Corey Nakatani is on an ideal horse in the Pete Miller-conditioned
Reneesgotzip. In two rides, the 41-year-old Covina native has two wins,
leading virtually throughout each race and being further in front at the
finish than he was at the head of the stretch.
He hopes to continue that winning trend when he rides the
Kentucky-bred daughter of City Zip in the Grade I, $250,000 Las Virgenes
Stakes for 3-year-old fillies at one mile next Saturday.
“We’ll see what happens,” Nakatani said. “She goes to the front
and improves her position. There’s nothing wrong with that. Let’s put it
this way: I don’t want to change places with anyone.”
Probable for the Las Virgenes: Charm the Maker, no rider; Killer
Graces, Joe Talamo; Made to Love Her, Rafael Bejarano; Reneesgotzip,
Nakatani; Willa B Awesome, Martin Pedroza; and Your Special Day, Mike
Smith.
At Santa Anita Saturday, Sharp Cat winner Charm the Maker worked six furlongs on turf in 1:14.40 for Ron McAnally.
At Hollywood, Killer Graces, winner of the Grade I Hollywood
Starlet, worked six furlongs for Jerry Hollendorfer in a bullet 1:12.20
with regular rider Joe Talamo aboard, while Santa Ysabel Stakes winner
Willa B Awesome went five furlongs in 1:00.40 for trainer Walther Solis.