Victor's Cry takes GI Shoemaker Mile
5/31/2010
 By Art Wilson
INGLEWOOD - Corey Nakatani, who left Southern California earlier this year for a fresh start, enjoyed a happy homecoming Monday when he rode 21-1 long shot Victor's Cry to a victory in the $250,000 Grade I Shoemaker Mile at Hollywood Park. Nakatani, a 39-year-old Covina native who's won numerous Southland riding titles, finished a strong second (59-49) to Terry Thompson at the Oaklawn Park meet that concluded in late April while riding 113 fewer races. He's currently based in Kentucky, but that doesn't mean he's entrenched there.
"If the horses bring us back to California, we'll be here," Nakatani said after guiding Victor's Cry to a head victory over Karelian, who shipped in from Kentucky and was the 9-5 favorite. "I'd love to come back. California is home."
Nakatani, who's ridden such equine standouts as Lava Man, Lit de Justice, Serena's Song, Rock Hard Ten and Sweet Catomine during a career that began in fall 1988 at Caliente Race Track in Mexico, knows the recipe for success in Southern California.
"If I got the opportunity to ride for the outfits you need to ride for, the Doug O'Neills and the John Sadlers, the Bob Bafferts," he said. "If you rode for those outfits, you can come back and ride for them all."
He rode for Eoin Harty in this year's Shoemaker, the same trainer who put him aboard Colonel John for a victory in the 2008 Santa Anita Derby. The two enjoyed the same type of success Monday as Nakatani won the stake for
3-year-olds and up for the fifth time, one less than Bill Shoemaker had in a race that was called the Premiere Handicap until 1989 when it was renamed after the late Hall of Fame rider.
Harty, who picked up his first Shoemaker victory, thought he had a solid chance to win going into the race but wasn't so sure when the field of nine turf specialists charged home through the stretch.
"I was happy because I thought we were going to run third," Harty said. "Then I saw them stopping and I thought he was going to run second. Then I saw they were really stopping and I just couldn't believe it.
"I entered to win. I thought on paper it might set up well for his style of running, but this is a Grade I and these things are hard to win. I would have been happy with a piece of it."
Nakatani had Victor's Cry, a 5-year-old son of Street Cry, in eighth after the first half-mile and fourth at the top of the stretch before they kicked it in gear and overtook the favorite in the last few jumps. Mr Gruff, who set the pace in the one-mile race with quick fractions of 23.08, 46.05 and 1:09.20, gamely stuck around for third, 1 1/4 lengths behind Karelian.
The winning time of 1:32.88 was one of the fastest since the stake's distance was shortened to a mile in 1984. Fastness, who won the Shoemaker in 1996 under Nakatani, and Megan's Interco (1994) share the stakes and course record of 1:32 3/5.
"Turning for home I felt like all I needed was a spot to run," Nakatani said. "Right on that turn they kind of squirted away and I cut the corner, was able to swing out and I waited a little bit to make sure that when I did call on him that he was there. He made a strong move from the three-eighths pole to get position, and obviously to be able to win the race I had to try to time it as best I could."
Kayce Ace continues WinStar streak
5/6/2010
 WinStar Farm’s Kayce Ace kept celebrations going less than a week after the farm’s Kentucky Derby victory with Super Saver, as the 3-year-old filly won in only her second start at Hollywood Park today under jockey Rafael Bejarano. The full sister to Colonel John relaxed nicely in the early going and made a big move turning for home to get up by a head in the 1 1/16 mile maiden event.
Bred in Kentucky by WinStar Farm, the Tiznow filly is out of Sweet Damsel. The mare has produced four full siblings from this mating to date, including a filly who was foaled on the eve of this year’s Derby, sending an optimistic omen to the large party gathered there for the following day’s Derby.
American Lion wire-to-wire in Illinois Derby
4/3/2010
 By Jason Shandler
American Lion ran the race his connections have been waiting for all season April 3, taking the field in the $500,000 Illinois Derby GIII all the way around the Hawthorne Race Course oval to score by 2 3/4 lengths and earn himself a trip to the May 1 Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I).
The homebred son of Tiznow likely gave WinStar Farm its third definite starter for the Derby, as the powerful Kentucky-based operation also owns top 3-year-olds Rule and Endorsement, who have already punched their tickets to the classic. In addition, WinStar has a chance to send two more contenders to Churchill Downs, as the farm has Super Saver running in the April 10 Arkansas Derby (gr. I) and is considering racing Drosselymeyer in one of Keeneland’s preps in an attempt to garner enough graded earnings.
American Lion won the Hollywood Prevue (gr. III) in his 2-year-old finale in December, but disappointed in both of his starts as a 3-year-old entering the Illinois Derby. He was third in the Feb. 13 Robert B. Lewis (gr. II) and fourth in the March 13 San Felipe (gr. II)—both at Santa Anita Park—for trainer Eoin Harty. But Harty took the blinkers off for the Illinois Derby and was optimistic the California shipper would improve in his first start on dirt after four races on synthetic surfaces. He did.
Breaking from the rail under David Flores, American Lion was the quickest away from the gate and wasted no time grabbing the early lead. The bay colt beat 6-5 favorite Yawanna Twist to the first turn in the nine-furlong contest and was allowed to get away with an easy pace. He sailed through splits of :24.89, :49.32, and 1:13.22 while Yawanna Twist tracked him under Edgar Prado. Bolder Creek and Turf Melody were also close to the pace.
By the time they came off the turn it was a two-horse race between American Lion and Yawanna Twist, and the rivals were separated by only a head with a furlong remaining. Racing along the inside, American Lion held a narrow advantage through a fierce stretch duel, but was able to inch away inside the sixteenth-pole to secure the victory. The final time on the fast dirt was 1:51.31.
Yawanna Twist was 11 3/4 lengths ahead of Backtalk, who edged out Turf Melody by a neck for third.
“He bobbled a little bit at the start," said Flores, “but he got his feet right back under him and went right to the lead. He started looking around but I was pretty confident. I thought they would push him a little bit early but he was just looking around a little bit and he responded when they came to him. That was a good feeling knowing that when they came to him he still had something left in the tank."
American Lion, who was also bred by Dr. William Lockridge and is out of the Storm Cat mare Storm Tide, improved to 3-1-1 from six starts. He has now earned $413,600 after banking $291,000 of graded earnings in the Illinois Derby.
"There is only one Derby and we plan on being there," Harty said. "I think we needed to get a race over the dirt and fortunately he responded well to it. I have had three Kentucky Derby horses, all Tiznow runners, and this is another one that looks to be headed in the right direction."
Sent off as the 3-1 second choice, the winner paid $8.60, $3.80, and $2.80. The exacta (1-4) paid $24.60 and the trifecta (1-4-7) returned $73.40.
Dave in Dixie was fifth, followed by Boulder Creek, Stephen’s Got Hope, and Game Ball.
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