DEL MAR : Bruho Adds Pat O’Brien to His List

More than anything else, Corey Nakatani wants to win a Breeders’ Cup race.

The 20-year-old jockey barely missed last year when Itsallgreektome was beaten by Royal Academy in the Mile, but Nakatani says he has the vehicle for success this year.

Only problem is Bruho isn’t eligible for the Breeders’ Cup. Del Mar’s sprint champion would have to be supplemented for $120,000 by owner Joseph Scardino.

The 5-year-old Naevus gelding has just about earned his way to Churchill Downs in November this month. His victory in Saturday’s Pat O’Brien Handicap, coupled with a victory three weeks earlier in the Bing Crosby, was worth a combined $109,250.

Widest of all when rallying to win the Bing Crosby, the even-money favorite couldn’t have saved any more ground in the seven-furlong Pat O’Brien.

Last in the field of five early, Bruho was awaiting room down inside and, for a time, it didn’t seem as if Nakatani was going to find any.

However, a hole developed inside the pacesetter Due To The King, Nakatani skimmed the rail and Bruho was going away at the finish. The official margin was three-quarters of a length and he completed the distance in 1:21 2/5.

Burn Annie, the 3-1 second choice who has finished worse than third only once in 19 starts, completed the exacta, beating Due To The King by a length. Deposit Ticket, who was making his third start in 22 days after being away for 10 months, was fourth and Tanker Port was last.

“I sat behind them because I figured someone was going to get tired and then I’d get through,” said Nakatani, who also scraped the paint to win the Sorrento aboard 2-5 shot Soviet Sojourn 10 days earlier.

“I knew they were going slow early (22 4/5 for the first quarter mile), but I had my horse up closer to them. I was right where I wanted to be. (Trainer) Jerry (Fanning) has done a great job with this horse.”

For Nakatani, it has been an outstanding meeting. Despite missing five days because of a suspension, he is third in the standings with 27 victories and he leads all riders with eight stakes wins.

“I’m riding with a lot of confidence right now,” he said. “I feel I can win every race I go out in; I give it 110% every time, but it sure helps to have the horse. If I hadn’t had that suspension, I’d be right there for leading rider. Being leading rider is one of my goals.”

Bruho’s next stop isn’t clear, but the California-bred is so versatile he leaves Fanning with many options. The onetime $50,000 claim also has won around two turns and on the turf.

“This horse is doing everything right,” Fanning said. “I got a little worried, but Corey did a great job. I didn’t give him any instructions; he rode him before so he knows what to do. The fractions didn’t bother me because he was in a good spot the whole way.”

McCarron had no complaints with Burn Annie, who has been first or second 16 times in 19 tries.

“I’d like to ride nine like him a day,” he said. “He just runs his heart out for you every time. I loved it when we got away with that first quarter. But, Bruho was too much horse.”

Louis Cyphre is the 7-5 favorite for today’s $250,000 Rainier Mile at Longacres Park. Formerly called the Longacres Mile, the Rainier will be simulcast at Del Mar between the sixth and seventh races.

Trained by Bobby Frankel and to be ridden by Gary Stevens, Louis Cyphre was third as the 2-1 favorite in the San Diego Handicap July 27 in his last start. Earlier this year, he won the Budweiser Breeders’ Cup Handicap at Golden Gate and Hollywood Park’s Mervyn LeRoy Handicap. He will carry high weight of 120 pounds.

Trebizond, claimed for $100,000 by trainer Noble Threewitt for the Jawl brothers out of an easy victory over the Del Mar grass, is the 7-2 second choice. The 5-year-old Lypheor gelding has been on the board in 23 of 35 starts and has three victories on dirt. Kent Desormeaux will ride.

A 9-year-old gelding, Captain Condo is the best of the Washington-based runners. He has won 28 of 60 starts while earning over $396,000. Gary Baze is the jockey and he is the 9-2 third choice.

The rest of the field includes Lucky Baba, Military Hawk, Ever Steady, Majestic Nasr, Kent Green, Ongoing Mister, Knight Predator and Pair Of Purdys.

Horse Racing Notes

Flawlessly is the 7-5 favorite in today’s $175,000 Del Mar Oaks at 1 1/8 miles on the turf. Chris McCarron will ride the Affirmed filly, who is perfect in three starts on grass. Fowda is the 9-5 second choice and the rest of the field includes Seattle Symphony, Joli’s Princess, Slip With Me and Gold Fleece. Miss High Blade was scratched in favor of Monday’s Sandy Blue Overnight Stakes.

Bruho has won 11 of 29 lifetime. . . . Golden Pheasant, the 1990 Arlington Million winner who is attempting a comeback, worked a mile on the grass in 1:41 4/5 Saturday morning. Mister Frisky, who bypassed today’s Rainier Mile at Longacres Park, went five furlongs in a minute while Akinemod, who is expected to make her first start since Jan., 1990 in next week’s June Darling, went five furlongs in 59 3/5.

Wayne Lukas won a pair of stakes back east Saturday--Salt Lake took the Hopeful at Saratoga and Star Of Cozzene was a four-length winner in the Choice at Monmouth Park. . . . A.P. Indy, a $2.9 million yearling and a half-brother to Summer Squall, was fourth in his career debut Saturday. . . . Farma Way was assigned top weight of 122 pounds for next Sunday’s Philip Iselin Handicap at Monmouth Park, the ninth leg in the American Championship Racing Series. In Excess was also given 122 pounds, but he won’t be a participant.