SANTA ANITA : An Empty Win for Delahoussaye

Eddie Delahoussaye’s 64th victory of the Santa Anita meeting was only a $35,000 allowance event for fillies and mares, but it was a race the jockey will never forget.

Slinkee, the easy winner at even money, is trained by Bill Shoemaker, who remains in critical condition in Centinela Hospital Medical Center after an auto accident Monday night.

“I enjoyed winning the race for Bill, but I’ve got an empty feeling because he’s not here,� said Delahoussaye, who, along with wife Juanita, spent several hours at the hospital Monday night and Tuesday morning. “I’m heartbroken that he’s not here with us right now.

“It’s still so hard to believe. It doesn’t seem fair. I’ve been close to him for 12 years and ‘I’ve learned a lot from him, just like a lot of other riders have. How can you say anything bad about that man? He never hurt anybody. We just have to keep praying.�

Probably one of the last in horse racing to get the news was Gary Stevens. He was returning from a ski outing at Mammoth Mountain when he heard about the accident on his car radio. Santa Anita’s second-leading rider said he hasn’t been the same since.

“I’m normally a very sound sleeper, but I didn’t spend a whole lot of time sleeping last night,� said Stevens, fighting back the tears. “It’s been very difficult for me. When I came here (in 1984), Shoe was more like a god to me. Once I got to know him, I found he was as down to earth as anyone could be. He was a part of everybody’s life here and a big part of our business.

“In a split-second, his whole life changed, his family’s life changed, and I think it’s going to change a lot of other people’s lives. He pulled a lot of miracles out of the hat before, and I hope he’s got one miracle left.�

Laffit Pincay, who has known Shoemaker for more than 25 years and is closest to him in terms of career victories, visited him briefly Tuesday.

“I said a few words to him, and he moved his eyes like he understood what I was saying,� Pincay said. “He’s conscious, and I think he knows he’s had an accident. I don’t know if he knows what’s going on, but I think he’s conscious, he’s hurt and he can’t do anything about it.

“I had to work a horse (Tuesday morning) and it was really hard for me to bring myself to get out of bed. It’s very sad for me.

“Paralysis is my biggest fear. I’m not afraid to die, but I am afraid of not being able to walk again. As a jockey, you’ve been so active all your life, and suddenly, you can’t do anything. I don’t think I could stand that. When I have a spill, the first thing I do is move my legs to make sure I have feeling in them.�

Chris McCarron pointed out the irony of the situation, saying: “He made 40,000 trips around the oval, got busted up a little and hurt severely a few times, but when he was able to retire with as few injuries as he had, everyone was astonished he could ride that long without being injured more.

“To coin a phrase, he was our exemplary leader. He’s an asset to the whole racing game, aside from being just a great guy. I’m going to miss playing golf with him, stuff like that.

“I talked to Cindy (Shoemaker’s wife) Tuesday night, and she sounded strong. She’s going to keep the hope. We’re all just hoping for the best.�

Horse Racing Notes

A Mass was said for Bill Shoemaker at St. Felicitas and Perpetua Church in San Marino. Santa Anita also had a moment of silence for him before the playing of the national anthem, and oversized get-well cards were available at various locations throughout the track for fans to sign. . . . Exemplary Leader won the race in which Shoemaker rode for the final time. Shoemaker finished fourth on Patchy Groundfog.

Fantastic Ways, a 5-1 shot, made it three straight victories when she rallied twice to beat favored Island Shuffle in the $83,175 Providencia Stakes Wednesday at Santa Anita. The 3-year-old Secretariat filly, ridden by Chris McCarron and trained by Gary Jones, covered 1 1/8 miles on the turf in 1:49 2/5 and paid $12.20. Island Shuffle, the 2-1 choice, finished nearly a length ahead of Saucy Lady B; then came Masake, Sawsan, Now Showing, Grand Girlfriend, Assombrie and Thruppeny Bit.

Bequest, the impressive winner of the Santa Barbara Handicap in her last start, will remain in training but won’t race again until the Del Mar meeting this summer. Owner Gerald Leigh had originally planned to retire Bequest after the Santa Barbara victory. . . . Fantastic Look, Fantastic Way’s half-sister, worked four furlongs in 47 2/5 Wednesday in preparation for Saturday’s Santa Lucia Handicap.