Columnist Ralph Siraco: Triple Crown trail races into Baltimore

Ralph Siraco's horse racing column appears Monday, and his Southern California selections run Tuesday through Friday on the scoreboard page. Write to him c/o Las Vegas Sun, 800 S. Valley View, Las Vegas, NV 89103.

And the merry-go-round of competition continues for this year's Triple Crown.

The musical-chair syndrome for this year's 3-year-old crop marches on as thoroughbred racing's marquee sophomore series rolls into Baltimore Saturday for the Preakness, the middle jewel of the Triple Crown.

The Kentucky Derby did nothing to clear up the picture in the 3-year-old division and the latest derby run this past weekend reaffirmed the wide-open nature of racing's glamour group.

Saturday's half-million dollar Illinois Derby featured a field of 10 horses that for one reason or another did not make the Derby in Kentucky. Among them were newly crowned Arkansas Derby champ Certain and Holy Bull winner Grits 'n Hard Toast.

On Tuesday, the Arkansas Racing Commission disqualified Valhol from the winner's share of the April 10 Arkansas Derby when they ruled his rider, Billy Patin, used an illegal electrical device in the race. As a result, runner-up Certain was placed first and awarded the $300,000 winner's share. Valhol was allowed to run in the Kentucky Derby, finishing 15th.

Certain's connections better try to hang onto that Arkansas windfall, since he didn't hit the board at Hawthorne Race Course on Saturday. Vision And Verse captured the Illinois Derby over Prime Directive and Pineaff, returning $49.60 in the upset. Grits 'n Hard Toast never raised a gallop either.

But with this sophomore class, what else is new?

As a result of the turn-taking winners of this year's big races for 3-year-olds and the lack of respect -- or belief -- in Kentucky Derby winner Charismatic, Saturday's Preakness Stakes is almost certain to be oversubscribed. Like the Derby two weeks ago, Old Hilltop officials may have to invoke their rule limiting the field for the middle jewel of the Triple Crown. In Kentucky the number of starters for the Derby was limited to 20, but in Maryland, with the tighter configuration of Pimlico Race Course, the field size will max out at 14 starters.

Only one -- Charismatic -- has a chance at this year's Visa Triple Crown Challenge that rewards any horse who sweeps the Kentucky Derby, Preakness and June 5 Belmont Stakes with a $5 million bonus. Should Charismatic pull it off, he'd be history's 12th Triple Crown winner.

But the former claimer's claim to fame hasn't scared away any competition. The volatile class of '96 gives hope to any prospect with even a glimmer of promise.

And it is not exclusive to just one gender either. The most impressive 3-year-old of 1999 is the Bob Baffert-trained filly Silverbulletday. She added a win in the Kentucky Oaks -- the Kentucky Derby counterpart for fillies -- to extend a perfect record this year. Baffert, who failed to become the first trainer to win three consecutive Kentucky Derbies, may have had second thoughts about his decision in Louisville even though he saddled three horses for his record attempt in the Derby.

In addition to Prime Timber (fourth) and General Challenge (11th), who will not compete in the Preakness, Baffert sent out another potent filly in Excellent Meeting in the Run for the Roses. She finished an impressive-closing fifth after much trouble in a trouble-marred Derby.

Baffert seems to be as fickle as the 3-year-olds he trains. The charismatic silver-haired conditioner said the day after the Kentucky Derby that General Challenge and Excellent Meeting were heading back to California and that Prime Timber and Silverbulletday would head to Maryland for the Preakness.

Then came word of the possibility he would have no runners for the $1 million race. Now, as recently as Sunday, Baffert said that he plans on cross-entering his pair of fillies, Silverbulletday and Excellent Meeting, in both the Black-Eyed Susan to be run on Friday and the Preakness Stakes the next day. The Black-Eyed Susan is the fillies' counterpart to the Preakness Stakes, and Baffert will employ the same tactics this week as he did when he cross-entered Excellent Meeting in the Oaks and the Derby.

This time, however, there is a good chance that both his ace fillies could square off against the boys in Baltimore if the luck of the post position is to his liking. Prime Timber is also booked for the trip now, but will race in the Sir Barton Stakes -- an undercard race for 3-year-olds -- on the Preakness Day program.

A total of 10 from the 19 Kentucky Derby horses are expected for the Preakness Stakes, which is a sixteenth of a mile shorter than the 1 1/4-mile Kentucky Derby.

In addition to Derby winner Charismatic and runner-up Menifee, third-placed finisher Cat Thief will also attend Round 2. Trainer Elliot Walden believes Menifee, who closed fast to just miss after encountering traffic trouble in Louisville, deserves another chance. D. Wayne Lukas sends the consistent Cat Thief back to again challenge his Derby-winning stablemate.

Other Derby also-rans that continue on the Triple Crown trail are Kimberlite Pipe (sixth) and Worldly Manner (seventh). Trainer Dallas Stewart reports that Kimberlite Pipe put in a respectable Derby performance considering his bad trip. Many thought that the Arabian-trained Worldy Manner needed his Derby outing badly and that the promising colt from the desert will show significant improvement with a race under his girth. He could be the first horse in history to have used the Derby as a tightener for the Preakness.

Trainer Nick Zito feels his pair of Stephen Got Even (14th) and Adonis (17th) also deserve another go after eventful trips at Churchill Downs. Stephen Got Even, who was the Derby favorite until three minutes to post time, suffered cuts and bruises from a rough Derby outing, while Adonis needed a grandstand ticket to view his trip under the twin spires.

Finally, trainer Carl Nafzger, who was disappointed with Vicar's Derby performance, rejoins the Preakness quest after his colt bounced back from the wide trip he received with strong morning gallops since his 18th-place finish.

So far, quantity over quality seems to be the theme of this Triple Crown, or for that matter, the entire sophomore class.

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