Columnist Ralph Siraco: Monarchos runs with some fast company

Ralph Siraco

Monday, May 7, 2001 | 10:26 a.m.

Ralph Siraco's horse racing column appears Monday and his Southern California selections appear Tuesday-Sunday. Reach him c/o Las Vegas Sun, 2275 Corporate Circle Drive, Suite 300, Henderson, NV 89014.

The 127th running of the Kentucky Derby on Saturday could have been a national ad for a safe driving campaign. The title would declare: "Speed kills."

That is, of course, if you were any of the six horses in the pack chasing the suicidal pace set by Songandaprayer -- a start that set up an electrifying charge by eventual winner Monarchos in the 1 1/4-mile classic.

Take nothing away from the powerful performance by the son of 1995 Juvenile Eclipse Award winner Maria's Mon, because there were more than a few devoted stretch runners that were set up for a closing charge, but in the end there was only the Monarchos freight train a-comin'.

And come he did. After the 17-horse field passed under the wire for the first time in the run for the roses, the winner had only four horses beat. Monarchos made up more than 14 lengths in one loop around the Churchill Downs track to run down, past and through a dozen Derby challengers.

Two of those challengers were highly regarded Bob Baffert trainees: the favorite, Point Given, and the pace-surviving Congaree.

But what made this Derby was speed -- breakneck speed.

Visions of what was to come started early on the Derby day racing program. The track was lightning fast. The first race produced a new track record for the popular sprint distance of 6 1/2 furlongs, and before the horses took the track to "My Old Kentucky Home" for the main event, there were four track records established.

This Derby was touted to have enough speed to be lethal. And most of it drew the inside post positions. So it was no surprise when the starting gate opened for the quarter-mile run to the first turn, the inside flight led the pack.

Songandaprayer flew from post No. 1 and rolled through the opening quarter in 22.25 seconds on the way to the fastest half-mile clocking in Derby history. Jockey Aaron Gryder had Songandaprayer blazing past the half-mile marker in 44.86, with Balto Star, Keats, Millennium Wind and Congaree in close pursuit. Of those, only Congaree would sustain the pressure-cooker pace for a solid finish.

Point Given was ambling along outside the "kamikaze five" and appeared to be in the perfect striking position. But, as jockey Gary Stevens later reported, his muscular equine partner was not responding on this day. When the field passed the six-furlong pole in 1:09.25 (which would be the winning time for most races at that sprint distance), Songandaprayer had little left, and he started falling back through the field, taking all but Congaree with him. Meanwhile, jockey Jorge Chavez was painting a masterpiece as he guided Monarchos to clear sailing.

At the top of the homestretch, and to the roar of the 154,210 in attendance (the second-largest Derby crowd in history), Congaree was challenged by stablemate Point Given. Trainer Bob Baffert's Derby dream was coming in focus. But, in a moment, it turned into a Derby nightmare for the silver-haired conditioner when Point Given gave it up and Congaree turned out to be brave but leg-weary.

Monarchos passed Congaree so quickly he could have gotten a speeding ticket of his own, as he rolled to a 4 1/2-length victory in the first leg of the Triple Crown, while Invisible Ink tagged Congaree in the shadow of the finish line for second.

This Kentucky Derby will also be remembered for records -- lots of records. Although they did not time races in hundredths of a second in 1973, Secretariat was the only Derby winner to crack the two-minute mark until Saturday. His time of 1:59 2/5 was just two lengths faster than the 1:59.97 that Monarchos ran in Saturday's $1 million-plus race.

Although Monarchos returned $23 to win, it was Invisible Ink at 46-1 that triggered the largest exacta payoff in Derby history. The 16-13 combination returned $1,229, and the record Derby trifecta with No. 8 Congaree paid $12,238.40. The superfecta of 16-13-8-4 (Thunder Blitz finished fourth) was good for $62,986.90 for a $1 wager, also a record.

This Kentucky Derby was billed as the finest group of contenders in many years, and the wagering reflected just how much the betting public believed in their Derby selections. The total Derby pool was $71.1 million, a nine percent increase over last year's Derby, and $62.7 million of it was bet off track -- an 11 percent increase from last year. Based on the standing room-only crowds at Nevada race books, the Silver State was a healthy contributor to both of those records.

Bob Baffert seemed puzzled and disappointed after his quest for a third Derby win in five years fell short.

"The horse I know didn't show up," he said of Point Given.

Trainer John Ward, a Kentucky native, brought a finely tuned Monarchos to the Derby. The Florida Derby winner was runner-up in the Wood Memorial, a race that appeared to tighten up the Derby winner well.

"I guess the feeling is it's a reinforcement that everything you believe isn't a myth. It's truth," Ward said. "Your horse has given you the satisfaction of justifying the faith that you put in them."

Ward said Monarchos will continue his try for the Triple Crown and expects to depart for Pimlico Race Course on Wednesday for the May 19 Preakness Stakes.

Other Derby runners heading for Pimlico are Congaree, and Point Given (fifth place in the Derby), and possibly A P Valentine (seventh), who would ship to Baltimore for trainer Nick Zito.

Those who will head elsewhere are Balto Star (14th), who suffered a mild case of heat stroke in the Derby, and Invisible Ink, who is heading for the New York circuit.

Also, Thunder Biltz will pass up the middle jewel of the Triple Crown and prepare for the Belmont Stakes on June 9. Millennium Wind (11th) will get some rest to clear up his skin and hoof problems, while Jamaican Rum (sixth) will head back to California.

Express Tour (eighth) ships to New York with no immediate plans, Songandaprayer (13th) ships to Monmouth Park, Dollar Bill (15th) will get some rest, as will Keats (16th) and Talk Is Money (17th). Startac (10th) will go back to grass racing and is a likely starter in the August 18 Secretariat on the turf at Arlington Park. Fifty Stars (10th) just wasn't good enough and Artic Boy (12th) tired.