Nikishka Kicks Back, Then Kicks It In to Win Osunitas

Trainer Joe Cannon knew that if he could just get his filly, Nikishka, to relax in Saturday’s $84,350 Osunitas Handicap at Del Mar, she’d have a good chance to win her first race on turf.

So after Nikishka won the 1 1/16-mile race for fillies and mares 3 years old and up, Cannon realized he couldn’t have picked a more soothing influence than jockey Chris McCarron.

McCarron bided his time perfectly as Nikishka settled back into fourth at the half pole. Then at the far turn, when it was time to take care of business, Nikishka shot past Daring Doone and continued strongly down the stretch to win by a length.

“Chris got her to relax today, and that’s probably the key to the race,” Cannon said.

In Nikishka’s last race here Aug. 13, she was boxed in but still had enough to win. Cannon said he had visions of the same thing happening Saturday.

“It looked like there was absolutely no room, but somehow Chris got her through,” Cannon said. “He did an excellent job.”

McCarron, who won his fourth stakes race of the meeting, said he had plenty of confidence in his horse.

“I worked a Grade I winner behind her one morning on the turf and couldn’t get by her . . . and she was going a mile, and my horse was going seven-eighths,” McCarron said. “She was a little tough to place at first (Saturday) but relaxed well when she passed the stands. She’s a very long filly with a long stride and handled the turf well.”

Although Saturday was Nikishka’s first turf race in seven starts, Cannon said it won’t be her last.

“She has that super turf breeding, and the idea was to get her on the grass at some point,” Cannon said.

That might have come sooner had Nikishka not suffered bleeding problems last year, which caused her to lay off for six months.

“We gave it lots of time to heal itself, and we now run her on Lasix,” Cannon said.

Cannon said he’ll take Nikishka to the Oak Tree meeting at Santa Anita and continue to run on the turf.

Nikishka, owned by Aaron Jones, paid $10.20, $4.60 and $4.40, Daring Doone $3.40 and $3 and Gold Firecracker $6.40.

Del Mar Notes

Jockey Gary Stevens was resting comfortably following surgery Friday night. Stevens, tied with Eddie Delahoussaye for the riding lead with 41 victories, required a plastic surgeon for a deep gash on his forehead and an orthopedic specialist for two broken bones in his right hand and one in his right wrist. Stevens was injured in the third race Friday when Bin Of Ice crashed through the inside fence in midstretch of the turf course. Ray Kravagna, Stevens’ agent, said Stevens will be probably be released today and is expecting him to be back for the Oak Tree meeting at Santa Anita, which begins Oct. 4... Laffit Pincay Jr. will pick up Stevens’ ride, On The Line, in today’s $200,000-added Budweiser/Breeder’s Cup. On The Line is trained by D. Wayne Lukas. . . . Kentucky Derby winner Sunday Silence worked a mile in a blistering 1:33 2/5, just 1/5 second off the Del Mar track record, between the second and third races. With regular rider Pat Valenzuela aboard, Sunday Silence ran the last quarter in 23 seconds. Trained by Charlie Whittingham, Sunday Silence is scheduled to make his next start in the Super Derby at Louisiana Downs Sept. 24.