White puts on his glasses, finds a spot

Bill White hasn't won 10 Calder and five Tropical at Calder training titles because he doesn't know how to read a condition book.

White, the defending Calder training kingpin, used his condition-book expertise to find the ultimate spot for his 3-year-old speedster Paizano, who figures to go postward at odds of 1-2 or lower in Saturday's $28,000 allowance feature.

White put Paizano in an entry-level allowance event for 3-year-olds who have never won a race other than maiden, claiming, or starter going seven furlongs. Paizano has already won three races, including the Shake U Down Starter Stakes in his Gulfstream Park finale on April 24.

The first of Paizano's victories came at Calder against maidens in his second start. The next win came against $35,000 starter-allowance horses in his 3-year-old debut at Gulfstream Park. And while the seven-furlong Shake U Down was officially billed as a stakes, it was actually run under starter-allowance conditions, thus keeping Paizano eligible for Saturday's headliner.

Along with his class edge, Paizano also stands out on Beyer Speed Figures. A son of Formal Dinner, Paizano has posted Beyers of 92 and 94 in his last two starts, both at seven furlongs. None of his six rivals on Saturday has earned a Beyer higher than 78.

Another trainer getting an "A" in Condition Book Comprehension 101 is Matteo Pecoraro, whose Rickyontherun is the only other member of the field with multiple victories. In fact, Rickyontherun has won more races than Paizano - four to be exact - the latest a first-level optional claiming race at Tampa Bay Downs on April 18 for which he was entered under a $75,000 claiming tag. He captured a similar contest going seven furlongs at Tampa in his

3-year-old debut on Jan. 16.

Recent maiden winner Smoking the Field tops the remainder of the lineup that also includes Mountain Thunder, Jet Setting Papa, and Numb Lips.

* There are two 10-pound and five seven-pound apprentice jockeys listed to ride on Saturday's program, and that does not include 10-pound apprentices Jorge Calderon and Shamir Ramagh, both of whom posted their first victory here last weekend.

The ever growing popularity of south Florida as a jumping-off point for new riders, and the overall inexperience of the local jockey colony, has prompted local stewards to post a house rule that states that any apprentice who has never ridden a race can be named only on older horses going distances from 5 1/2 to seven furlongs. They are forbidden to ride turf races or any race around two turns.

When a jockey has ridden five races under those conditions, the stewards will re-evaluate the rider's performance.