HOLLYWOOD PARK : Canani Fortunes May Be Changing

Perhaps, Julio Canani’s luck is changing.

After putting in the lone claim for Kansas City before Friday’s fourth race, he watched the 2-year-old Habitony colt rout $32,000 maidens by nine lengths, looking just like a youngster with a future.

For Canani, this was the first time anything had gone right in quite some time.

A high-percentage trainer for several years and victorious in both the Santa Anita and Santa Ana Handicaps last March, he has found good winners hard to come by lately.

The 51-year-old Peruvian struggled at Del Mar, was only two for 28 at Santa Anita’s Oak Tree meeting and has yet to visit the winner’s circle at Hollywood Park.

What he has had are plenty of near-misses, especially in the big-money races.

Maria Jesse, who had won the Santa Ana, was beaten by a head in the $200,000 Golden Harvest Handicap in Louisiana. Then, at Oak Tree, Bruho was second in the Volante, and Patchy Groundfog was a troubled second in the Morvich. Canani began Hollywood Park by losing a photo with Ofanto in the Turf Express a week ago.

Nothing was worse, however, than the On Trust Handicap Thursday.

About two lengths clear and seemingly on his way to victory with less than a quarter-mile to go, Bruho suddenly ducked out, unseating Laffit Pincay and creating some postrace controversy.

A gelded son of Naevus, Bruho had cost himself a win at Del Mar last year when he pulled the same stunt, and he ducked out in a recent work under Gary Stevens, prompting the rider to suggest that Canani re-equip him with blinkers.

Canani rejected the idea, and Stevens chose to ride another horse, opening the mount for Pincay.

“Does anybody really think I’m going to put that horse out there if I know he’s going to do that?� asked the trainer. “It’s just one of those things that happened. He shied from the whip. That horse shies from a lot of things. If a bird flew by, he’d shy from it. There are plenty of times when he’s run and nothing has happened.�

Immediately after the On Trust, Canani said Bruho would return in the Affirmed Handicap one week from today. Those plans have been changed. He’ll wait for the Malibu Stakes on Dec. 26, opening day at Santa Anita, and Bruho will be wearing blinkers. Before then, he’ll be required to work for the stewards one afternoon between races at Hollywood Park.

Like Bruho, Patchy Groundfog was a Canani claim, and the 6-year-old has been very consistent. He hasn’t missed the board in six starts this year, and in 1988 he won half of his 10 outings.

Hindered by some traffic trouble, the son of Instrument Landing had to settle for second place in the Morvich, beaten three-quarters of a length by Basic Rate.

It was Patchy Groundfog’s first appearance in almost seven months, and he’ll stretch out to 1 1/8 miles Sunday in the $111,200 Citation Handicap at Hollywood Park.

Catching a field full of question marks over a turf course he likes, Patchy Groundfog could shake Canani’s stakes hex.

“Patchy is coming up to the race fine and he always tries, so he should run well,�Canani said.

The Citation question marks are topped by Ruhlmann, who has been idle since being beaten by Rahy in the Bel Air Handicap last July. The Mr. Leader colt has a history of running well when fresh and has some solid drills, but he was winless in three starts on the grass in France and his front-running style is not suited to Hollywood’s turf course.

In Extremis and Fair Judgment, impressive during the summer, are coming off lackluster performances. The former was well-beaten in both the Budweiser International and the Breeders’ Cup Mile, while the latter was eighth over a soft course in the International.

Of the other entrants, Mill Native has been blanked since his big upset in the 1988 Arlington Million; Delegant was eighth in the recent Carleton F. Burke Handicap; Skip Out Front is winless in 10 races this year, and Quiet Boy is working on a five-race losing streak.

Patchy Groundfog’s main rival appears to be Bosphorus, Bruce Headley’s Argentine import. After rolling past allowance opponents at Santa Anita, he lost the Henry P. Russell Handicap by a nose to Live the Dream, who returned to take the Hollywood Derby last Sunday.

Today’s feature is the $115,600 Hoist the Flag Stakes for 2-year-olds on the turf.

Heading the field are Single Dawn, who should enjoy the course; Pleasant Tap; the entry of Land Rush and Super Mario, who has won five straight races in the East for Wayne Lukas; Doyouseewhatisee, and Drag Race, who has the extreme outside post in the 13-horse field.

Pay the Butler, the defending champion in the Japan Cup, got no breaks when post positions were drawn for the $1.7-million race.

Bobby Frankel’s 5-year-old, who hasn’t won since his upset in this event last year, drew No. 14 in the 15-horse lineup. Better situated is the Oak Tree Invitational winner, Hawkster. Hoping to run his record on the turf to 5-0, the 3-year-old will start from No. 8 and, surprisingly, he was made the morning-line choice over Carroll House, the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe winner.

Chris McCarron will ride Pay the Butler while Russell Baze will be aboard Hawkster.

Approved to Fly made it two straight victories when she rallied to take the $108,400 Silver Belles Handicap Friday at Hollywood Park.

Helped by a surprisingly fast pace, the 3-year-old Flying Paster filly and 5-2 second choice collared Saros Brig a sixteenth from the wire and won by two lengths in 1:48 1/5 for the 1 1/8 miles.

Far back during the fast early fractions of :22 3/5, :45 3/5 and 1:09 3/5 set by Saros Brig and 2-1 favorite Invited Guest, Approved to Fly saved ground on the entire trip, and there was little doubt at the top of the lane that she was going to repeat her Linda Vista success of 16 days earlier.