Columnist Ralph Siraco: Scrimshaw puts Lukas back in the Derby

Ralph Siraco

Monday, April 21, 2003 | 9:05 a.m.

Ralph Siraco's horse racing column appears Monday and his Southern California selections run Tuesday-Sunday.

The Kentucky Derby field is complete. Until Saturday's Lexington Stakes at Keeneland Race Course, it appeared the man who has ruled the Derby scene from his first winner in 1988 with the filly Winning Colors through a Charismatic victory in 1999, was about to get shut out in Louisville on the first Saturday in May.

About to get shut out again.

D. Wayne Lukas has started more horses in the Kentucky Derby than any other trainer. Of those record 39 starters, four have taken the roses. Between Winning Colors and Charismatic came Thunder Gulch in 1995 and Grindstone, who completed a sixth consecutive Triple Crown victory run for Lukas in 1996.

But in recent years, Lukas has made the Kentucky Derby cut on the last putt.

There have been more than 50 prep races for sophomores since the turn of the year, yet Lukas has made the field by winning the final preps leading into the Kentucky Derby for the third time in the past five years.

When Scrimshaw came bounding home by 3 lengths in the Grade II Lexington, the son of Gulch assured another Derby starter for Lukas on May 3. Just 14 days removed and no serious Kentucky Derby prep races left, Lukas will head to the Kentucky Derby with a starter in America's most famous horse race for a record 22nd time in the past 23 editions.

The Lexington win will send owners Bob and Beverly Lewis back to Kentucky for a chance at a Derby hat trick. The Lewis' first won the Kentucky Derby in 1997 with Silver Charm, who was trained by Bob Baffert. The Lewis' teamed with Lukas to win with Charismatic and together may experience a little deja vu all over again, as Yogi Berra would put it.

Charismatic captured the Lexington Stakes in his Derby year, and as a last-minute Derby starter gave Chris Antley a final moment of glory before the jockey's untimely death. Jockey Jerry Bailey guided Charismatic to his Lexington victory but already had committed to ride Worldly Manner in the Derby.

On Saturday, jockey Edgar Prado accepted the Lexington assignment on Scrimshaw. And, as in 1999, the Lukas-trained, Lewis-owned Lexington winner will now wait for a replacement rider. Prado is committed to ride Louisiana Derby and Blue Grass Stakes winner Peace Rules in the Derby. And Prado is sure to stay put with Frankel.

In 1999, jockey Laffit Pincay Jr. passed on the Charismatic ride for the Derby. Alex Solis is the only jockey who has ridden Scrimshaw who still may be available. Only Jerry Bailey, who is also committed to a Frankel Derby favorite, Empire Maker, has been aboard Lukas' Derby prospect. Scrimshaw's auspicious racing career started with a solid debut victory Nov. 3 at the Oak Tree meet. He returned on opening day of the recently completed Santa Anita session for a gutty photo-finish victory in an allowance race Dec. 26.

After finishing third in the Grade II Santa Catalina Stakes in his sophomore debut Jan. 18, the Scrimshaw rickshaw blew a tire in the Feb. 15 Hutcheson Stakes at Gulfstream Park. After throat surgery to correct the cause of the Hutcheson fade job, Scrimshaw was back on track.

But with time running out, the Lexington was the last-ditch attempt to make the Derby for Lukas and company.

Lukas has been here before. In addition to Charismatic's successful Lexington-Derby parlay, Lukas, a four-time Eclipse Award-winning trainer, won the Lexington last year with Proud Citizen. Then Proud Citizen went on to finish second to War Emblem in the Derby.

Lukas was understated about the Lexington victory.

"I think this sets us up well for what we're trying to do," he said. And, he also was philosophical about the tightrope schedule of Scrimshaw's preparation.

"I've never thought you had to look good in February (to win the Derby). I'm the old man of the Derby trainers now, and I think I'm learning through experience," he said.

His Kentucky Derby record speaks volumes for experience. His later years are starting to speak volumes for cliff-hanging drama.