Nakatani passes Pincay, isn't finished

.
Corey Nakatani passed his idol, Laffit Pincay Jr., and moved into second place on the all-time list for Del Mar stakes victories Saturday.

But he's hungry for more.

Nakatani, a Covina native, now is setting his sights on Chris McCarron's record 134 stakes victories at the seaside track.

"I'm 38 years old," Nakatani said after guiding 14-1 long shot Global Hunter to a one-length victory over Awesome Gem in the $350,000 Grade I Eddie Read Stakes. "I'm not that old, so I feel like I'm in my prime. I know what I'm doing on the horse's back, and hopefully I can get the horsemen on my side and give me the opportunity to break that record of McCarron's. I think I can do it."

Nakatani tied Pincay with a win in the CTBA Stakes for 2-year-old fillies Friday, and it took him less than 24 hours to record No. 96 and give trainer A.C. Avila the first Grade 1 win of his career since coming to the U.S. from Brazil in 1973.

Now that he's healthy and fixed an admitted attitude problem, Nakatani hopes he can return to winning jockey titles and winning the top Southland stakes races on a regular basis.

While he was sitting atop Global Hunter in the winner's circle, track announcer Trevor Denman informed the on-track crowd of 20,379 it was Nakatani's third win of the afternoon, something that hasn't happened with great frequency since his last Del Mar riding title in 2004.

"When you hear Trevor say something like that, it gives you tingles because I've had a few rough years, I've been hurt a few times and now I'm healthy again," he said. "My wife Lisa is obviously helping put me back together.

"It feels great to obviously get in front of Laffit, but I'm not done yet. Hopefully, I can get the horsemen behind me, the owners and trainers, and that will put me on top."

A few more Global Hunters wouldn't hurt.

The 6-year-old Argentine bred and the son of Jade Hunter sat second down the backside behind even-money favorite Monterey Jazz after the pacesetting Thorn Song bolted around the clubhouse turn on jockey Mike Smith and took himself out of the race.

Nakatani moved on the leader turning for home, pulled even at the top of the stretch and drew clear while holding off late charges by Awesome Gem and Whatsthescript.

"I was trying to wait a little longer and sit behind Monterey Jazz before I swung out and got him to kick," he said. "But I just didn't want to stop his momentum, so I said, `Let's go and stick it to 'em, and if they get us, they get us.'

"But the way he was moving and the way he was traveling, I didn't think they could get us."

Global Hunter, winning for the seventh time in 25 starts, came into the race off an eighth-place showing in the Hollywood Gold Cup on July 11. But that race was on Hollywood Park's synthetic Cushion Track, and Global Hunter is winless in five starts on synthetics.

Monterey Jazz, who came in off a 31/4-length victory in the Grade 2 American Handicap at Hollywood Park on July 4, was fifth after leading much of the way.

"That other horse (Thorn Song) ducked so fast, I had to grab my horse," jockey Tyler Baze said. "We were cruising; he was as cool as a cucumber. I'm sitting in the garden (spot) and I'm loving it.

"Then Mike's horse does his thing, and as soon as I have to grab mine, he's gone. He just takes off and runs himself out."

Said Smith, "Man, did he duck. He just threw his head up and went. I knew he wasn't hurt; he just saw something and he ducked. There's a brick pillar over near there with yellow tape on it, and maybe that was it. I did well to stay on."
.