DEL MAR ---- The long wait for the Dan Hendricks barn is over. Hendricks, a trainer who is paralyzed from the waist down following a July 7 motocross accident, had his first winner of the Del Mar meet in the fourth race Wednesday afternoon. He had suffered 18 straight defeats.

Littlebitofzip went gate to wire in a mile race on the turf for 2-year-olds. The result may have surprised the bettors ---- the win price was $32.60 ---- but it didn't surprise Hendricks, who watched the race in director of racing Tom Robbins' office.

"I was looking long with him, not so much turf," said Hendricks, a former Torrey Pines High student. "I knew Tom always writes a long race on the turf at the end of the meet. I kept telling the owner (Cecil Peacock) we don't need to panic. We don't need to drop him (into the maiden claiming ranks) and wait until a long race comes up. Unless we're totally wrong, that's what he needs."

It was exactly what Littlebitofzip needed. Hendricks couldn't get to the winner's circle in his wheelchair, but he was all smiles.

"I don't have the numbers or the stock that I usually bring to Del Mar to win races," said Hendricks, who while keeping a low profile has made only two trips to the watch the races in person. "It was going to be a slow year regardless of what happened (to me). This will get us back going. This will give us a little charge in the barn."

Hendricks has been running the stable with the help of his wife, Samantha, and assistant Francisco Alvarado

"I've been to the barn one morning and talked to them I don't know how many times every morning," Hendricks said. "I think they are tired of talking on the phone."

Ron almost knows best

Trainer Ron McAnally told all to hear that the comebacking Gondolieri would run a big one in the third race Wednesday.

McAnally was interviewed by Mike Willman over the track's public-address system. Gondolieri was 4-1 at the time of the interview and went off at 5-2. McAnally said his horse was fit and would show speed despite being off more than a year with a fractured knee.

Gondolieri ran to his trainer's reviews battling for the lead all the way around and grabbing the lead in the stretch before Truly a Judge ($14.20) came back to edge him by half a length at the wire.

Battle of the claimers

The sixth race was supposed to be a battle between three former top-class horses ---- Men's Exclusive, Full Moon Madness and Disturbingthepeace ---- with more than $3 million in lifetime earnings.

The race fell apart a bit when the 11-year-old Men's Exclusive was scratched in the morning by the track vet because of sickness.

That left Full Moon Madness ($1 million in earnings) and Disturbingthepeace (two-time winner of the Pat O'Brien Breeders' Cup Handicap) available to be claimed for the paltry sum of $40,000 in the high-stakes game of claiming poker.

Full Moon Madness had been running in turf sprints, and Disturbingthepeace was scratched from this year's O'Brien because of a leg injury.

Full Moon Madness ran well, finishing second to Reckless Hero ($9.60). He was claimed by trainer Doug O'Neill.

Disturbingthepeace finished a well-beaten fourth and returned to his stall in trainer Darrell Vienna's barn to fight another day.

There's no word on when Men's Exclusive might return. Trainer Wesley Ward didn't return a phone call.

Contact staff writer Jeff Nahill at (760) 740-3550 or jnahill@nctimes.com.