Calabrese, Canani ready to get going at Calder meet

MIAMI − Bullstar and Stepaside are on the also-eligible list and might not even compete in Sunday’s ninth race at Calder. But their presence in the prospective lineup is significant, since they are the first of the Frank Calabrese-owned and Nick Canani-trained horses to hit the local entries this fall.

Canani finished second in the standings at the recently concluded Arlington Park session, winning races at nearly a 40 percent clip for Calabrese. The pair had similar success at Gulfstream Park last winter, when Canani won with 35 percent of his starters at the 2010 meet.

Because of a lack of available stall space at Calder, Canani has the majority of his stock at the Palm Beach Downs training center in Delray.

“We brought down a lot of horses who should fit a lot of spots here,” Canani said. “We’ll also have a small barn this fall at Keeneland, but the majority of our stable is now in Florida.”

Calabrese said finances and the weather played big roles in his decision to come down to south Florida several months earlier than usual rather than wait for the Gulfstream meet to begin.

“After Arlington there is no money in Chicago,” said Calabrese, who plans to arrive in town within the next week. “All you do is bat your head against the wall at Hawthorne. Calder has slots now and has done real well with their purses. They also have a good casino, and I’m a gambler, so I can go there and play. In addition, I built a house not far from Gulfstream, and I want to enjoy it as much I can. I’m getting older and can’t take the bad weather in Chicago any more.”

Calabrese said he’s also “taking a shot” by sending some of his better horses to Keeneland this month.

“I’ve never done real well there, but we’ll take the gamble,” Calabrese said. “Besides, it’s a good place to claim horses and pick up some better stock for the winter.”

Canani’s presence with the powerful Calabrese barn should also help spice up the trainer’s race during the Tropical at Calder meet, which begins Oct. 21.

Bullstar and Stepaside are two of the 14 horses entered in Sunday’s feature, a first-level allowance race scheduled to be run at 1 1/16 miles on the turf.

Southern Glitter, who put together back-to-back victories over the local course in July, will probably be favored. Southern Glitter, who hails from the barn of leading trainer Steve Dwoskin, broke slow and was hung wide while finishing fifth as the 9-5 favorite against similar in his last start.

Trainer David Braddy will send out the uncoupled pair of Fair Weather Stan and Took It From Him. Fair Weather Stan, a former stakes-caliber grass horse around these parts, has started three times since defeating similarly conditioned opposition here last November.

Took It From Him earned a career-best 80 Beyer Speed Figure defeating mid-level conditioned claimers in his last start over the turf Aug. 14.