Touch Gold goes for gold in Preakness

John Nelson

Friday, May 16, 1997 | 11:59 a.m.

BALTIMORE -- Touch Gold is a fresh horse, Chris McCarron is a well-rested jockey and trainer David Hofmans finds himself in a familiar position.

"I'm the underdog again, just like in the Breeders' Cup," he said.

Hofmans, who trains out of Santa Anita in Arcadia, Calif., reached the top of his profession last Oct. 26 when he saddled Alphabet Soup to an upset victory in the Breeders' Cup Classic at Woodbine.

Now he is in his first Triple Crown race with Touch Gold and McCarron, both of whom skipped the Kentucky Derby on May 5, the horse because he just wasn't seasoned enough, the jockey because he was injured.

Of the 10 3-year-olds in the field for Saturday's Preakness, six skipped the Derby, and that's not been the recommended route to success, of late. In fact, it hasn't happened since 1983 when Deputed Testamony became the third non-Derby starter in four years to win the Preakness.

"This year I think it could be an advantage," Hofmans said, "because the top three horses really ran hard in Kentucky. I'm not underestimating those horses. They're tough, but it's in our favor that our horse is fresh."

The first three Derby finishers -- Silver Charm, Captain Bodgit and Free House -- are the top three favorites here, and the field also includes Concerto, who was ninth in Kentucky.

At 5-1, Touch Gold was made the fourth favorite in the field, coming off an 8 1/2-length victory in the Lexington on April 20, only his second race this year.

The other Triple Crown newcomers are the Nick Zito-trained Wild Tempest, Frisk Me Now, Cryp Too and the Robert Perez-owned entry of Hoxie and Jack At the Bank.

Touch Gold is owned by Frank Stronach, who lives near Toronto and sent his horse to Hofmans after the Breeders' Cup. Hofmans brought him back to the races slowly and, after winning an allowance at Santa Anita in March, he began pointing him toward the Preakness.

After his big win in the Lexington, Hofmans admitted there was some pressure to run Touch Gold in the Derby.

"Mr. Stronach told me when he sent the horse to me, 'Don't even think of the Derby,'" Hofmans said. "But then he was so impressive in the allowance race, and he was even more impressive in the next race. After he won the Lexington, I had 2,000 friends tell me to go to the Derby, but it was just too soon."

Gary Stevens rode Touch Gold in his other two races this year, but he committed himself to Silver Charm after McCarron was injured in a spill in April and had to be taken off the horse before the Santa Anita Derby. Hofmans said he considered Jerry Bailey, Mike Smith, Craig Perret, Shane Sellers and Corey Nakatani to replace Stevens, but when he discovered that McCarron was healthy, that was his pick.

"Both Gary and Chris are excellent horsemen," Hofmans said. "They don't get frustrated, and they can really talk to you about a horse. I think their experience in big races really pays off, too. They're both professionals."

Of the rest of the newcomers, Wild Tempest seems to be the most respectable. After a seventh-place finish on a sloppy track in the Wood Memorial, Wild Tempest beat older horses in an allowance race at Churchill Downs on May 2.

"This may sound terrible, but if you draw a line through the Wood, he has an unbelievable chance," said Zito, who won the Preakness last year with Louis Quatorze. "He came back against older horses, which was a good test."

Frisk Me Now, who will be ridden by Eddie King, won the Flamingo at Hialeah on April 5 and was second his last time out in the LoneStar Derby on April 20.

Cryp Too could well set the pace as he did before finishing second in the Withers on May 3. He will be ridden by C.C. Lopez. Hoxie and Jack At the Bank are non-stakes winners.

Jack At the Bank was sixth and fifth in his last two starts, while Hoxie was even worse. He did not finish Jim Beam and was 10th and last in the Wood.

Unlike Hofmans, Zito said he sees pitfalls in having a Triple Crown newcomer.

"I would prefer to have a horse that ran in the Derby. They're a little tougher, and then there's the competition factor," Zito said.

Still, you can never count out the defending champion, he said, smiling.

"I'm the champ until they dethrone me," he said, "and I've got to tell you, it's lonely at the top."