Hyperbaric, seeking to give trainer Julio Canani a record-equaling fourth victory in the Shoemaker Mile, worked six furlongs in 1:13.60 on Cushion Track at Hollywood Park Wednesday under jockey Rafael Bejarano for the Grade I, $250,000 turf stake on May 26.
"He's a nice horse, he's doing good and he's healthy," said Canani, waxing optimistic that Hyperbaric would join two-time winner Silic in 1999 and 2000 and Ladies Din in 2002 and enable Canani to tie Jim Nazworthy as the leading trainer with four Shoemaker victories.
Hyperbaric, a 5-year-old gelding owned by Texan Jack Preston's Prestonwood Farm, comes off a second-place finish in the Arcadia Handicap at Santa Anita April 5, when he rallied to finish a neck behind Daytona.
Hyperbaric made his second start of the year following a 14-month layoff. "He was body sore and was turned out at Malibu Farm for about eight months," explained Canani of the time off.
Hyperbaric, a Kentucky-bred son of Sky Classic, has recorded three firsts and two seconds in six starts. On turf, he has two firsts and two seconds in four outings.
Bejarano will ride Hyperbaric for the first time. He replaces Tyler Baze, who will ride Kilroe Mile winner Ever a Friend for Mike Mitchell in the Shoemaker.
Other probable starters include Daytona (Alex Solis), Inglewood Handicap winner El Roblar (Victor Espinoza), 2007 Shoemaker runner-up Get Funky (Michael Baze) and a pair of Bobby Frankel trainees yet to be determined.
Get Funky worked five furlongs in 1:00.40 for trainer John Sadler.
WIND'S LEGACY READY TO HOWL IN BARRERA
Wind's Legacy, impressive in a pair of victories here last autumn, is scheduled to make his first start in five months in the $100,000-added Lazaro S. Barrera Memorial Stakes for 3-year-olds Sunday. The colt and trainer Jennie Green will both be making their stakes debuts in the Grade III test at seven furlongs.
"I'm trying not to get too excited; let's say I'm anxious," said Green, who has been training on her own for three years, of her first added-money starter Wednesday from Santa Anita.
Wind's Legacy, a Kentucky-bred son of Millennium Wind, broke his maiden in his third start here Nov. 10 at seven furlongs and returned to win an allowance race at 1 1/16 miles on Dec. 6 under regular rider Jon Court.
"He had a little shin problem, and we backed off," explained Green of the layoff. Wind's Legacy has recorded a series of strong works at Santa Anita the past two months for his return.
"He's a horse of a lifetime; he's something else," said Green. "We call him 'Nublado,' windstorm in Spanish."
Green said she has worked on the track for six years. "I grew up in Valencia and graduated from Cal Poly Pomona with a B.S. in pre-vet," she explained. "I was planning on vet school but this got into my blood."
After working at Sirona's Restaurant at Santa Anita, Green landed her first job on the backside with Julio Canani. She later worked for Howie Zucker, Stacy Young and Kathy Walsh before going on her own.
A field of seven is probable for the Barrera: Wind's Legacy (Court), Dixie Chatter (Richard Migliore), Salute the Sarge (Michael Baze), Afleet Ruler (Rafael Bejarano), Rapidity (Corey Nakatani), Red Sky Dubai (Joseph Talamo) and Two Step Salsa (Martin Pedroza).
Two Step Salsa worked a half mile in 47 seconds Wednesday for Canani.
GALLAGHER BUSY ON TWO FRONTS SATURDAY
While trainer Paddy Gallagher will be in Baltimore Saturday to saddle Yankee Bravo in the Preakness Stakes at Pimlico, his stable will also send out Robscarvic in the $100,000-added Will Rogers Stakes, a Grade III test for 3-year-olds at one mile on turf at Hollywood Park.
Assistant Jamie Lloyd, who bought the Irish-bred gelding off his form in England last summer, will tighten his girth for the Will Rogers. Robscarvic comes off an allowance victory on the Santa Anita turf April 14, his first United States victory in five starts here.
"We kind of changed his running style in his last race and took him farther off the pace," said Lloyd. "Previously he had been running closer to the pace. We took him back, and he ran great. (Joel) Rosario rode him perfect."
Lloyd liked Robscarvic's potential in England last summer. "I was impressed with his first win (June 30 at Newcastle), and in his second start, he stumbled at the start and still came running on (to finish third at Catterick July 18)," said Lloyd. "He was a very athletic-looking horse."
Preakness Follows Sixth Race At Hollywood; First Post Time 12 Noon
The Preakness Stakes from Pimlico will follow the sixth live race at Hollywood Park on Saturday. Post time for the second leg of the Triple Crown is at 3:15 p.m. (PDT).
Hollywood Park gates will open at 8:30 a.m. with first post time at 12 noon for Saturday's 11-race program. All Pimlico races will be available Saturday - the first three in the Hollywood Park Casino only. Post time at Pimlico is 7:30 a.m.
FINISH LINES - Jockey Joel Rosario, a 23-year-old native of the Dominican Republic, will seek more stakes success Saturday aboard Robscarvic in the Will Rogers and Overly Tempting in the $75,000-added Desert Stormer Handicap after guiding maiden Million Dollar Run to an upset victory in the Railbird Stakes Sunday. The Grade III Railbird was his second graded stakes victory, following a triumph aboard Zappa in the Grade II San Pasqual Handicap at Santa Anita in January…Trainer Paulo Lobo will leave for Baltimore Thursday to saddle Gayego in the Preakness Stakes Saturday. "He came back very strong and happy," said Lobo Wednesday of the decision to return east for the second jewel of the Triple Crown. Gayego, winner of the Arkansas Derby, and Yankee Bravo were both vanned from here to Ontario Airport early Wednesday morning to be flown to Baltimore with a stop in Kentucky to pick up Big Brown and Tres Borrachos. Four local jockeys will ride in the Preakness: Mike Smith on Gayego, Alex Solis on Yankee Bravo, Tyler Baze on Tres Borrachos, and David Flores on Behindatthebar …Agent Scotty McClellan said Solis , who won the 1986 Preakness aboard Snow Chief, is spending a few days in Panama with his family this week before flying to Maryland…With Gayego a late Preakness entrant with Smith, trainer named Michael Baze to replace Smith on Dearest Trickski in the Desert Stormer Saturday. The 4-year-old filly has won her last five starts since being claimed for $32,000 at Del Mar, the last two with Smith, the first three with Baze…Thor's Echo, 2006 champion sprinter, worked six furlongs in 1:12.40 Wednesday for trainer Doug O'Neill as he neared his first start in 14 months…Costume, winner of the Buena Vista and Santa Ana handicaps in her last two starts, worked six furlongs in 1:13.80 Tuesday for the Bobby Frankel stable for the $250,000 Gamely Stakes here May 26... Sadler said multiple stakes-placed Black Mamba would skip the Gamely and be pointed to the $150,000 Beverly Hills Handicap at 1¼ miles on turf June 29...Trainer Richard Mandella reported Decorator, scratched from the Senorita Stakes Saturday, suffered an injury to a hind leg and has been retired for breeding… Mandella also said Into Mischief, winner of the CashCall Futurity in December, has returned to galloping…Trainer Craig Dollase said El Gato Malo, winner of the Lone Star Derby Saturday, returned Tuesday but he had not yet formulated plans for the colt's next start...Jockey Saul Arias has relocated in Northern California.
