CONCERTO GETS KEY VICTORY; INEXCESSIVELYGOOD DESTROYED.

Byline: Associated Press 

Concerto won the $600,000 Jim Beam Stakes at Turfway Park on Saturday in Florence, Ky., likely thrusting himself into the Triple Crown picture even though he hasn't been considered the star of New York Yankees owner George Steinbrenner's stable.

``We don't have first and second strings,'' said Steinbrenner, whose Acceptable had been considered a possible star until he flopped in Florida. ``We're just fortunate we've got several talented young horses - some of whom you haven't even seen yet.''

Concerto, under Carlos Marquez Jr., was restrained in the middle of the pack until the final quarter mile, then slowly eased past Inexcessivelygood in a stretch duel.

Inexcessivelygood broke down about 150 yards from the finish line, throwing Hall of Fame jockey Chris McCarron. Jack Flash finished second, ahead of Shammy Davis, which had to swerve sharply to avoid the downed horse and jock.

Inexcessivelygood, trained by Bob Baffert, had to be humanely destroyed. McCarron was taken to a hospital where it was determined that he had broken three ribs and was advised to delay his return to California until today.

Baffert, who had combined with McCarron on the Beam undercard for a track record with Anet, said he had high hopes for Inexcessivelygood.

``You could see the horse was digging in, trying to win. It cost him his life,'' Baffert said. ``Things like that, it's like getting hit by lightning.''

Concerto ran 1-1/8 miles in 1:48 1/5, nearly two seconds slower than Hansel's track record. Jack Flash finished 2-1/2 lengths behind Concerto, and Shammy Davis was another half-length back. Both are trained by Nick Zito.

The win by Concerto, trained by John Tammaro III, was his fourth in succession, dating to November, and thrust him into the Triple Crown picture.

Turfway oddsmaker Mike Battaglia, who also makes the line at Churchill Downs, had said a win by Concerto would likely make him no worse than the third choice for the Kentucky Derby.

Concerto broke from the sixth hole in the field of 10. Celtic Warrior, who prefers an off track, was a late scratch because the track dried so quickly.

Despite a drenching overnight rain, which left the track rated muddy for the first race, a warm breeze quickly dried the surface. By the time the Beam was run, the early fractions looked like California times.

Radu Cool goes wire to wire: Radu Cool, ridden by Rene Douglas, held the lead from the start and won the $79,160 Santa Lucia Handicap by 3-1/2 lengths at Santa Anita.

Logia, with Victor Espinoza, finished second, a head up on Listening and Martin Pedroza, in the field of nine fillies and mares aged 4 and up.

Radu Cool, the 7-1 outsider, was racing for the first time since fall 1995 and earned $49,160 for the victory, increasing his lifetime earnings to $231,410. It was the 5-year-old mare's sixth victory in 14 starts.

The winner covered 1 1/16 miles over a fast track in 1:42 1/5 and paid $14, $6.40 and $4.60. Logia was worth $9.40 and $6.60 and Listening paid $3.40.

Rain in the desert?Two hours of torrential rain left the Nad Al Sheba racetrack in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, waterlogged and postponed the $4 million Dubai World Cup. A meeting today will determine when the race will be run.

Smokin Mel goes extra distance: Smokin Mel, a long shot who never had raced farther than six furlongs, won the one-mile $200,000 Gotham by a half-length at Aqueduct in New York.

The winner, carrying 112 pounds and jockey John Velazquez, came off the pace and crossed the finish line in 1:34 1/5.

Ordway finished fast to be runner-up in the 11-horse field of 3-year-olds, a neck ahead of Wild Wonder.