Monday, March 17, 1997 | 11:59 a.m.
WANTED: 1997 Kentucky Derby favorite. Position recently vacated.
Open to males and females. Must be 3 years old, injury-free (or at least hold together long enough for the race -- remember Grindstone), have raced at a distance once this year far enough to get a Byer number, defeated at least once as favorite of any other derby or Derby stepping-stone, have a dosage index number -- any dosage index number -- and been declared by at least one scribe for at least one day as a sophomore superstar or the possible makings of one.
Preferences include any horse who hails from the D. Wayne Lukas barn that is not in his top three Derby contenders or any horse termed the "mother lode" by Mr. Triple Crown, any Nick Zito-trained horse not owned by Yankees skipper George Steinbrenner or any horse who has less than two consecutive weeks of appearances in the Daily Racing Form's "Derby Watch" section.
Any previous-year Juvenile Eclipse Award winner or Breeders' Cup Juvenile winner is automatically disqualified from consideration -- injured, living or dead.
With less than seven weeks until this year's run for the roses, the position as Derby favorite is still open, and it may very well not be filled until they load the field into the starting gate for Derby 123.
Keeping a Derby favorite intact this year is as hard as finding a four-leaf clover in the Las Vegas desert, and having the choice win on the first Saturday in May will take the luck of the Irish and a leprechaun for a jockey.
Three new applicants applied over the weekend to challenge others who have slipped from the top to the crowded middle ground.
St. Patrick wasn't preaching on the Pulpit in Florida, the Smoke didn't clear in Louisiana and the Charm wasn't Free in Southern California.
Failure in Florida
The Florida Derby was supposed to be another public exhibition for the prohibitive pre-race Kentucky Derby favorite, Pulpit. In just a three-race career that spanned nine weeks to Saturday's Grade I event, Pulpit was sent off as the 2-to-5 favorite to capture the 1 1/8-mile Gulfstream Park centerpiece and remain the preordained sophomore superstar.
But something happened on the way to the South Florida coronation for the son of 1992 Horse of the Year A.P. Indy. Captain Bodgit, who won five consecutive races of six starts as a juvenile, rolled by the Claiborne Farm prodigy to atone for a third-place finish in their previous meeting in the Grade II Fountain of Youth, while relegating Pulpit to mortality.
Recently purchased by the syndicate Team Valor, Captain Bodgit goes to the top of the list in the Derby favorite runoff. With his come-from-behind style, it is certain that the Captain can negotiate the longer journey of the 1 1/4-mile Derby in Louisville.
While Pulpit is no longer invincible, his runner-up effort can only help in the learning process of what is still considered to be a very promising career and a berth in the Derby. Plans are for Pulpit to possibly try a run in the April 12 Blue Grass at Keeneland before the Derby.
Crypto in Louisiana
Sunday was a Derby-prep double feature.
At the Fairgrounds race course in Louisiana, the 85th running of the Grade III 1-1/16-mile Louisiana Derby featured another vying for the favorite's role in Kentucky. Smoke Glacken, sent off as the odds-on choice, was trying to stretch his blazing speed farther than his previous nine career starts. With a record of seven wins, his only two-turn victory came in the most recent Southwest Stakes at Oaklawn Park. A gate-to-wire cruise in the slop at a mile gave Glacken's connections hope that the Grade I juvenile winner could rate for classic routes.
When the starting gates opened, Glacken smoked and rolled through quick early fractions that set up this bayou derby for a stretch runner. Using the long Fairgrounds home-stretch, Crypto Star came roaring through the lane under a hard ride by Pat Day to nail Stop Watch, who had collared Smoke Glacken late in the shadow of the wire. Ironically, the runner-up was another Claiborne Farm Derby prospect and will probably go as a Derby entry with Pulpit.
Crypto Star goes into the Kentucky Derby following the same path that Grindstone took in last year's thriller. If Smoke Glacken runs at Churchill, there will be smoke under the spires the first time around.
Free House on board
On the left coast at Santa Anita, the final prep for the west's most prestigious derby, the track's namesake marquee event on April 5, was the Grade II 1-1/16-mile San Felipe.
This event featured Silver Charm who, in the absence of injured Mud Route, was California's leading Kentucky Derby candidate. Trained by Bob Baffert, who lost last year's Kentucky Derby by a heartbreaking nose with Cavonnier, the son of Silver Buck had won his sophomore debut in the Grade III San Vicente in his last outing. Having won three of four career starts, including a Del Mar Futurity victory, Silver Charm was the new Golden State hope.
Other aspiring entrants were attempting to stake a claim as well, and Free House, a talented but flighty gray, would turn the tables on the favorite with an on-the-pace score. The Norfolk Stakes winner at 2 was second to Silver Charm in their last meeting and would hold off his late challenge to repeat the Vicente quinella.
Those who may have fallen from the Kentucky Derby picture with less-than-Derby performances include Acceptable and Wrightwood from their dull Florida Derby efforts, Open Forum and Cash Deposit from the Louisiana Derby, and Holzmeister, Daylight In Dubai and Constant Demand from the San Felipe.
But, with enough green beer, a run of the Blarney stone and the long green awaiting in the pot at the end of the Derby rainbow, there should be no shortage of horses crowding the Pulpit for favoritism.
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