VALENZUELA GETS JOB DONE VICTORY IN DISTAFF COMES AS JOCKEY WORKS TO RETURN TO GETTING BEST MOUNTS.

Byline: Michael A. Anastasi Sports Editor 

ARCADIA - The jockeys' room was nearly deserted by the time Patrick Valenzuela returned for the final time late Saturday afternoon.

He stood there after 11 mounts and two victories, his skin coated with the glossy, deep-down dirt that workmen get after a long, hot, sweaty day. He smiled, too, the way a tired, satisfied man finally allows himself to do after getting the job done.

He stood there with his reputation redeemed.

``Everybody takes note of this,'' he said.

To those who follow racing regularly, of course, that Valenzuela stole the $2 million Breeders' Cup Distaff, the day's first championship race, is no real surprise. He is leading this Oak Tree meeting, he won Del Mar, he won Hollywood Park and he just might become the first jockey since 1983 to sweep the year. He's fourth in earnings nationally this year with more than $13 million, and sixth in wins (including a non-Breeders' Cup stakes race Saturday).

So when he charged to the fore aboard Adoration, at 40-to-1 easily the greatest long shot of the day, regulars weren't entirely shocked. Valenzuela is the kind of aggressive jockey who seizes leads.

For everyone else, though, including a national television audience, it was the first time they had seen Valenzuela triumph on a national stage since 1992.

``I've been riding my (butt) off,' Valenzuela said, ``because I want to get back to getting the best mounts. And that won't happen until people see me win races like this. Every day, I'm getting closer to that.''

The national spotlight is what Valenzuela is accustomed to. He seized it as a precocious 17-year-old in the 1980 Santa Anita Derby, riding 25-to-1 long shot Codex to victory ahead of the favored horse ridden by Bill Shoemaker just a week after having been an apprentice. He won both the Kentucky Derby and Preakness aboard Sunday Silence in 1989. He won six previous Breeders' Cup races.

Then came the half-dozen drug-related suspensions, including an 11-month ban in 1999 and a 22-month stretch ending not yet two years ago. It impacted four marriages and three divorces. He was arrested twice, including once in a bizarre armed-robbery case that eventually was dropped because of lack of evidence but nonetheless left him in jail for 30 days. He even had his driver's license suspended at one point because he had too many speeding tickets, leaving this possible future Hall of Fame jockey relying on relatives, including his mother, for rides to and from the track.

``I can never say I've whipped this (problem),'' Valenzuela said. ``It's a character flaw. One wrong step can lead me right back down the wrong path. I know that. But is it something I worry about every day? No, I'm past that.''

Still, despite his recent dominance, Valenzuela said he hasn't yet returned to peak form. Or rather, others haven't yet recognized he has returned to peak form. He said that'll happen when he consistently is given the track's best horses. And he knows he's close, no doubt helped enormously by Saturday's Distaff victory.

``I thank God for allowing me to accomplish so much,'' he said. ``This was a great thrill, and I'm going to enjoy it with my family and with my wife. ... If you want to see how happy I am, check the replays after the wire.''

Aboard Adoration, who won with Valenzuela at Del Mar and performed well Sept. 28 here at the Lady's Secret Breeders' Cup Handicap, the 40-year-old jockey led wire-to-wire, leaving heavily favored Sightseek ridden by Jerry Bailey out of the money in fourth. The hard-charging strategy favored by Adoration trainer David Hofmans was a fastball in Valenzuela's wheelhouse.

Valenzuela was told to go for it from the outset, and he did.

``I would have been happy to hit the board,'' said owner John Amerman, the former CEO of Mattel. ``But Pat said no way, we take all the money.''

And Valenzuela did. Adoration paid $83.40.

Michael A. Anastasi, [phone]

michael.anastasi(at)dailynews.com

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Photo:

Patrick Valenzuela wins the Breeders' Cup Distaff aboard Adoration, one of the rider's 11 mounts Saturday.

John Kennedy/Special to the Daily News