Lukas Yells ‘Timber’ At Preakness

Timber Country and Thunder Gulch reversed their Kentucky Derby roles on Saturday in the Preakness and, while neither can become a Triple Crown horse, D. Wayne Lukas can become a Triple Crown trainer.

Thunder Gulch, the Derby winner, ran another big race but this time he had to play second fiddle to his stablemate, who had finished third in the Derby.

“I did things politically correct,” the smiling Lukas said. “I got the other horse third and balanced things out.”

While Lukas obviously would have settled for another victory by Thunder Gulch, he was particularly pleased the horse that beat the Derby winner was Timber Country.

As the colt sped through the stretch for his first win as a 3-year-old, Lukas cheered, “Come on, Timber! Come on, Timber.”

“I think Wayne will sleep better tonight,” said W.T. Young, a co-owner of Timber Country, the champion 2-year-old of 1994.

“This will put to rest a lot of comments on Timber Country,” Lukas said after the colt gave him a record-tying fourth straight winner in a Triple Crown race.

While Timber Country might have been criticized in some quarters for his failure to win in his first four starts this year, he was still sent off as the 9-5 favorite in the field of 11 3-year-olds.

Thunder Gulch, who paid a whopping $51 to win the Derby, was the 7-2 third choice, becoming the third Derby winner in four years not to be favored in the Preakness.

Lukas, who was unhappy with Pat Day’s ride aboard Timber Country in the Derby, found no fault this time. But the 41-year-old jockey did criticize the colt.

“He wasn’t giving 110 percent through the stretch,” Day said of Timber Country, who started looking around after taking the lead at midstretch.

But the strapping chestnut gave enough to hold off Maryland-bred Oliver’s Twist for a half-length victory. Thunder Gulch finished another neck back and four lengths in front of Star Standard.

After the Derby, Lukas said he felt Day wasn’t impressive enough. In that race, Timber Country was 10th with only an eighth of a mile to go before Day found an opening that moved him to third.

After the Preakness, Lukas said, “I gave Pat my best Vince Lombardi speech after the fifth race today. I took him and Gary Stevens (Thunder Gulch’s jockey) up to the jock’s room and played them some ‘Rocky’ tapes.

“Seriously, I told Pat it was time to fish or cut bait.”

Day fished, and caught a big one.

Lukas told Day that he changed Timber Country’s training pattern and that the jockey would find him “a little more on his toes today. Give him a place to run and he’ll go on from there.”

Day had Timber Country just off the rail for most of the 1 3-16 miles before taking him about five horses wide on the final turn to put him in position for his winning drive.

Thunder Gulch, who got a perfect trip in the Derby, didn’t have a bad one Saturday, either.

“My colt by no means disappointed himself,” Stevens said. “He’s been consistent all year long. He comes out of the Derby, runs big today and just gets beat for second. I have a lot of respect for him. He’s a tryer.”

Timber Country paid $5.80, $4.20 and $2.80. Oliver’s Twist, ridden by Alberto Delgado, returned $16.80 and $6.40. Thunder Gulch was $3.60 to show.

Timber Country and Thunder Gulch did not run as an entry because of separate owners.

The winner completed the 1 3-16 miles under 126 pounds on a fast track in 1:54 2-5, 1 second off the stakes record set by Tank’s Prospect in 1985.

Completing the order of finish were Mecke, Talkin Man, Our Gatsby, Mystery Storm, Tejano Run, Pana Brass and Itron.

A crowd of 87,707, second-largest ever at Pimlico, watched Lukas tie Lucien Laurin as the only trainers to win four straight Triple Crown races. Laurin won the 1972 Belmont Stakes with Riva Ridge and the 1973 Triple Crown with Secretariat. Lukas’ streak includes Tabasco Cat’s Preakness and Belmont victories last year.

Tabasco Cat’s Preakness win halted a 2 1/2-year drought in which Lukas failed to win a Grade I stakes race.

MEMO: This sidebar appeared with the story: PREAKNESS PAYOFFS Horse Win Place Show Timber Country 5.80 4.20 2.80 Oliver’s Twist 16.80 6.40 Thunder Gulch 3.60