Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SUNDAY, May 21, 1995 TAG: 9505230031
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: BALTIMORE LENGTH: Medium
Timber Country and Thunder Gulch reversed their Kentucky Derby roles Saturday in the Preakness Stakes and, while neither can become a Triple Crown horse, D. Wayne Lukas can become a Triple Crown trainer.
Thunder Gulch, the Derby winner, ran another big race, but this time he had to play second fiddle to his stablemate, who had finished third in the Derby.
``I did things politically correct,'' Lukas said with a smile. ``I got the other horse third and balanced things out.''
Lukas obviously would have settled for another victory by Thunder Gulch, but he was particularly pleased the horse that beat the Derby winner was Timber Country.
As the colt sped through the stretch for his first victory as a 3-year-old, Lukas cheered, ``Come on, Timber! Come on, Timber!''
``I think Wayne will sleep better tonight,'' said W.T. Young, a co-owner of Timber Country, the champion 2-year-old of 1994.
``This will put to rest a lot of comments on Timber Country,'' Lukas said after the colt gave him a record-tying fourth consecutive winner in a Triple Crown race.
While Timber Country might have been criticized in some quarters for his failure to win in his first four starts this year, he still was sent off as the 9-5 favorite in the field of 11 3-year-olds.
Thunder Gulch, who paid $51 to win the Derby, was the 7-2 third choice, becoming the third Derby winner in four years not to be favored in the Preakness.
Lukas, who was unhappy with Pat Day's ride aboard Timber Country in the Derby, found no fault with his jockey this time. But Day did have a slight criticism of the colt.
``He wasn't giving 110 percent through the stretch,'' Day said of Timber Country, who started looking around after taking the lead at midstretch.
But the strapping chestnut horse gave enough to hold off Maryland-bred Oliver's Twist for a half-length victory. Thunder Gulch finished another neck back and four lengths in front of Star Standard.
After the Derby, Lukas wasn't impressed with Day's work. In that race, Timber Country was 10th with an eighth of a mile to go before Day found an opening that moved him to third.
After the Preakness, Lukas said, ``I gave Pat my best Vince Lombardi speech after the fifth race today. I took him and Gary Stevens [Thunder Gulch's jockey] up to the jock's room and played them some `Rocky' tapes.
``Seriously, I told Pat it was time to fish or cut bait.''
Day fished, and caught a big one.
Lukas told Day he changed Timber Country's training pattern and that the jockey would find him ``a little more on his toes today. Give him a place to run and he'll go on from there.''
Day had Timber Country just off the rail for most of the 1 3/16 miles before taking him about five horses wide on the final turn to put him in position for his winning drive.
Thunder Gulch, who got a perfect trip in the Derby, didn't have a bad one Saturday, either.
``My colt by no means disappointed himself,'' Stevens said. ``He's been consistent all year long. He comes out of the Derby, runs big today and just gets beat for second. I have a lot of respect for him. He's a trier.''
Timber Country paid $5.80, $4.20 and $2.80. Oliver's Twist, ridden by Alberto Delgado, returned $16.80 and $6.40. Thunder Gulch was worth $3.60 to show.
Timber Country and Thunder Gulch did not run as an entry because they have different owners.
The winner completed the 1 3/16 miles under 126 pounds on a fast track in 1:54 2-5, a second off the Pimlico stakes record set by Tank's Prospect in 1985.
Completing the order of finish were Mecke, Talkin Man, Our Gatsby, Mystery Storm, Tejano Run, Pana Brass and Itron.
Itron, who drew the No.1 post, delayed the start.
``He came out of his bridle before the start,'' said Roy Frazier, the horse's trainer. ``When I picked him up down here [after the finish], he had his tongue over the bit. He couldn't have gotten his second wind if he had to. Ricky [jockey Ricky Frazier, Roy's son], said before they sprung him he just froze.''
Itron finished 41 lengths behind Timber Country.
A crowd of 87,707, the second largest ever at Pimlico, watched Lukas join Lucien Laurin as the only trainers to win four consecutive Triple Crown races. Laurin won the 1972 Belmont Stakes with Riva Ridge and the 1973 Triple Crown with Secretariat. Lukas' streak includes Tabasco Cat's Preakness and Belmont victories last year.
``It's great,'' said Lukas, 59. ``We're in a zone.''
Keywords:
HORSE RACING
by CNB