Perfect Drift, Wilko try to end long losing streaks

When it comes to bankrolls, Perfect Drift and Wilko tower above their opponents in the $250,000 Californian, to be run for the 54th time today at Hollywood Park.

A Grade II at 1 1/8 miles, the Californian, which has been won by such superstars as Swaps, Dr. Fager, Cougar II, Ancient Title, Affirmed, Spectacular Bid and Sunday Silence, is the last significant prep for the $750,000 Hollywood Gold Cup on June 30.

During a 44-race career, the 8-year-old Perfect Drift has earned $4,679,185. Wilko, three years younger, has banked $2,435,133.

Still, neither is expected to win the Californian, because each is in the throes of a losing streak.

Trained by Murray Johnson for Stonecrest Farm, Perfect Drift has lost 13 since winning the Washington Park Handicap at Arlington Park on July 30, 2005.

Wilko has dropped 16 consecutive races, and has gone even longer than Perfect Drift without a trip to the winner’s circle. The son of Awesome Again, trained by Craig Dollase for owners Paul Reddam and Susan Roy, hasn’t won since his 28-1 shocker in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile on Oct. 30, 2004.

Hoping to end Perfect Drift’s drought, Johnson is turning to jockey Jon Court. A veteran who spent most of his career in the Midwest, Court will be riding the Dynaformer gelding for the second time today. The first was a success. Court was aboard for Perfect Drift’s victory, the fourth of 11, in the 2002 Indiana Derby at Hoosier Park.

“Jon’s a good fit for this horse,” Johnson said. “We put blinkers on Perfect Drift for that race because that track was more speed favoring. He was close to the lead most of the way. It was the best tactic to win that race, but it’s not something we’re going to do [today].”

The Californian will be the third start of 2007 for Perfect Drift, the only horse to have competed in the Breeders’ Cup Classic five times -- his best finish was a third behind Saint Liam and Flower Alley in 2005. Perfect Drift was second in an allowance race at Keeneland on April 14, then was a distant fourth over a sloppy track in the Alysheba on May 4 at Churchill Downs.

Because Perfect Drift had been a runner-up in his previous races on synthetic surfaces, Johnson thought the Californian would be a good race for the horse.

“We looked for a race that wasn’t a Grade I, something that was a little below,” he said. “We’d like to get a good win into him. We had a couple of options, but it seemed sense to come here.

“He’s doing great. He shipped well and we’re very happy with him.”

If things go well today, Johnson indicated that the gelding might return for the Gold Cup, a race that could include two-time defending champion Lava Man and the 9-year-old The Tin Man, who was successful in his comeback in the Shoemaker Mile five days ago.

Whether Perfect Drift makes it to another Breeders’ Cup Classic next October at Monmouth Park in Oceanport, N.J., Johnson is happy to have been associated with a horse that has been first, second or third in 31 of his races.

“I’m about as proud of him as anybody can be of a horse,” he said. “It’s been a once-in-a-lifetime experience. He still loves what he is doing. As long as he’s happy and wants to do it, we’ll keep going with him.”

Perfect Drift and Wilko are two of a dozen scheduled to run in the Californian, with Buzzards Bay and Kip Deville among the favorites. If all 12 start, it will be the biggest field for the race since 1981.

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bob.mieszerski@latimes.com