THOROUGHBRED RACING : Nijinsky II, a Champion on Track and Sire of Ferdinand, Dead at 25

Nijinsky II, a champion on the track and the sire of Ferdinand, the 1987 horse of the year, was destroyed Wednesday. The 25-year-old son of Northern Dancer was buried in the stallion cemetery at Claiborne Farm in Paris, Ky.

According to Annette Covault, the stallion bookings manager at Claiborne, Nijinsky II has been in poor health for several years and “time just caught up with him. We opened the door a few hours earlier than nature would have. . . . Our veterinarian (Walter Kaufman) advised us that this was in the horse’s best interest.”

In a two-year racing career, Nijinsky II won 11 of his 13 starts in England, Ireland and France and was voted England and Ireland’s champion 2-year-old in 1969. In 1970, when he voted England’s horse of the year, he won the country’s Triple Crown, consisting of the 2,000 Guineras, Epsom Derby and St. Leger Stakes, becoming the first horse to do so in 35 years. No horse has accomplished the feat since.

Nijinksy II retired after finishing second in the 1970 Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe as the then leading-money winner in European history with earnings of $677,177.

Besides Ferdinand, Nijinsky II sired De La Rose, Shahrastani, Caerleon, Shadeed and Sky Classic, among others. He was on a limited breeding schedule this year and had been bred to 25 mares.

Saintry’s victory in Wednesday’s $83,025 La Puente Stakes provided a much-needed boost for Wally Dollase.

The trainer had gone the first 83 days of the Santa Anita meeting without a victory and, last month, Itsallgreektome went to the sidelines because of a broken cannon bone and Algenib was transferred to Ron McAnally’s barn.

“Saintry’s really a shot in the arm,” Dollase said after the 3-year-old beat The Name’s Jimmy by a half-length in his U.S. debut. “There’s nothing like a quality animal to lift your spirits.”

Successful in three of six starts in France, Saintry, the 4-1 second choice, saved ground the entire trip, then pushed his way through a small opening to score in 1:48 4/5 for the 1 1/8 miles on turf.

“This is a nice colt with a big future,” winning rider Gary Stevens said. “He’s got a good record, but Wally didn’t get as much work into him as he would have liked coming in. I only took the call Sunday after working him (five furlongs in 1:00 4/5).

“He told me if I liked him I could have the mount and I did like him after that work. Once he got in front, he wanted to play around and if someone had blasted up on the outside of us he may have gone by. But, he stuck with it.”

Saintry, who arrived in California Feb. 10, could return in the Spotlight at Hollywood Park or Dollase said he may wait for the Will Rogers, the second race in that track’s grass series for 3-year-olds.

“Gary was real impressed with him, so that’s good,” Dollase said. “He’s a typical European horse. As soon as you ask him to go, he finds an opening and fires.”

The Name’s Jimmy was four lengths ahead of Competitive Edge, who was three-quarters of a length in front of Rare Cat, the 11-10 favorite.

Frank Alvarado, the rider of Competitive Edge, claimed foul against the winner, but the stewards ruled there would be no change in the order of finish. Alvarado disagreed and let his displeasure be known in the jockeys’ room.

Funeral services will be held Monday at 1 p.m. at Holy Angels Church in Arcadia for trainer Robert Wheeler, who died Sunday night at 72. There will be a viewing on Sunday at Zook Mortuary in Monrovia.

Wheeler, who ranks 13th on Santa Anita’s all-time list for training victories, died at Arcadia Methodist Hospital where he had been admitted for heart bypass surgery.

Wheeler trained stakes winners such as Bug Brush, Silver Spoon, The Axe II, Taisez Vous, Petrone and B. Thoughtful.

He will be buried Tuesday in Oceanside.

Horse Racing Notes

Claiming he felt dizzy after spending some time in the sweat box Wednesday and that he thought he might be coming down with flu, Pat Valenzuela took off his four mounts. . . . Alex Solis, who won three times Wednesday, will ride Disposal in the Kentucky Derby. Solis had ridden the colt in his first start and he regains the mount because of Bertrando’s illness. . . . Gray Slewpy, who was impressive in his first two starts of the year at Santa Anita, will be favored in today’s $100,000 Count Fleet Handicap at Oaklawn Park. Kent Desormeaux will ride the 4-year-old for trainer Dan Hendricks and owner Ed Friendly. . . . Pleasant Stage, Fluttery Danseur, Magical Maiden and Queens Court Queen are probable starters in Saturday’s Ashland Stakes at Keeneland, which will be simulcast between the first and second races at Santa Anita.

Corey Nakatani, who will return Saturday after serving a five-day suspension, and agent Tony Matos have reportedly parted company. There is speculation Julio Garcia, who formerly employed Matos, will be returning from Puerto Rico to ride locally. . . . Excavate, racing with Lasix and blinkers for the first time, beat stablemate Sedair to pick up his third victory in seven starts. A son of Mr. Prospector, Excavate is a half brother to Desert Wine.