Stephen, Thoroughbred Corp.

Odds: 8-5

*

Horse: 6. Minister’s Melody

Wt.: 120

Jockey: G. Stevens

Trainer: D. Hofmans

Owner: Stonerside Stable, Ltd.

Odds: 20-1

*

Horse: 7. Radu Cool

Wt.: 123

Jockey: C. McCarron

Trainer: J. Shirreffs

Owner: 505 Farms

Odds: 15-1

*

Horse: 8. b-Sharp Cat

Wt.: 120

Jockey: A. Solis

Trainer: W. Lukas

Owner: The Thoroughbred Corp.

Odds: 8-5

*

ALSO ELIGIBLE

Horse: 9. Dance Design

Wt.: 123

Jockey: M. Kinane

Trainer: D. Weld

Owner: Moyglare Stud

Odds: 15-1

a--A. Paulson-owned entry.

b--The Thoroughbred Corp.-owned entry.

*

* Post: 12:05 p.m.

* Distance: 1 1/8 miles on dirt.

* Purse: $1 million.

*

* COMING WEDNESDAY

A look at the $1-million Mile.