Catalano still hospitalized but improving

Wayne Catalano remained in the intensive-care unit at Saint Alexius Hospital in northwest suburban Chicago as of Friday evening, but the veteran trainer has continued progressing from a severe case of pneumonia.

Fernando Canteria, Catalano’s Arlington-based assistant trainer and a Catalano employee for 15 years, was with Catalano at the hospital late Friday afternoon and said Catalano “had a good day” Friday. Catalano had been ill for more than a week when his sickness worsened considerably early this week, forcing him to be hospitalized Tuesday. Catalano still is sedated, but the amount of oxygen being supplied to his body is slowly being decreased as Catalano regains lung function.

“It’s baby steps, but everyone is positive,” Canteria said. “He’s coming along, and we’re expecting a better day tomorrow.”

Catalano, 58, is a former jockey who has been in good health. Until a few years ago, he still galloped some of his own horses during morning training.

Catalano has an entrant, Irish You Well, in the Haskell Invitational on Sunday at Monmouth, where he is running a string of horses this summer in addition to his highly successful Arlington stable.