By ED GOLDEN

NAKANATI RIDES HIS WAY BACK TO THE TOP

Corey Nakatani is back.

And the good news is, he still has the eye of the tiger.

After a slow start from a 30-day suspension that ended on Sept. 10, Nakatani is leading all riders at the current Hollywood Park meet.

The former top-notch wrestler at Northview High School in Covina, Nakatani has grappled with more than his share of on-track incidents and at the young age of 27, already has endured more than a lifetime of personal tragedies. His sister was murdered. His nephew died of cancer. And his father, Roy, who died last year of a heart attack, was born in a World War II internment camp in Colorado.

"It’s life and you have to deal with it," said Nakatani, the only California-based rider to win a Breeders’ Cup race this year when he brought 16-1 shot Elmhurst from dead last in a picture-perfect performance to win the Sprint. "Instead of holding in your emotions, you’ve got to deal with them, too."

Nakatani knows about his past indiscretions on the race track, and elects to put them behind him and look to the future. Some people become dejected and find it difficult, if not impossible, to return to life’s proper path.

"Everybody’s got problems," he says. "Everybody’s going to make mistakes and we must figure ways to deal with them. We all have pressures put on us. At the time (of an August incident in which he pushed fellow rider Ryan Barber off his horse after a race at Del Mar and subsequently was given the 30-day suspension), I really wasn’t focused on all the things that had happened, and I have gotten counseling (for anger therapy). Nobody’s perfect. Everybody’s got problems and it wouldn’t hurt anybody to go (through counseling). I’m better now and I’m back on the right track.

"Many people have had things happen to them when they’re young, not just me. My dad had a heart attack when I was 10 or 12, and that was hard for me to deal with. All the other things that happened later--with my sister, my nephew and my grandparents (who spent time at Santa Anita when it was a relocation camp in World War II)--I just had to be strong, and the good Lord helped me through it. No one can predict the future, because no one knows. Everyone has to deal with their problems in their own way.

"Some might be depressed. I’ve tried to be positive. I look at it this way--the members of my family who have passed on are better off. They’re with God. Eventually, you and I and everybody else will be there, too. It’s just a matter of whether it’s your time to go or not."

One ingredient in Nakatani’s makeup that’s as strong as ever is his competitiveness. That’s why he’s on top again. Despite all the distractions, once he gets on the race track, he never loses sight of the finish line.

"Not at all," Nakatani says. "That’s built in your heart. When you love horses and horse racing, things are going to be good to you. Thank God He’s given me the power and the energy to be able to do this."

COUNTRY GARDEN -- Two-year-old filly nearly fell on far turn but closed like wild horse to win once clear. Should continue winning ways on turf in stakes company.

FIFTY BEATS --Washington-bred never threatened on sloppy track but showed good late interest. Can surprise bottom claimers over a distance of ground.

KYLES OPERATOR -- Canadian invader will benefit from local outing. Clever Cliff Sise Jr. should find winning spot soon.

MIRABILIA -- Handled off track with speed in reserve. Can do it again on fast strip for red-hot Dan Hendricks barn.

J.R. HOLMES -- First winner for former Bill Shoemaker assistant Paddy Gallagher couldn’t have left maiden ranks with more authority. Repeat on horizon.

THE HOMESTRETCH: Pat Byrne, understandably, is stumping for Favorite Trick as Horse of the Year. "When is the next time I’m going to get an opportunity to train a Horse of the Year?" the trainer asked. "It’s a once-in-a-lifetime deal and, obviously, we’ll campaign for it." Byrne is convinced the Phone Trick colt’s unbeaten record in eight starts is all the evidence needed to outpoll Breeders’ Cup Classic winner Skip Away and his 4-for-11 mark in 1997. "If this colt doesn’t get Horse of the Year, I don’t think they’ll ever give it to any 2-year-old," Byrne said. "I think it’s great for racing because the fans like to see an unbeaten streak. It’s like Cigar. People latched on to that and people who didn’t normally follow racing got involved with racing, and that’s what’s important." . . . Dr. Rick Arthur, one of the most respected veterinarians in the business, says the injury that occurred to Grand Slam’s left hind leg in the running of the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile is rare indeed. "You see injuries like that every five years or so," said Arthur of the cuts inflicted by Johnbill when that colt clipped heels with Grand Slam, who was in front of him going into the first turn. "That was a real unusual one because it was so high (on the leg). On the replay, you can actually see Johnbill do it. He hits him with his right leg high above the point hock, then with his left leg just underneath that." Grand Slam is expected to recover and eventually return to racing . . . Kent Desormeaux on Larry The Legend’s first victory since the 1995 Santa Anita Derby, in the Skywalker at Santa Anita: "He’s just a gutsy little performer. It’s hard to get a line on him because he’s so smart, he won’t do much more than he needs to . . . He’s got a place right here in my heart, and it’s a great feeling of accomplishment to get him home for (owner/trainer) Craig (Lewis) and to have Larry back in the winners’ circle. He’s got such a great fan base. He’s the kind of horse people love to follow. He was purchased for $2,500, so it shows dreams do come true in racing and Larry The Legend is one of them." . . . Add Golden winners: Sixy Saint, $4.40 . . . Apprentice rider J.C. Gonzalez is recuperating in an Oxnard hospital following surgery to insert a rod to repair his broken left femur. "Best case scenario is he’ll be back in about two months," says his agent, Vic Lipton. "He’s got some minor cracks in his pelvis, but they’ll heal quickly. He’ll be out of bed soon and he’s doing physical therapy every day." . . . Jim Buss figures he cost himself money by cutting his blond hair from shoulder-length to crew-cut length. The son of Lakers’ owner Jerry Buss says he just decided to make a change. "Right after I cut my hair, I won three races at Hollywood Park. That was pretty amazing, But if I’d been smart, I’d have bet somebody that if I win a race, I get $500. If I lose, I’ll cut my hair off. I’d have won the bet, because they’d never have figured I’d do it." Whatever, don’t look for any more of Buss’ horses. He sold ‘em and is out of the training business.

