Trainer Paulo Lobo returned to Hollywood Park the conquering hero this week after capturing the $750,000 Metropolitan Mile at Belmont Park on Monday with Brazilian-bred Pico Central.
With the major impact the 35-year-old Brazilian-born trainer has had on American racing in his third year in this country, Lobo has become an important figure in the Brazilian racing industry.
"I again received a lot of phone calls and e-mails from owners, breeders and the press," said Lobo in his stable office Friday of a situation reminding him of the attention he received two years ago after champion Farda Amiga won the Kentucky Oaks and Alabama Stakes.
Pico Central was an even more popular winner since he began his career in Brazil before joining the Lobo barn and stringing together stakes victories in the San Carlos and Carter handicaps and the Met Mile in this country.
"Pico Central is the eighth Brazilian-bred to win a Grade I stake in this country and the first to do it sprinting on dirt," said Lobo of an elite list that also includes Riboletta, Siphon, Sandpit, Redattore, Virginie, Joe Who and Hard Buck.
Other good Brazilian stakes winners in this country include Romarin, Verruma and Viernes, who won the Waya Handicap here for Lobo. Brazilian-bred Notting Hill looked like a horse with a future after winning a tough allowance race here last week for trainer Jenine Sahadi.
Pico Central walked the barn after coming out of the New York race with a cut on his leg that will require ten days of medical attention and walking before any further plans are formulated.
The success of Lobo and Pico Central should help fuel the pipeline between Brazil and the United States for more Brazilian horses. "I keep in touch with my father, Selmar, the second-leading trainer at Sao Paulo, and expect more Brazilian horses to be coming here and to the East Coast," said Lobo. "There is a lot of demand for good horses from Brazil, Argentina and Chile, and there are immediately two or three (bloodstock) agents around them."
Eight of the 23 horses in the Lobo barn here are from Brazil. In addition to Pico Central and veterans Hatif and Savage, the barn also includes King Simpatia, a 4-year-old colt who won in Northern California.
Lobo is excited about the potential of four other Brazilian imports. "Senhor Cati was unbeaten in three starts sprinting as a 2-year-old, winning each race by 10 or 11 lengths," said Lobo. "He is considered a 3-year-old here. Nikinipo is also a 3-year-old, by Jules. He broke a course record for five-eighths of a mile on grass."
Closer to their U.S. debuts are Loucamania and Mexican Daisy. "Loucamania is a 4-year-old filly placed in a Group I at 10 furlongs," said Lobo. "Mexican Daisy is a 5-year-old who won six of eight starts and was second in a Group II."
Lobo's Memorial Day also included a third-place finish by Quero Quero in the Grade I Gamely Breeders' Cup Handicap here. He said the 4-year-old filly came out of that race in good shape but has not decided on a return engagement yet.
Quero Quero, named after a Brazilian songbird, came to prominence with a victory in the Honeymoon Breeders' Cup Handicap here last year.
Lobo sends out Vencedora Amiga and Lovely Rafaela in quest of a repeat Honeymoon victory here Saturday. "The race looks very wide open, and both my horses want more distance and are improving," said Lobo.
VANGELIS SHIPPING FROM FRANCE FOR WHITTINGHAM
Vangelis, a Group II winner in France, is scheduled to be flown to California Sunday for the $350,000 Charles Whittingham Memorial Handicap here next Saturday. The Grade I test will be run at 1 1/4 miles on turf.
Vangelis, trained by Alain Dupre, will be stabled in Barn 62 South with trainer Julio Canani and be transferred to Canani after the race. Javier Santiago has the call.
Vangelis, a 5-year-old roan horse, has won four of 13 starts and earned $147,294. He won the Group II Prix de Harcourt at Longchamps on April 4 before a seventh-place finish in the Group I Prix Ganay on May 2. Last year the Kentucky-bred son of Highest Honor won the Group III Grand Prix de Vichy.
Canani will send out Bayamo, another 5-year-old who began his career in France, under David Flores in the Whittingham.
