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AP Notebook Baffert-Lukas monopoly busted after five years
Posted: Saturday May 06, 2000 09:02 PM
LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) -- Fusaichi Pegasus' Kentucky Derby victory Saturday ended a five-year run by horses trained by Bob Baffert and D. Wayne Lukas. Baffert's Captain Steve finished eighth, while the Lukas trio of Exchange Rate, High Yield and Commendable finished 12th, 15th and 17th, respectively. "They ran flat today for whatever reason," said Lukas, who has saddled four Derby winners. "I was disappointed in all three of them because they all trained so well. "But, you know, it's a horse race, and sometimes it's unexplainable." Go for Gin, trained by Nick Zito, won the 1994 Derby before Lukas' Thunder Gulch started the run by the two trainers in 1995.
Morning SnoozeFusaichi Pegasus, trained by Neil Drysdale, seemed oblivious to the cookouts and activity on the backside, and ignored a pile of carrots several hours before the race. The temperamental colt, known for his antics such as dumping his exercise rider and spending five minutes to look at an airplane before going into the winner's circle, spent the Derby Day afternoon napping before his victorious ride. "I was watching the race and three times Kent [Desormeaux] was riding him with one hand, meaning he was just very relaxed," Drysdale said.
Presidents' Day?Churchill Downs board chairman William Farish had to scrounge a couple of extra tickets Saturday for a former president and a would-be president. President George Bush has made visits to Kentucky before on the first Saturday in May, but it was a first Derby for Texas Gov. George W. Bush, the expected Republican nominee this year. Farish, a Houston businessman and close friend of the Bushes, also owns Lanes's End Farm. The Farish connection made a little money for the former president Friday. Farish owns an interest in Secret Status, the winner of the Kentucky Oaks. Bush said he placed his first-ever bet on a horse race -- a President Ulysses Grant on the nose of Secret Status that returned $295 on the $50 bet.
Hot SpotSaturday's Kentucky Derby was the hottest since 1991. The National Weather Service said the post-time temperature was 82 degrees despite a light shower that doused the track just before the Woodford Reserve Turf Classic, the race which preceded the Derby. The temperature at race time topped 80 degrees for just the 13th time since the track started keeping the statistic in 1940. The highest recorded temperature at a Derby post time was 94 degrees in 1959. The last time the post-time temperature reached 80 degrees was nine years ago.
New face, tooFirst-time Derby trainer Todd Pletcher had a mixed day with his four entrants. The good news for Pletcher was a third-place finish by Impeachment and a fourth-place showing by More than Ready. But Trippi finished 11th and Graeme Hall placed last for the 32-year-old Pletcher, a former assistant to D. Wayne Lukas. "I'm proud of all these horses," Pletcher said. "Of course we came to win. I'm not surprised at all by Impeachment finishing third. "I've said all along we came here with four horses we thought would run well and that we had a chance."
Solid sheiksThe Godolphin Racing Stable turned in another solid showing in its second Kentucky Derby. The stable, owned by Sheiks Mohammed Maktoum and Hamdam Maktoum of Dubai, United Arab Emirates, had two horses in this year's Derby after Worldly Manner finished seventh last year. China Visit and Curule went off at 23-1 on Saturday and finished sixth and seventh, respectively. "At the three-eights pole, I really thought we were going to win. He was really in the bridle, but ran out of steam at the 3-16ths poles," said Frankie Dettori, China Visit's jockey.
Big crowdSaturday's Derby drew the second largest crowd in history. The track set the official attendance at 153,204. The largest Derby Day crowd was in 1974 -- the 100th Derby -- when 163,628 packed Churchill Downs. Last year's Derby drew 151,051 fans, which was previously the event's second-largest crowd.
Speedy horseFusaichi Pegasus' winning time of 2:01.12 was the seventh fastest in Derby history. Secretariat ran the fastest 1 1/4-mile Derby, winning in 1973 in 1:59 2-5. The Triple Crown champion is the only thoroughbred to run the race in under two minutes. Northern Dancer ran the second fastest Derby in 1964 at 2:00. Fusaichi Pegasus' run was the fastest since Grindstone won the 1996 Derby in a time of 2:01.06. The slowest 11/4-mile Derby winner was Stone Street, who won the race in 1908 in a time of 2:15 1-5.
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