Columnist Ralph Siraco: There’s nothing fishy about Real Quiet — he’s real deal

Ralph Siraco

Monday, May 18, 1998 | 10:48 a.m.

WHAT A DIFFERENCE a year makes.

Just a year ago, jockey Kent Desormeaux and trainer Bob Baffert took away contrasting feelings -- and results -- from their experiences in the 1997 Preakness Stakes.

Desormeaux, who had been the big fish on the Maryland circuit in the '80s, came back to crabcake country aboard Free House for a chance to avenge a third-place Derby finish while Baffert had Derby winner Silver Charm poised for a Triple Crown assault, if he could take the Pimlico signature race.

In a thrilling, heart-stopping, nail-biting finisf, Desormeaux fell a photo finish short with Free House as Silver charm won by a head. Desormeaux rode hard and Free House tried his best, but Baffert, with the services of jockey Gary Stevens, prevailed.

While Silver Charm and Stevens couldn't complete a Triple Crown in the Belmont, as Sinatra would sing, it was a very good year.

Desormeaux -- who had three Eclipse Awards, 10 Maryland and 11 Southern California riding titles and the national record for the most single-year victories with 598 -- knew that, as talented as he is, a rider can't ride any faster than his horse will go, and Baffert had all the fast horses.

So, through the year, Desormeaux developed a professional relationship with Baffert, producing a successful partnership that culminated with respective championship titles for both at the recently concluded Santa Anita meeting.

This year's Preakness Stakes had Desormeaux and Baffert taking the same feelings and results away from the middle jewel of the Triple Crown.

On Saturday, the Desormeaux-ridden Baffert-trained Real Quiet silenced the opposition in the 123rd Preakness and again Baffert sits one race away from a Triple Crown, this time with Desormeaux in the saddles.

The horse they call the fish swims upstream as the shark of the Sport of Kings, trying to take a big bite of the Big Apple in the June 6 Belmont Stakes and, with it, a 12th Triple Crown in thoroughbred racing.

And this time, big mo is on their side.

Baffert is definitely on a Lukas-like hot streak in Triple Crown events. The silver-haired, 45-year-old Nogales, Ariz., native lost the 1996 Kentucky Derby with his first Derby starter, Cavonnier, by a nose. He promptly returned last year with Silver Charm, who finished third in the Belmont after Derby and Preakness victories.

This year, Real Quiet, who was, until his Saturday win and the Derby victory, Baffert's second-string Triple Crown hope, now looks like part of a real deal.

For a while, it looked as though Real Quiet wouldn't even win enough for his modest yearling purchase by owner Mike Pegram, who shelled out $17,000 for the lanky, thin horse that led to his label of the fish.

After failed attempts at Chruchill Downs, Hollywood Park, Santa Fe -- yes, Santa Fe -- and Del Mar, the fish finally caught the maiden bait on his seventh try in a route win at Oak Tree last year. A troubled third in the Grade III Kentucky Jockey Club at Churchill led to a promising victory in the Grade I Hollywood Futurity last December. A solid photo-finish runner-up in the Grade II San Felipe, followed by another useful second to his more famous stablemate Indian Charlie in the Grade I Santa Anita Derby, set Real Quiet up for Derby destiny in Louisville.

Although Baffert espoused the chances of Derby favorite Indian Charlie, Real Quiet continued to train well for the Derby. Baffert did concede, if the fish ran his best race, it could be good enough to win the roses.

He did, and it was.

Even after his Derby victory, many were not convinced that the son of Quiet American could repeat his Derby victory in the Preakness. And while Indian Charlie had dropped off the Triple Crown trail, Baffert was noticing how well the fish bounced back from the demanding Derby. When asked about the horse's ability to handle the stress and excitement of the Crown grind, Baffert said, "He has a super constitution; I can't recall another horse I've had who bounces back from a race any better than Real Quiet."

And boy, did he prove that on Saturday in Baltimore.

An unlucky draw in post position selections saw the Derby winner sitting on the outside looking in from Post 11. And, although there were some key defections that included Halory Hunter (fourth in the Derby) and Wood winner Coronado's Quest, Real Quiet couldn't secure the favorite's role in the Grade I Preakness.

It was all academic when the dust settled in the 1 3/16-mile million-dollar jewel at Pimlico.

After racing wide on the first turn and continuing the overland route down the backstretch, Desormeaux swung his equine running machine six wide to sweep by whoever were the nondescript leaders, in tandem with race favorite Victory Gallop, and looped to the lead in the middle of the track as though the others had turned to stone.

Real Quiet kept to his task while holding Victory Gallop a safe second, as he did in the Derby, even with new rider Gary Stevens. Somebody had to be third, and that went to Classic Cat.

Desormeaux doesn't think the 1 1/2 miles of the Belmont will be a problem for Real Quiet and trainer Baffert says he keeps throwing his speed furlong after furlong until he wears down his rivals.

He'll need 12 of those furlongs in the Belmont Stakes to be the 12th Triple Crown winner.