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Lukas’ Good Luck Could Stop Here But His Thunder Gulch Favorite In Preakness Come Saturday

Associated Press

If jockey Jerry Bailey is right, trainer D. Wayne Lukas’ three-race winning streak in Triple Crown competition will end Saturday in the Preakness.

Bailey finished second in the Kentucky Derby on Tejano Run, sandwiched between the Lukas duo of winner Thunder Gulch and Timber Country.

“When Jerry got off the horse he said he was one race away,” Ken McPeek, Tejano Run’s trainer, said Thursday.

McPeek believes Tejano Run is the best physically he’s been all year and ready to win. He also believes “Thunder Gulch and Timber Country are the horses to beat, without a doubt.”

“They give me a good 1-2 punch,” said Lukas, who would become only the second trainer to win four straight Triple Crown races. Thunder Gulch’s Derby win followed Tabasco Cat’s victories in the 1994 Preakness and Belmont Stakes. Lucien Laurin won the 1972 Belmont with Riva Ridge and the 1973 Triple Crown with Secretariat.

Thunder Gulch was made the 2-1 early favorite in the field of 11 3-year-olds entered Thursday in the 1 3/16-mile Preakness at Pimlico. The front-running Talkin Man, who faded to 12th in the Derby, was listed at 4-1, followed by Timber Country, 9-2, and Tejano Run, 6-1.

Talkin Man, ridden by Mike Smith, drew the No. 4 post, while Tejano Run drew No. 5. Timber Country will start from No. 7 hole, and Thunder Gulch will leave No. 11.

“I’m not concerned - we handled it before out there,” Lukas said. Timber Country finished third after starting from the No. 15 post in the Derby, while Thunder Gulch won from the No. 16 post. While Thunder Gulch had a perfect trip under Gary Stevens, Timber Country had to rally from 10th with an eighth-mile remaining after having weaved in and out of traffic under Pat Day.

“Pat spent most of the time steering him rather than riding him,” Lukas said. “He was not nearly as aggressive as I wanted. I need Pat to put some zip into Timber Country. I need to give Pat a Vince Lombardi speech.”

Timber Country, the 1994 champion 2-year-old, is winless in four starts this year.

Thunder Gulch and Timber Country will race as separate betting interests because of different owners. Because of common ownership, Timber Country was coupled in the betting with the filly Serena’s Song in the Derby. Serena’s Song finished 16th and will race against fillies today in the Black-Eyed Susan.

xxxx PREAKNESS FIELD The field for Saturday’s 120th Preakness Stakes, with post position, horse’s name, jockey’s name and odds: 1. Itron Frazier 20-1 2. Our Gatsby Desormeaux 10-1 3. Mystery Storm Perret 20-1 4. Talkin Man Smith 4-1 5. Tejano Run Bailey 6-1 6. Pana Brass Maple 30-1 7. Timber Country Day 9-2 8. Star Standard McCarron 12-1 9. Mecke Davis 15-1 10. Oliver’s Twist Delgado 12-1 11. Thunder Gulch Stevens 2-1

Trainers (by post position): 1, Roy Frazier. 2, Donnie Von Hemel. 3, Larry Robideaux. 4, Roger Attfield. 5, Kenneth McPeek. 6, Alfredo Callejas. 7, D. Wayne Lukas. 8, Nick Zito. 9, Manny Tortora. 10, Bill Boniface Jr. 11, D. Wayne Lukas.