GENTLEMEN POINTING TO JAN. 10 COMEBACK

Gentlemen has started his engines.

A leading candidate for Horse of the Year, Gentlemen is pointing to the $200,000-guaranteed San Pasqual Handicap at Santa Anita on Jan. 10 for his comeback race, trainer Richard Mandella said.

"He’s in great shape," Mandella said of the South American import, who missed the Breeders’ Cup Classic due to an infection. "He’s back to the track already. I haven’t galloped him (yet), but I’ve been jogging him for a week, and we’ll start galloping him soon. He looks real good. We’ll probably look at the San Pasqual Handicap, with the ($1-million) Santa Anita Handicap (on March 7) as his major objective." -- Ed Golden

Vince DeGregory could write a book on Eddie Arcaro, the legendary jockey who died of liver cancer Friday in Miami at age 81.

It was Arcaro who urged the 60-something DeGregory to devote his life to the game they both loved, thoroughbred racing. Arcaro, at 5-3, was light enough to pursue his dream of becoming a jockey. DeGregory, who would grow beyond six feet, would have to settle for becoming one of the greatest agents ever, at one time or another booking mounts for Hall of Famers Bill Shoemaker, Angel Cordero Jr., Laffit Pincay Jr., Chris McCarron, Jorge Velasquez and Darrel McHargue, among others.

"He was the one who helped me become an agent. He was my buddy," DeGregory said of Arcaro, the only jockey to win two Triple Crowns, on Whirlaway in 1941 and Citation in 1948. "He used to rent my dad’s home in Saratoga. He got me Conn (Scamp) Errico, who was my first rider, back in 1959. Eddie was the greatest as far as I was concerned.

"I got very close to him through his renting a home from dad in Saratoga, and I used to listen to him telling stories, and I learned a lot from him. When the Saratoga meet was over and Eddie went back to New York, I told him how much I missed him and racing when he left.

"He told me, ‘Vince, you’re too big to be a jockey, and it’s the jocks and trainers who make the money. Being an agent is very, very tough, because only 10 or 12 riders make all the money, and the rest of them struggle. So either be a trainer or an agent.’ I didn’t want to be a trainer, so that’s how I became an agent. Eddie went to bat for me and recommended me to Marshall Cassidy, and I never forgot that. I got my license and I was as proud as a peacock.

"As my profession expanded, Eddie always felt he was a part of my career and he was happy for all my success. He said, ‘goddam, you turned out to be a helluva an agent.’ And I said, ‘Well, thanks to you, or I wouldn’t be where I am today.’"

DeGregory remembers fondly when he had a band, and his dad was Arcaro’s bodyguard at Saratoga on nights they would go out and bend elbows.

"Eddie told me how he never let (five-time Horse of the Year) Kelso run," DeGregory said. "Eddie didn’t want the handicappers to put all the weight on him, so he would only let him win by as small a margin as possible. (Owner) Mrs. duPont would drive Eddie crazy, because she wanted to know how good Kelso really was. Eddie told her he wouldn’t show him off, because it was more important to keep the weight as low as possible for future races.

"That’s one thing I learned from The Master. Never show your horse off. Protect him. Most riders today don’t think of that. In big races, they’re whipping and driving and there’s nobody near them. Eddie always said, ‘Be a gentlemen. Take care of your business, and the game will take care of you.’