Monday, April 13, 1998 | 9:54 a.m.
FINAL EXAMS are over and, for those who made the grade, a quick spring break, then the final preparations for the chance of a lifetime and, for one, a date with destiny.
On Saturday, the sophomore class of '98 completed their finals in a trio of Kentucky Derby preps stretching from the Big Apple through the spa of Hot Springs to the very heartland of the Derby in the bluegrass.
The Bluegrass Stakes at Keeneland, the Wood Memorial at Aqueduct and the Arkansas Derby at Oaklawn Park -- all a furlong shorter than the Derby -- provided a national Big 3 Pick 3 and the last chance to punch a ticket to Louisville on the first Saturday in May.
Some participants already had their Derby reservations, which others may be offering theirs in a fire sale after Saturday's performances.
But, for the waning moments of the final Big 3 event, and in the shadow of the finish line at historic Oaklawn Park, this Derby could have been one that rewrote the record books.
Favorite Trick was the one remaining undefeated horse in a trio of perfect contenders in this year's Derby and the Arkansas Derby was the one remaining race standing in the way for an unprecedented threesome of unblemished steeds to stand waiting to win the Run for the Roses.
It had to happen sooner or later, but racing fans were hoping the later would be the Kentucky Derby instead of the sooner in the Arkansas version.
Event Of The Year, a son of 1977 Derby and Triple Crown winner Seattle Slew, was the first to qualify when he won the March 29 Jim Beam Stakes at Turfway Park to stretch his unbeaten streak to four. He has been training at Churchill Downs and awaits the showdown.
Indian Charlie, trained by last year's winning conditioner Bob Baffert, stayed perfect while stretching his streak to four in an impressive victory on April 4 in the Santa Anita Derby, a race that produced last year's victor Silver Charm.
So all that was left was Favorite Trick's win in the Arkansas Derby to assemble three undefeated horses for the ultimate showdown and the ultimate prize.
No time in the rich history of America's most famous horse race had there ever been three perfect horses going for the first leg of the Triple Crown.
And there won't be for the 124th renewal either.
Favorite Trick could not roll an 11 at Hot Springs, but to say he crapped out would be unfair. The son of Phone Trick, who had a perfect nine-for-nine record that secured him Horse-of-the-Year honors as only the second freshman ever to take that Eclipse last year, made it 10 for 10 with a sophomore debut victory in the seven-furlong Swale Stakes at Gulfstream Park on March 14.
Spring fever his the champ in Hot Springs, or maybe just fever, but whatever the reason, Trick changed his trait in Arkansas and with it, his perfect record.
When the late afternoon starting gates swung open, Favorite Trick took his rider Pat Day by as much surprise as his trainer Bill Mott. The usually stalking presence of Favorite Trick was transformed to an uncharacteristic speed monster that unleashed a suicide mission with a 131-to-1 outsider. By the time the wire had come, Trick was collared by both the winner Victory Gallop and an unlucky longshot from California named Hanuman Highway.
Favorite Trick never gave it up, but just couldn't withstand fresh challenges from the stretch-runners after pushing the pace-setters into submission.
The Bluegrass Stakes didn't go as planned either. The most likely winner on the entire day sat in an expected rocking chair run by the prohibitive favorite Lil's Lad. The only confirmed front-runner in a short field of five, Lad was supposed to jaunt around the track for a well-paid afternoon workout.
That, however, was not what trainer Nick Zito or jockey Gary Stevens had in mind. Their charge, Halory Hunter, a confirmed stretch-runner, exploded on the final turn to close the easy lead of Lil's Lad and outran that one from the diamond-lane rail to score a win for Boston Celtics coach Rick Pitino, who owns the son of Jade Hunter. Zito will now try for his third Derby win of this decade while Pitino goes for the most unusual but coveted double in the commonwealth if Halory can match the 1996 NCAA champion Kentucky Wildcats.
While a good number of Big 3 Pick 3 tickets became souvenirs after Lad bit the dust, the Wood Memorial added speculation to the Derby cast. Coronado's Quest, who became known more for his pre-race antics than race performances, acted like the perfect gentleman before the Wood and turned into an elusive target once the field was dispatched. Making every pole a winning one, the son of Forty Niner put away a competitive filed in New York as easily as his bad manners from Florida. Even though his connections pronounced Coronado's Quest a non-Derby participant regardless of Saturday's outcome, you would have to think a little Monday morning quarterbacking may develop for the winner of six from 10 lifetime starts. Winter in Florida may yield to Kentucky in the spring.
This Derby may not be one for the record books, but certainly has the makings of one for the ages.
TOURNAMENT READY: The 35th edition of World Cup of Thoroughbred Handicapping at the Palace Station hotel-casino is the next stop on the tournament circuit. Scheduled for competition Thursday through Saturday, the best race handicappers will assemble for a chance at a top prize of $50,000 guaranteed, with a total of 21 daily prizes in different categories throughout the three-day confab. Coming on the heels of the city's most successful race tournament at the Orleans, this one is sure to be a winner.
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