GOING FOR THE 'ULTIMATE' DOUBLE.

Byline: Kevin Modesti Staff Writer

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Today's Kentucky Oaks, the Derby warm-up act that has drawn more than 100,000 fans to Churchill Downs in five of the past six years, could start trainer Nick Zito and owner Charlotte Weber on a historic weekend.

In the Gold, trained by Zito for Weber, is a contender in the Oaks, which matches eight 3-year-old fillies. They also have High Fly, one of Zito's five colts in the Derby.

The last time the same trainer or owner won the Oaks and Derby in the same year was 1952, when Real Delight and Hill Gail did the double for Ben Jones and Calumet Farm.

``I think that would probably be the ultimate of ultimates,'' said Weber, a Florida resident who races under the banner of Live Oak Plantation. ``It's really exciting. It's my wish, obviously, (to) to go on and pick up the big Visa check.''

Weber was referring to the $5 million an owner would get for sweeping the Triple Crown.

Sis City, who won the Davona Dale and Ashland by a combined 26 1/2 lengths, is a 4-5 morning-line favorite for the Oaks.

The field for the $500,000 race at 1 1/8 miles: Runway Model (Pat Valenzuela), In the Gold (Rafael Bejarano), Sis City (Edgar Prado), Summerly (Jerry Bailey), Rugula (Greta Kuntzweiler), Aspen Tree (Javier Castellano), Memorette (Kent Desormeaux) and Gallant Secret (Mike Smith).

--Inflation at work? If some Kentucky Derby contenders' morning-line odds seem a point or two shorter than they ought to be, maybe it's because Churchill Downs' Mike Battaglia laid a line in which the odds percentages add up to 140.

Since Kentucky takes 16 percent out of win, place and show bets for taxes, profits and so forth, an accurate morning line should fall between 115 and 120 percent.

To begin to balance everything out, you can adjust favorite Bellamy Road's 5-2 morning line to 3-1, Afleet Alex's 9-2 to 6-1, and Bandini's 6-1 to 8-1.

--On solid ground: Only two of the 20 horses entered in the Derby have raced at Churchill Downs. Don't Get Mad's victory in last Saturday's Derby Trial made him 2 for 2 at the track. Greater Good has a win and a third- place finish in stakes here as a 2-year-old.

Ron Ellis, who trains Don't Get Mad, is happy to claim that advantage.

``He obviously likes the track,'' Ellis said. ``I have always been a believer in horses for courses. I am glad the race is here.''

--Baffert line of the week: Three-time Derby-winning trainer Bob Baffert, who has a 50-1 shot in Lexington Stakes runner-up Sort It Out, said this when he was asked if he'd attend the news conference following Wednesday's post-position selections:

``Why should I? What are they going to ask me, what I'm wearing?''

--Trainer deals with MS: Kiaran McLaughlin has been living with multiple sclerosis since 1998, when he awoke in the middle of the night with excruciating pain in his neck and shoulders and thought he was having a heart attack.

The East Coast-based trainer of Derby long shot Closing Argument was scared.

``I worried about how I would keep a job,'' McLaughlin said.

In time, McLaughlin learned to manage the disease. He self-administers a daily injection of a medication that helps control MS.

McLaughlin had a serious attack in spring 1999 while training horses in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. It blurred his vision and forced him to walk with a cane. His only impairment now is a slight hitch in his gait.

``I've always had a bright outlook and a good attitude,'' said McLaughlin, 44. ``I've got a family, a wife and two kids to support, and I have a good staff.''

Closing Argument, 30-1 on the morning line, will be the first Derby runner saddled by McLaughlin, who spent seven years as an assistant trainer to four-time Derby winner D. Wayne Lukas.

The Associated Press contributed.

Kevin Modesti, [phone]

heymodesti(at)aol.com

CAPTION(S):

photo, box

Photo:

Trainer Nick Zito will saddle In The Gold in today's Kentucky Oaks and five horses in Saturday's Kentucky Derby.

Timothy D. Easley/Associated Press

Box:

UNDER THE SPIRES