His Superiority Is Clearly Showing

Any doubts about the top claiming horse of the Oak Tree meet were put to rest in Thursday’s sixth race.

Superiority, a 7-year-old gelded son of Arazi, won for the third time in a month, going wire-to-wire in the $50,000 claiming race at 1 1/8 miles on the turf. Owned by Alan May and trained by Mike Puhich, Superiority was ridden by Mike Smith as he won for the ninth time in 24 starts.

Last and beaten by nearly 38 lengths in his U.S. debut on the main track at Del Mar on Aug. 24, the chestnut -- who ran in last year’s Group 1 Dubai Duty Free, -- began his roll with a victory at 19-1 odds in a $10,000 claimer on dirt Oct. 5.

Brought back 13 days later in a starter allowance race on the turf, Superiority rallied from last to win at 5-2, then won at 8-1 Thursday.

With the win, Superiority increased his earnings for the meet to $45,600 and was one of two horses claimed out of the race by Nick Canani. Extremely active during the season for owner Michael Gill, Canani also took runner-up Tijiyr.

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A couple of familiar horses are among the dozen scheduled to run in Saturday’s $175,000 California Cup Mile on the turf.

Native Desert, a 10-year-old who has won the race twice for owner Miguel Rubio and trainer Juan Garcia, and Spinelessjellyfish, who has been second the last two years for trainer Jenine Sahadi, will meet again in a field that also has Continental Red, Sea To See and Menacing Dennis.

This will be the fifth time in six years Native Desert has run in the Mile.

Besides the two wins, he was third behind Indiahoma and Longliner in 1998 and second to Road To Slew in 2000.

A winner of 21 of 73 lifetime with earnings of $1,828,177, Native Desert has shown signs of his age this year. He is winless in seven starts and will be retired at the end of 2003.

“If he comes out of this race well, he could run at Hollywood Park,” Garcia said. “He’s been a super horse for us, and I hope I can get another one as good. I’ll send him to my farm in Tijuana when he retires.”

A 7-year-old owned and bred by Cardiff Stud Farm, Spinelessjellyfish has also been off form this year. He has won only one of seven and will be making his first appearance since he was last in an allowance race June 13 at Hollywood Park.

Continental Red, another 7-year-old veteran, will go over $1 million in earnings if he finishes in the top three Saturday.