LUKAS COMPLETES A BELMONT TRIPLE : EDITOR'S NOTE HOLDS OFF SKIP AWAY, WINS BY LENGTH.Byline: Ed Schuyler Jr. Associated Press Associated Press: see news agency. Associated Press (AP) Cooperative news agency, the oldest and largest in the U.S. and long the largest in the world. After a one-race absence from the winner's circle win·ner's circle n. pl. winners' circles An enclosed area at a racetrack where the winning horse and jockey are brought for awards and publicity. Noun 1. in Triple Crown races, D. Wayne Lukas Darrell Wayne Lukas (born September 2, 1935 in Antigo, Wisconsin) is a former educator who became one of the most successful horse trainers in American Thoroughbred horse racing history and a U.S. Racing Hall of Fame inductee. returned Saturday in the Belmont Stakes Belmont Stakes Oldest of the three U.S. horse races that constitute the Triple Crown. The Belmont originated in 1867 and is named after August Belmont (see Belmont family). The stakes is held in early June at Belmont Park, near Garden City, Long Island; the course is 1.5 mi (2,400 m). - with a colt who had lost his nine previous starts. Editor's Note Editor's Note (foaled in 1993 in Kentucky) is an American thoroughbred Stallion racehorse. He was sired by 1992 U.S. Champion 2 YO Colt Forty Niner, who in turn was a son of Champion sire Mr. Prospector and out of the mare, Beware Of The Cat. Trained by D. took the lead from Skip Away Skip Away (born April 4, 1993), a gray thoroughbred race horse, was named America's Champion 3 Year Old Male in 1996 and twice (1997, 1998) named America's Champion Handicap Horse. with about 3/16ths of a mile to go, gave it back almost immediately, then regained it to win by a length. While Lukas and owner W.T. Young, who combined to win the Kentucky Derby with Grindstone grindstone or grind common metaphor for industriousness. [Pop. Culture: Misc.] See : Industriousness , celebrated the victory, trainer Bob Baffert watched favored Cavonnier leave the track in a horse ambulance because of a bowed tendon in his right front leg. Another one of the 14 starters, South Salem, was eased as he crossed the finish line. Editor's Note had finished sixth in the Derby. He was third in the Preakness when Lukas' streak of six straight Triple Crown victories was snapped by Louis Quatorze, who finished fourth on this bright, humid Saturday. ``One in a row is not a streak,'' joked Lukas after becoming the fourth trainer to win at least three straight Belmonts. ``Woody's streak is safe,'' he said, referring to Woody Stephens' five straight Belmont wins from 1982-86. ``I told Bill Young, there's one out there with his (Editor's Note's) name on it,'' Lukas said. ``I think he matured through the season.'' ``The excitement of these Triple Crown races has had me on the verge On the Verge (or The Geography of Yearning) is a play written by Eric Overmyer. It makes extensive use of esoteric language and pop culture references from the late nineteenth century to 1955. of tears several times,'' said the 77-year old Young, who had to retire Grindstone after his Derby victory because of an injury. ``But now I'm going to have a good cry of happiness.'' Editor's Note, whose last previous victory was in the Kentucky Cup Juvenile Sept. 23 at Turfway Park, was ridden by Rene Douglas. He replaced Gary Stevens, who told Lukas on Wednesday night that a shoulder injury would keep him from riding. ``Right now there is no feeling at all,'' said Douglas, 29, when asked how it felt to win a Triple Crown race. ``He did everything like a nice horse does.'' Skip Away finished four lengths in front of the filly, My Flag, who was another two lengths ahead of Louis Quatorze, trained by Nick Zito. Zito has two Derby victories and a Preakness victory, but he has never been able to finish better than second in the Belmont, something he has done four times in the 1990s. Zito won the 1994 Derby with Go For Gin Go for Gin (foaled 1991 in Kentucky) is an American thoroughbred racehorse most well known as the winner of the 1994 Kentucky Derby. He was sired by Cormorant out of the dam Never Knock. and then Lukas reeled off six wins before Louis Quatorze ended his streak three weeks ago. A trainer not named Lukas or Zito has not won a Triple Crown race since Scotty Schulhofer won the 1993 Belmont with Colonial Affair. Editor's Note, carrying 126 pounds, as did every starter except My Flag at 121, completed the 1-1/2 miles on a fast track in 2:28.96. Completing the order of finish were the Lukas-trained Prince of Thieves, Rocket Flash, Natural Selection, Jamies First Punch, In Contention, Traffic Circle, Saratoga Dandy and Appealing Skier. Secreto de Estado was scratched about an hour before the race because of a fever of 101.5 degrees. ``I've been blessed with great horses and wonderful owners,'' Lukas said. ``It's what it's all about! . . . The Belmont track with its sweeping turns and distances helps. Rene Douglas gave him a super ride.'' Douglas did perform superbly. He had Editor's Note laying about 11th down the backstretch back·stretch n. The part of an oval racecourse farthest from the spectators and opposite the homestretch. , then had him between horses to sixth or seventh with a half-mile to go. Douglas then took Editor's Note four wide into the turn to become fourth in mid-turn and second at the quarter pole. Then Editor's Note and Skip Away, on the inside, began their stretch duel that had a crowd of 40,797 roaring. Editor's Note was not to be denied Saturday as he gained his first victory in seven starts this year and his fourth win in 17 races. The stakes-tested colt also has four seconds and three thirds, and with the winner's share of $437,880 now has a career bankroll bank·roll n. 1. A roll of paper money. 2. Informal One's ready cash. tr.v. bank·rolled, bank·roll·ing, bank·rolls Informal of $963,894. CAPTION(S): Photo, Chart PHOTO Trainer D. Wayne Lukas captured the Belmont wi th a horse who hadn't won since September. Associated Press Chart: Belmont Stakes Chart |
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