Other probable starters include the Bobby Frankel-trained duo of Continuously and Gassan Royal, Cinema Breeders' Cup Handicap winner Just Wonder, Del Mar Handicap winner Irish Warrior and Mervyn LeRoy Handicap winner Even The Score.
COURTING A WINNER
Jockey Jon Court had a special motivation winning the eighth race on Thursday with Kingofthecourt by a nose over Hurricane Route. The horse is named in his honor.
"Ty Leatherman has been a big fan of the Court family since he won the Japan race last November with Fleetstreet Dancer," explained trainer Doug O'Neill Friday in reference to the $2-million Japan Cup Dirt. Kingofthecourt, a 3-year-old gelding Leatherman and his wife Holly purchased for $18,000 at the 2003 Barretts May Sale, won at second asking in a $50,000 maiden claiming race at 6 1/2 furlongs.
"Jon did a good job," said O'Neill. "That horse can be a little erratic. When another horse inside him dropped out, Kingofthecourt went right to the rail."
O'Neill said that Fleetstreet Dancer, who last raced in Dubai in March, is enjoying a six-month vacation at Magali Farm to let his ouchy ankles heal.
DARLEY STUDENTS LEARNING HERE
Francis Gaffard of France is spending two weeks at Hollywood Park in the Eoin Harty stable as part of the Darley Flying Start program. A dozen aspiring young horsemen are participating in the year-long international program sponsored by Darley Stud of Dubai that is designed to educate the participants in different aspects of training and breeding.
Gaffard, 27, has worked for David Powell in France and Nick De Meric in Florida as well as at the Goff Sale. Gaffard will spend six weeks altogether in Southern California with Darley trainer Harty. Two other participants, Edward Sackville of England and Michael Dilger of Ireland, are currently at Santa Anita with Harty and will rotate to Hollywood Park later.
Darley Flying Start, which includes nine other participants, also includes stops in Lexington, Ky., Australia and Dubai.
VISITING ASTRA
Jeff Ford, assistant trainer to Laura de Seroux, visited broodmare Astra last week when he was in Kentucky to saddle Ballingarry for the Louisville Handicap at Churchill Downs on Memorial Day.
Astra, a standout turf horse, won the Gamely Breeders' Cup Handicap here in 2000 and 2002. "Roberto Reyes, her former groom, was with me, and she whinnied when she saw us coming across the lawn," said Ford of his visit to Ashford Stud in Lexington. "She used to be standoffish, but now she's quiet as a lamb."
Ford said that Astra had her first foal, a filly by Giant's Causeway, last winter and is back in foal to Fusaichi Pegasus.
FINISH LINES-Wild and Wicked, winner of the Ohio Derby last year, worked six furlongs in 1:14 for trainer Doug O'Neill Friday for the $250,000 Californian next Saturday. ...Hollywood Starlet winner Hollywood Story, Fantasy Stakes winner House of Fortune and Railbird Stakes winner Elusive Diva head the list of probable starters in the $175,000-added Hollywood Breeders' Cup Oaks next Saturday..Trainer Ian Jory is on the fence as to whether he will run millionaire Continental Red in the $350,000 Whittingham next Saturday or the $100,000-added Quicken Tree Stakes for California-breds the following day. "The owners will pick the spot," said Jory. "One is a slam dunk. The other is a lot of money."...Los Angeles owner-breeder Dion Recachina, a native of Greece who was raised in Washington, D.C., has been honored to carry the Olympic torch on August 9 in Athens. Recachina, similarly honored in Los Angeles in 1984 and Atlanta in 1996, recently returned from Australia, where he visited his stallion, Fighting Falcon, and was the subject of a feature story in a Perth newspaper...Agent Jason Winicki, who books mounts for Danny Sorenson, has also picked up the book of jockey Matt Garcia...Snow Chief Stakes winner Cheiron worked a mile in 1:38 3/5 Friday for trainer Kristin Mulhall for the $100,000-added Affirmed Handicap on June 19.
