FEAT OF LAFFIT NOT LOST ON THIS SIDE OF THE RIVER; PINCAY'S RECORD A MOMENT TO REMEMBER.

Byline: Kevin Modesti Horse Racing 

The National Thoroughbred Racing Association is inviting fans to vote on-line (ntra.com) for the ``NTRA Moment of the Year,'' but the list of official candidates suggests it's really the Happy Moment of the First Eleven Months of the Year East of the Mississippi.

The 10 candidates do not include Laffit Pincay's record ride.

So we've written down our own list of memorable moments and other notable developments of 1999, roughly in order of significance, with updates on the lead characters.

Pincay's record: His 8,834th win, aboard Irish Nip last Friday at Hollywood Park, capped the racing achievement of the decade.

Pincay, seeking his first riding title since 1991, goes into the last four days at Hollywood Park trailing Pat Valenzuela by one after winning Thursday aboard Wine With Pride and Road to Slew.

Meanwhile, Pincay, 52, is working on plans for a world tour. His plan to sign posters Saturday at Hollywood Park was canceled because of a prior agreement with Santa Anita, which has set Laffit Pincay Day for Jan. 15.

J.C. Gonzalez's death: The 23-year-old's fatal accident at Fairplex Park was the first in 24 years involving a Southern California thoroughbred jockey.

So far the J.C. Gonzalez Memorial Fund (Care of Fairplex Park, Post Office Box 2250, Pomona, 91769) has forwarded $18,000 to his parents. Some of that money is earmarked to establish some sort of memorial display in Gonzalez's native Yahualica, Jalisco, Mexico.

Charismatic: After his victories in the Kentucky Derby (at 31-1) and Preakness (8-1), the nation proved it never tires of a Triple Crown bid.

It'll be spring before Charismatic has recovered from the severe leg injury that left him a hobbling third in the Belmont. Forays out of his stall at Lane's End Farm in Kentucky were curtailed recently because ``he was getting a little too rambunctious,'' prompting fears of reinjury, said farm spokeswoman Jill McCully.

The injury shouldn't limit Charismatic's breeding ability. McCully said he's already ``practicing.''

Chris Antley's comeback: The jockey saved his career from weight problems - and might have saved Charismatic's life by jumping off quickly after the injury.

Antley had knee and nasal surgery and hasn't ridden at Hollywood Park. He'll have to shed weight - though not as much as a year ago - before a return expected in January at Santa Anita, according to agent Ron Anderson.

The Bob Baffert-D. Wayne Lukas rivalry: Baffert's chances for a third consecutive Eclipse Award plummeted when Lukas upstaged him with Charismatic in the Triple Crown and Cash Run and Cat Thief at the Breeders' Cup.

The Valhol scandal: The long shot's Arkansas Derby victory in April was voided after jockey Billy Patin was found to have carried a battery.

In what might be the story's last legal chapter, the disqualification and Patin's five-year suspension were upheld by a county judge Monday. Valhol is expected to race at age 4 after recovering from a knee chip.

Nasal strips: The breathing aids, new to the horse world, went from major curiosity to minor controversy when Cash Run ($67), Anees ($62.60) and Cat Thief ($41.20) wore them in Breeders' Cup wins.

Nine states are permitting the use of the strips. California officials aren't, pending further study.

Enthusiasm may be waning anyway. Writer Andy Beyer studied results at the Churchill Downs fall meet, and concluded the average horse's performance wasn't affected by the strips.

TVG's debut: Santa Monica-based Television Games Network marks the racing industry's boldest step into a future dominated by in-home betting.

After drawing critical early reviews in August and stumbling through coverage of Gonzalez's death in September, TVG has polished its presentation and earned praise for its work on Pincay's record run.

Santa Anita's new management: While TVG tries to keep racing fans on their couches, Frank Stronach tries to lure them back to Santa Anita with a high-priced makeover of the nation's most beautiful racetrack.

Stronach's second year begins with the opening of an 87-day season Dec. 26, featuring a glitzy new restaurant, The FrontRunner.

NTRA series debuts: The latest attempt to create a television storyline by linking major races for older horses consisted of 11 events and culminated with Del Mar's Pacific Classic, rendered meaningless by injuries.

A new format for 2000 is designed to encourage participation with more frequent bonuses and less emphasis on the climactic race.

The weekend: Baffert, who won the Hollywood Futurity with Real Quiet in 1997, that colt's first step toward winning the Derby and Preakness, will saddle three of the seven 2-year-olds entered in Saturday's running of the 1 1/16-mile race.

Robbie Albarado is in town to ride Captain Steve, the favorite off his 5-1/2-length victory in the Kentucky Jockey Club at Churchill Downs. David Flores rides Cameron Pass and Kent Desormeaux has Purely Cozzene.

Lukas will try to spoil another day for Baffert with Hopeful winner High Yield (Corey Nakatani).

Lukas' Surfside (Pat Day) heads the Hollywood Starlet on Sunday.

A WEEK AT THE RACES 

Hollywood Park leaders: Jockeys (through Wednesday): Pat Valenzuela, 26 wins; Laffit Pincay, 24; Corey Nakatani, 19; Alex Solis, 17; David Flores, 13. Trainers: Bob Baffert, 13; Richard Mandella, 11; Jack Carava, 9; Wesley Ward, 7.

Handicapper helper: Isaias Enriquez, sixth in the jockey standings, has been the bettors' best friend at Hollywood Park. His 12 winners, four paying 10-1 or higher, are remarkable considering the 26-year-old Tijuana native has been aboard only four tote-board favorites.

On the stakes schedule: At Hollywood Park: Saturday, $200,000 Hollywood Futurity, 2-year-olds, 1 1/16 miles, $150,000 Dahlia Handicap, fillies and mares 3 and up, 1 1/16 miles on turf, and $70,000 Corona Handicap, fillies and mares 3 and up, 6 furlongs; Sunday, $200,000 Hollywood Starlet, 2-year-old fillies, 1 1/16 miles; Monday, $70,000 Dayjur Handicap, 3-year-olds and up, 5-1/2 furlongs on turf.

Mileposts: Bob Baffert has signed up with Television Games Network for part-time on-camera work as his schedule permits. One of Baffert's first assignments last week was to interview Jean-Laffit Pincay, 6-year-old son of Laffit Pincay. Baffert asked the boy if he'd like to be a jockey, or ``how about a celebrity trainer?'' . . . Hollywood Park probably wishes Pincay had taken longer to break Bill Shoemaker's record. During the eight days through last Friday, on-site attendance was up 17.4 percent and on-site betting was up 22.2 percent from 1998 levels. . . . Another proposal to build a harness track in Riverside County, this one by real-estate investor and horse owner Frank Cossey, is scheduled to go before the California Horse Racing Board in January. . . . D. Wayne Lukas, despite sometimes prickly relations with reporters, was named the Big Sport of Turfdom for 1999 by the Turf Publicists of America. The award honors a racing figure for his cooperation with the media and track publicists. . . . Post-time favorites have been winning a low 29.9 percent of the races at the Hollywood Park fall meet.

- Kevin Modesti

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