Winning Ponies

Wayne The Cat Catalano started out on the backstretch of the Fair Grounds working for Hall of Fame trainer Jack Van Berg. He went on to a successful career as a jockey and transferred his skills as a horseman to that of one of the country's most successful trainers. Catalano has two horses in the top 10 points standings for both the Ky Derby (Uncontested) and Ky Oaks (Farrell). On Saturday he will send Farrell to the post in the Grade 2 Rachel Alexandra at the Fair Grounds. Gary Johnson has been on a 10-year run competing successfully in national handicapping contests, but the lure of the backstretch has drawn him out of the clubhouse and back to the morning grind of training. Dealing mostly with claimers, he was the leading trainer at Thistledown for 7 years in a row. Gary and John will 'cap the $400,000 Risen Star S. (G2 - Derby points) and the $200,000 Rachel Alexandra S. (G2 - Oaks points) both at Fair Grounds and the $150,000 Busher S. (Oaks points) at Aqueduct.