SANTA ANITA : Jockey, 17, Scores His First Stakes Victory

Six victories into what looks like a promising career, apprentice jockey Sal Gonzalez Jr. picked up his first stakes victory at Santa Anita on Sunday.

Aboard Visible Gold, the longest shot in the $154,400 Santa Anita Budweiser Breeders’ Cup for his uncle, trainer Paco Gonzalez, the 17-year-old rider led every step of the way en route to a 3 1/2-length victory over Wedding Ring and four others.

Owned by John Toffan and Trudy McCaffery, who were in Kentucky, Visible Gold paid $48.80 while completing the mile in 1:34 2/5. A 5-year-old Deputy Minister mare, she won for the sixth time in 18 starts.

If the victory was a surprise to the betting public, it wasn’t to Visible Gold’s trainer.

“I felt like she had a pretty good shot, especially at a mile,� he said. “At a mile, she’s a very tough horse and the course is fast right now. That’s how it is at Hollywood Park, and she likes it over there.

“I just told Sal to go to the front. It’s easy to follow instructions on her. She just goes.�

Doused by Pat Valenzuela when he returned to the jockey’s room, the younger Gonzalez didn’t mind the impromptu shower.

“It’s a great feeling, being able to get this mare to relax, because she wants to go real fast,� he said. “I work her in the morning all the time. She was the first horse I got to exercise three years ago.�

Racing on Lasix for the first time, Wedding Ring, the 3-1 third choice, finished three-quarters of a length in front of Gold Fleece, then came Party Cited, Afaladja and Gravieres, the 2-1 favorite, in last.

“She didn’t want to be shuffled back that far, but there was nothing we could do about it,� said Eddie Delahoussaye, who rode the runner-up. “Also, she wasn’t handling the course that well. I mean, she was finishing, yet she seemed to be bobbling all the time. She was still trying, so that was a good sign.�

A field of seven is expected for the $400,000 San Juan Capistrano Invitational Handicap next Sunday, the closing day feature at Santa Anita.

Fraise, who is scheduled to be flown to California today from Florida, is the 123-pound highweight for the 1 3/4-mile turf race. In his first start since he was disqualified in the Hollywood Turf Cup, the Breeders’ Cup Turf winner won the Pan American Handicap last month at Gulfstream Park.

Other probable starters are Kotashaan, who has won the San Luis Obispo and San Luis Rey Stakes in his last two starters; Jahafil, who bled when he ran last in the San Luis Rey and will be treated with Lasix on Sunday; Carnival Baby, the Charlie Whittingham duo of Qathif and Campagnarde, and Bien Bien.

Unhappy with Bien Bien’s 119-pound weight assignment, Paco Gonzalez had originally considered skipping the Capistrano, but, after Visible Gold’s victory Sunday, he said the Manila colt would run.

Placed first in the Turf Cup when Fraise was disqualified, Bien Bien worked seven furlongs in 1:27 2/5 Sunday morning.

“He went really nice,� Gonzalez said. “He’s training well and he’s going to run big.�

Horse Racing Notes

Sal Gonzalez Sr. was also in the winner’s circle after Visible Gold’s victory. He is the rider’s father and an assistant trainer with his brother, Paco. . . . Corey Black will leave Friday for Hong Kong, where he will ride Glen Kate in the Hong Kong Bowl and Charmonnier in the Hong Kong Cup. . . . Devoted Brass, who is now scheduled to make his next start in the Illinois Derby rather than the Kentucky Derby, worked five furlongs in 1:00 1/5 Sunday morning. . . . The young Gonzalez also won the first race with Freeway Daisy and Eddie Delahoussaye had three victories--aboard favorites Caro’s Whisper and Yousefia and on Collirio.