DRAWN OUT TO A CIRCUS; DERBY SHOW SHOWS INEPTITUDE.

Byline: KEVIN MODESTI Horse Racing 

Outlined against Chris Lincoln, the poor horsemen rode again.

You had to feel sorry for them, all those successful horse owners, trainers and jockeys sitting in the Kentucky Derby Museum in Louisville on Wednesday, watching TV idiots and racetrack officials embarrass the sport.

They gathered for the Kentucky Derby post-positions drawing, which was done differently for this, the 124th running of the race. Instead of randomly selecting the horses' starting slots, Churchill Downs decided to randomly select a ``draft'' order, and then have horses' connections choose their own starting slots.

The idea was to spice up a ceremony that, because it's inherently boring, has seen its ESPN television audience shrink over the years.

It was a bad idea from the inception and worse in practice, producing a 60-minute TV show full of inside jokes, racing jargon guaranteed to intimidate the very viewers ESPN meant to attract and one colossal screwup by emcee Lincoln.

Fifteen horses were entered for Saturday's race. After 14 horses and their ``draft'' order were chosen Wednesday, the only horse left was Rock and Roll and the only number left should have been 5. But the last number shaken out of the bottle turned out to be No. 15, already assigned to Artax.

To TV viewers, it was pretty obvious what happened, that Artax actually drew No. 5 earlier but Lincoln misread it because he was joking around at the time and nobody double-checked him.

The assembled horsemen looked disgusted. The presiding officials looked stricken. They huddled. What to do?

The logical answer, seeing that only Artax and Rock and Roll were affected, would have been to flip a coin. Winner drafts fifth.

But the Churchill officials, led by chief steward Bernie Hettel, decided that state regulations required the whole drawing to be done over.

What buffoons: Most of the ESPN show was devoted to patting Churchill on the back for being willing to, as Charlsie Cantey put it, ``embrace change.'' Yet when something went wrong, they fell back on a rule that's been around since King Arthur.

They're lucky nobody's chances were seriously compromised by the re-selection. D. Wayne Lukas-trained Cape Town went from the No. 1 choice to No. 10 but wound up getting the acceptable post 11.

ESPN treated the mixup like a joke, Leslie Visser explaining it was ``just a mishap'' and offering no details.

Well, with the minor exception of the competitors, everybody got what they deserved.

The new draw procedure was stupid from the time it was announced last winter and it would be stupid for any of the other tracks that are considering similar gimmicks for their major races.

Bob Baffert, who trains Derby favorite Indian Charlie and contender Real Quiet, praised the change because forcing the horses' connections to make decisions on national TV ``lets people see these owners and trainers sweat.'' But if you aren't already a racing fan, you don't know who these owners and trainers are and you don't care how much they sweat.

What's so dramatic about Madeleine Paulson, co-owner of Rock and Roll, stepping up to a microphone and grunting, ``We're gonna take number 9?''

Horse racing, which recently named its first commissioner and has designs on ``major-league'' stature, had better hope nobody was watching when:

Lincoln identified Nationalore's owner-trainer as ``Cho Myung Kwon.'' It's Myung Kwon Cho.

Lincoln reported that the starting-gate crew will ``double load'' Saturday but never explained what the heck ``double load'' means. (Phone me if you really want to know.)

Lincoln kept referring to draft position No. 15 as ``the far outside,'' as if it were a post position, adding to the confusion.

ESPN's Chris Fowler, opening the show, saying, ``In case you're new to all this, the Kentucky Derby is leg one of the Visa Triple Crown Challenge.'' Gee, most of us thought the Derby was a tradition-steeped slice of Americana, but have it your way, Fowler, you shameless corporate mouthpiece.

Which brings us back to Lincoln, the big bozo who hosts ESPN's major-race coverage, coming off as a shill for the racetracks.

``Hello from Breakin' Downs, where the sun is always shining and the employees are always smiling,'' he'll say. ``Now, a probing interview with track president M.T. Promises. M.T., you were telling me over drinks last night exactly why the fans love Breakin' Downs so darned much. Repeat that now, won't you?''

Of course, Lincoln is only one of many things that are wrong with racing.

So what do racing officials decide to change? The post-position draw for the Kentucky Derby, a race that draws 140,000 to Churchill rain or shine and has increased its national wagering handle for eight straight years.

As a California racing executive said this week, ``The Kentucky Derby is the one race that doesn't need a gimmick.''

Here are two ideas for racing's new commissioner: Get rid of Chris Lincoln when you negotiate the next TV contract. And leave the Derby alone.

A WEEK AT THE RACES 

Hollywood Park standings: Jockeys (through Wednesday): Corey Nakatani, 8 winners; Kent Desormeaux, Rene Douglas, J.C. Gonzalez and Emile Ramsammy, 3. Trainers: Craig Dollase, 4; Richard Mandella, 3; Juan Garcia, Mike Harrington, Mike Mitchell and Ted West, 2.

Handicapper helper: In sprints - races of less than a mile - on Hollywood Park's renovated main track, more than half the winners have led from gate to wire.

Upcoming stakes: At Hollywood Park: $100,000 Mervyn LeRoy Handicap, 1 1/16 miles, and $100,000 Snow Chief, 1 1/16 miles, California-bred 3-year-olds, Saturday; $100,000 Hawthorne Handicap, fillies and mares, 1 1/16 miles, Sunday. At Los Alamitos: $105,000 Primero del Ano Derby, 3-year-old quarterhorses, 400 yards, tonight. At Churchill Downs: $500,000 Kentucky Oaks, 3-year-old fillies, 1-1/8 miles, today; $1 million Kentucky Derby, 1-1/4 miles, and $250,000 Early Times Turf Classic, 1-1/8 miles on turf, Saturday. At Aqueduct: $200,000 Carter Handicap, 7 furlongs, Sunday.

Mileposts: Hollywood will have a 1 p.m. first post today - most Fridays start at 7 p.m. - so it can take bets on the Kentucky Oaks (2:45 p.m.) and four other Churchill stakes (beginning at 11:30 a.m.). Neil Drysdale-trained Diamond on the Run (ridden by Desormeaux) is favored in an Oaks with several California contenders. . . . Saturday, Hollywood will open its gates at 8:30 a.m. and have its first live race at 1 p.m. The Derby is set for 2:27 p.m. and the first of seven other Churchill stakes is at 9:50 a.m. . . . Last year more than 60,000 fans watched the Derby at Hollywood and its satellites. . . . The Inglewood track is guaranteeing a gross pool of at least $1 million for its June 14 pick-six - a first-time promotion. . . . Gentlemen (3 furlongs in :37 3/5 at Hollywood) worked out Thursday for the first time since bleeding in the Santa Anita Handicap. Target: the June 28 Hollywood Gold Cup. . . . Bayakoa, the popular local mare, was elected to the National Thoroughbred Racing Hall of Fame along with Riva Ridge, Fort Marcy, trainer Bill Mott and jockey Jacinto Vasquez. . . . Quarterhorse Bee Secret gave D. Wayne Lukas his first Los Alamitos victory since the '70s on Sunday. . . . Eddie Delahoussaye and Matt Garcia finish three-day suspensions today.

- Kevin Modesti

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