Columnist Ralph Siraco: Day helps steal show at Belmont Stakes

Ralph Siraco

Monday, June 12, 2000 | 10:33 a.m.

Ralph Siraco's horse racing column appears Monday, and his Southern California selections run Tuesday through Friday on the scoreboard page. Reach him c/o Las Vegas Sun, 800 S. Valley View Blvd., Las Vegas, NV 89107.

On Saturday at Belmont Park, poetic justice was served on a hot, sticky afternoon in Elmont, N.Y.

A surprisingly large crowd of 67,810 -- considering there was no Triple Crown bid on the line this year -- saw owners Bob and Beverly Lewis finally get a Belmont Stakes trophy as their Commendable braved 50 percent humidity, 10 other challengers and fate while winning the 132nd edition of the "Test of Champions."

Although the son of Gone West won the Grade I $1 million race, it was rider Pat Day who was coaxing his partner through an afternoon canter-in-the-park. That made it possible for the D. Wayne Lukas trainee to post only the second victory of his brief 8-race career.

It was anticipated that a horse who had not won a race other than its maiden-breaker would win the Belmont. But, Aptitude, who was sent off as the favorite at 9-5 odds, was not the one.

Instead, it was Commendable at an un-Lukas/Day-like payoff of $39.60 that stole the show.

And I do mean stole the show. At least Jessie James used a gun.

Day said Lukas had a plan, but even the Hall Of Fame trainer couldn't have expected his pre-race instructions to play out so precise in the race.

When Day met Lukas in the paddock, the trainer emphasized an "energy-saving" trip for Commendable. Lukas told the rider to sit just off pacesetter Hugh Hefner and try to stalk the leader from the outside and stay as relaxed as possible until they turned for home in the 1 1/2 mile classic. Then he was to ask Commendable and see what he has.

Day did just that. After a pedestrian run to the top of the homestretch, the sophomore answered by pulling away from the late challenges of stretch-runners Aptitude and Unshaded as if he had fell out of the sky at the quarter-pole.

The slow early fractions of 24, 49 1/5 and 1:14 1/5 were unchallenged by a pack of stalkers while Aptitude and Unshaded lagged in the rear of the 11-horse field. When Hugh Hefner finally packed it in, Commendable became a fresh and elusive target. Day executed a masterful plan that stole the final jewel of the Triple Crown. Although Aptitude and Unshaded rallied with solid runs, they could not overcome the mundane tempo that dictated the race.

Commendable, who finished 17th and 26 lengths behind winner Fusaichi Pegasus in the Kentucky Derby, turned his fortune around in the Belmont Stakes without a start between the two bookend Triple Crown races, making him the first to do so.

While Lukas was picking up his 13th trophy in a Triple Crown race -- four Kentucky Derbies, five wins in the Preakness and four Belmonts -- Day collected his sixth Triple Crown win. Lukas and Day partnered to win the Preakness in 1994 with Tabasco Cat and 1995 with Timber Country; the 1994 Belmont, also with Tabasco Cat; and now with Commendable.

But, for the Lewises, this was an exceptionally sweet victory. The "first-couple" of California racing has enjoyed overwhelming success in recent Triple Crown races. Their first Derby entrant, Serena's Song, finished 16th in 1995 while their first Triple Crown victory came as minority owners of Timber Country, who won that year's Preakness Stakes.

Then came racing Camelot. They returned to Louisville in 1997 with Silver Charm who promptly won the Derby and repeated his dramatic finish to win the Preakness two weeks later. With a Triple Crown bid on the line, Silver Charm was beaten in the shadow of the wire by Touch Gold to be denied in the Belmont Stakes.

It took just a year's absence before they were on the dance floor again. Last year, their Cinderella Derby and Preakness winner Charismatic was on the threshold of the Triple Crown when he broke down near the wire and courageously finished third in the Belmont Stakes.

So, when Bob and Beverly Lewis stepped onto the stage to accept the Belmont hardware all Bob had to say was, "We finally got our Belmont Stakes trophy."

As always, Bob Lewis -- ever the gentleman -- thanked Lukas and Day for the victory.

Lukas, sometimes to a fault, has always given his horses the chance to be great. Or, certainly, to win the big races. When many thought he was overly ambitious with Cat Thief in the Breeders' Cup Classic last year, the trainer rebuffed critics by greeting his horse in the winner's circle. Many of the same wondered why Lukas would run Commendable in the Belmont after six straight losses.

And again, Lukas met them in winner's circle.

That fact was not lost on winning rider Day, who also escorted Cat Thief in the Breeders' Cup, when he said, "I have to commend Mr. Lukas on his ability to bring (Commendable) up to this race."

You can bet on one thing: When they get Fusaichi Pegasus and Red Bullet back in the same starting gate, Commendable (if he is healthy) will certainly fill out the dance card.