HOLLYWOOD PARK : Saros Brig a Wire-to-Wire Winner

Saros Brig has been kind to Dominick Manzi.

She provided the trainer with his first win on his own last May 12, two weeks after a heart attack claimed his father, Joe Manzi. There was an emotional scene in the winner’s circle after the 5-year-old mare held off favored Rosadora.

Almost seven months later, Saros Brig gave Manzi, 31, his initial stakes victory in the second division of the $83,350 Dahlia Handicap Saturday at Hollywood Park.

Now four for five on the Hollypark turf, she used the same tactics she had in two of her other wins.

Specifically, she led every step of the way, eventually defeating 7-10 favorite Nikishka by a length and a half in 1:40 2/5 for 1 1/16 miles.

Aside from the California-bred daughter of Saros, winners have been hard to come by for Manzi, who currently has 10 horses under his care.

“It was a little tough at the start,” he said, “but things are starting to pick up now.

“Saros Brig had good speed away from there and she likes this grass course. Basically, that’s the way she likes to run here. Gary (Stevens) rode a perfect race. We’ll take a look at the Matriarch (Dec. 24) and see how it comes up.”

Beneficiary of a trip similar to the one she got while easily winning the Las Palmas Handicap at Oak Tree, Nikishka made no impression on Saros Brig in the stretch, prompting Eddie Delahoussaye to suggest perhaps all wasn’t right with the 4-year-old Nijinsky filly.

“She wasn’t 100%,” he said. “She’s a better filly than she showed here. She never switched leads. She ran the last three-eighths of a mile on her left lead.”

Well-placed by Chris McCarron throughout, Stylish Star drew off in the first division, beating 61-1 shot Ariosa by nearly two lengths in 1:40 2/5.

Much-troubled when third in the Louis R. Rowan Handicap last month, the 3-year-old daughter of Our Native made a 2-1 payoff look like a gift.

“We should have won two in a row with her,” trainer Dan Hendricks said. “In her last race, she went in the air at the start, then was six or seven wide on the turn. It blew all our chance and still she was only beaten by a neck.

“She’s a good filly. She runs from behind, she runs on the pace and today she ran in the middle. She’s run well every time for us. We’ve got to sit down and talk over what we’re going to do next. We might bring her back in the Matriarch.”

Baba Cool, the 7-2 second choice and winner of the Rowan, was sixth. She had some traffic trouble, but did nothing once she got clear.

Although a final decision won’t be made until Thursday, it appears that Individualist I will be supplemented for $50,000 to the $1-million Hollywood Futurity a week from today.

Trainer David Hofmans said the 2-year-old son of Bel Bolide, who is owned by John Mabee’s Golden Eagle Farm, came out of his Hollywood Prevue win Wednesday in fine shape. “He’s feeling good,” Hofmans said. “We’ll wait until Thursday to decide, but right now, it looks real good.”

In addition to Grand Canyon, the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile runner-up and probable favorite, some of the others being considered for the Grade I mile event are Hoist The Flag winner Single Dawn; Talented Pirate, who worked seven furlongs in 1:24 2/5 about 50 minutes before first post Saturday; Phantom X., who broke his maiden in his second start for Jack Van Berg; and Farma Way, who shocked nonwinners in his first local appearance for Neil Boyce after finishing far back in his August debut at Arlington Park.

Farma Way, a son of Marfa, worked five furlongs in :58 2/5 eight days ago, then came back with a 1:11 2/5 drill for six furlongs Friday. “He works leisurely and goes about things like an old pro,” Boyce said. “I would prefer to have another race under him before going a mile, but I entered him in a race that didn’t fill (the minimum number of horses to make a race were not entered).

“He needs more seasoning, but if the owner (Quarter B Farm) wants to supplement him, we’ll go in the Futurity.”

One youngster who won’t be a starter next Sunday is Stylish King. X-rays taken Friday after his fourth-place finish at 4-5 in the Prevue were negative, but his shins will be fired Monday, trainer Jay Robbins said, and he will be sidelined for at least a month. The promising son of Roberto came out of the Prevue with some soreness in his left shin.

After winning six times at Laurel Saturday to up his record total to 564 victories in 1989, Kent Desormeaux doesn’t figure to advance toward his target of 600 today at Hollywood Park.

Desormeaux, 19, who eclipsed Chris McCarron’s record of 546 wins Nov. 30, is named on four horses in his first California appearance and each will be a longshot.

He begins his day in the first race with Clapper, who returns for $10,000 after being idle since October, 1987, then comes back with Havanaffair, who’s been away since finishing last in the Malibu Stakes last Dec. 26, in the fifth. Desormeaux finishes up with Silent ‘N Nasty, who steps up a notch after being claimed for $40,000 early last month, in the sixth and Baffo, who will make his grass debut in the ninth after beating only one horse in his initial race against winners.

Horse Racing Notes

Gary Boulanger will miss the rest of the meeting due to a back problem. The rider, who had struggled locally in recent weeks after arriving from Bay Meadows, is scheduled to visit Dr. Robert Kerlan Tuesday. Boulanger hasn’t ridden since finishing second aboard Pretender’s Gold in the second race Thursday. . . . Rich Silverstein is the new agent for Rafael Meza, replacing Pat McDowell. . . . Tsu’s Dawning, a 2-year-old son of Tsunami Slew who dominated maidens a week ago today, will skip the Futurity, according to trainer Ed Gregson.

Laffit Pincay, who has ridden both Sam Who and Olympic Prospect, will be on the former in the National Sprint Championship next Saturday. Alex Solis, who rode Olympic Prospect in the Breeders’ Cup, will handle John Sadler’s gelding. . . . There was only one perfect ticket in the Pick Six and it was worth $88,706.80. . . . Gary Stevens and Eddie Delahoussaye each had two wins Saturday and the latter holds a 25-23 lead in the jockey standings after 19 days.