Nakatani Finds Inspiration Amid Tragedy

Corey Nakatani said he had some unseen help in winning the first two Breeders’ Cup races of his career.

After Lit De Justice rallied from last to win the Sprint and Jewel Princess ran down Serena’s Song to finish first in the Distaff, Nakatani gave his murdered sister credit for the victories.

“I had an angel on my shoulder and Dawn’s her name,” he said. “This was for her.”

Dawn Nakatani, 22, was found strangled in the laundry room of her Baldwin Park apartment Oct. 1 and died later at a West Covina hospital. No arrest has been made in the case. An ex-boyfriend, who has a criminal record and is wanted for questioning, is still at large, according to Nakatani.

His sister’s death has made this a difficult month for Nakatani. Dawn, who had a 3-year-old son, often used to baby-sit Nakatani’s three children. On Saturday, however, the jockey enjoyed the biggest day of his career.

“All of this was for Dawn,” he said. “She [did] a lot of things for me. I know she’s in a better place and, hopefully, she’s resting in peace now.”

Nakatani, who was 0 for 12 in the Breeders’ Cup before coming to Woodbine, gave both Lit De Justice and Jewel Princes flawless rides.

Criticized on a couple of occasions for trips aboard Lit De Justice, he and the good-looking gray dropped back to last in the field of 13 on the backstretch and were still 10th after half a mile. But Nakatani guided Lit De Justice through on the inside, which was the place to be Saturday, and got up to win by nearly two lengths over 31-1 shot Paying Dues in 1:08 3/5 for the six furlongs.

The winning time equaled the track record set by Kennedy Road in 1973 and matched 22 years later by T.P.’s Way.

Lit De Justice, the lukewarm 4-1 favorite, also made Jenine Sahadi the first female trainer to win a Breeders’ Cup race.

Owned by Carol and C. N. Ray’s Evergreen Farm, the 6-year-old son of El Gran Senor had finished third in the 1995 Sprint but made no mistake Saturday.

It was quite a way to exit for the sometimes headstrong Lit De Justice, who, when he ran his race, was the best sprinter in America. He is being retired to stud and, according to C.N. Ray, will leave for Kentucky on Monday or Tuesday. He finished with 10 wins in 36 starts and nearly $1.4 million in earnings.

“I really don’t know what to say, I’m basically speechless,” Sahadi said. “I’m so happy for these two people [the Rays]. It’s been a great team effort with everybody who’s been involved with this horse.

“It was a beautiful ride. He got the fractions he needed [21 3/5 and 44 for the half-mile]. I had said all week I wouldn’t trade places with anybody.”

About 30 minutes after he collected his first Breeders’ Cup win, Nakatani completed his double and helped Jewel Princess secure her Eclipse Award claim as the nation’s top older filly or mare.

The 2-1 second choice in a Distaff field reduced to six after the scratch of Mysteriously, Jewel Princess came through on the inside of Serena’s Song to win by 1 1/2 lengths in 1:48 2/5 for the 1 1/8 miles. Different, the 13-10 favorite who was supplemented to the race by owner Sid Craig for $200,000, was third in what was only her second loss in 11 races.

Trained by Nakatani’s father-in-law, Wally Dollase for owners Richard Stephen and the Thoroughbred Corp., the 4-year-old Key To The Mint filly has won five of nine in 1996 and defeated Serena’s Song in all three of their meetings.

“This really is an exceptional filly to have beaten Serena’s Song three times,” Dollase said. “It was a sensational ride by Corey. He’s had a great day. He’s unbelievable and I was just as excited [about the Sprint] as I was about this race.

“Whoever named this filly did a hell of a job. She’s a jewel and she acts like a princess.”

Second in the 1994 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies behind stablemate Flanders, Serena’s Song had no excuses Saturday and she has been second in three in a row and six of 14 this year.

Trainer Wayne Lukas was perturbed with jockey Gary Stevens’ ride. Stevens tracked the slow pace set by longshot Top Secret, got the lead in the stretch, but then was simply outrun.