Corey Nakatani

Ryan Barber, an apprentice jockey who was pushed off his mount by jockey Corey Nakatani at the finish line of a race at Del Mar on Aug. 3, has filed a lawsuit seeking unspecified damages for alleged assault, battery and emotional distress. The complaint was filed in Los Angeles Superior Court. Barber alleges that Nakatani galloped alongside him and shoved him off his mount after their horses crossed the finish line. Barber claims he missed weeks of riding as a result of the incident.

Surfside, who Sunday morning had her final workout for Saturday's $1 million Santa Anita Derby, will be back on Lasix when she takes on the boys in the 62nd running. The daughter of Seattle Slew, who went a half-mile in 47 2/5 for trainer Wayne Lukas, did not race with Lasix while winning the Santa Anita Oaks in less-than-impressive fashion last month. "Dr. Robert Copeland [the veterinarian for owner Bill Young's Overbrook Farm] wants her to [run on Lasix]," Lukas said.

The California Horse Racing Board and a Superior Court judge have denied jockey Corey Nakatani's request for a stay of a five-day suspension, which is to begin Thursday at Santa Anita. Shauna Weeks, one of Nakatani's attorneys, said Tuesday that the jockey will go to the state court of appeals in an effort to postpone the suspension. A stay is the first requirement before he can appeal the suspension to the racing board.

Saint's Honor, who won the San Fernando Breeders' Cup Stakes at 24-1 nearly three weeks ago, on Saturday will try to become the third horse in the last 11 years to follow that with a victory in the Strub Stakes. Silver Charm in 1998 and Flying Continental in 1990 were the other 4-year-olds who won the San Fernando and Strub. Kent Desormeaux will ride the son of St. Jovite, who worked five furlongs in 1:01 3/5 at Hollywood Park on Tuesday in his final prep for the Grade II.

After winning six races in the first five days of the Oak Tree meet to take the lead in the jockey standings, Corey Nakatani won't have many opportunities to build on his advantage today. Nakatani, who earned his six wins with 30 mounts, is named to ride only three horses. He is on 7-5 morning-line choice Himalayan in the first and contenders Come Back Ronnie in the sixth and That Cool Cat in the seventh.

The horse whose disqualification led to a 30-day suspension for jockey Corey Nakatani required tendon surgery after the race. Trainer Mike Mitchell, who claimed Mister Cosmi from owner Mike Gill and trainer Nick Canani for $50,000 out of the one-mile grass race last Saturday at Santa Anita, said Friday that the 5-year-old gelding had undergone leg surgery Thursday. "The horse wasn't lame, the leg [didn't radiate any heat] and he was able to jog," Mitchell said.

Even Corey Nakatani is having a hard time believing the way his meeting is going. Ten days into the seven-week season, the jockey has six stakes victories and only twice has he failed to win the eighth race. One of the losses was by a head aboard Countus In in the second division of the Palomar Handicap a week ago today. Bruho, a 5-1 shot, provided Nakatani's latest success Saturday.

Romarin began 1996 the same way he started the previous year. Twelve months after leading the entire way in the San Gabriel Handicap, the 6-year-old Brazilian-bred used the same strategy to succeed again on Monday at Santa Anita. Reunited with Corey Nakatani, the 11-10 favorite drew well clear in the stretch, then was extended to beat 9-1 shot Virginia Carnival by half a length in 1:49 3/5 for the 1 1/8 miles on turf.

After a two-hour hearing Monday, Del Mar stewards Ingrid Fermin, David Samuel and George Slender said they will rule Wednesday on the incident involving jockeys Ryan Barber and Corey Nakatani after Sunday's seventh race. Apparently angry after being shut off by Barber while trying to rally along the inside with Boldly Ruhl, Nakatani came up alongside Barber and pushed the apprentice off his mount, Policy Maker, while galloping out past the wire.

Jockey Corey Nakatani, who pushed another rider off his horse after a race Sunday, was suspended for the rest of the Del Mar meet by state stewards Wednesday. The three Del Mar stewards conducted a two-hour hearing earlier in the week into the incident. Altercations between jockeys after a race frequently result in small fines. This suspension, the equivalent of 26 racing days, will start Monday.