MANY ON FORM IN DERBY; SMARTY JONES JUST BEST.

Byline: KEVIN MODESTI Horse Racing 

INGLEWOOD - The Kentucky Derby and formful results generally go together like Tony Soprano and the low-carb diet.

That's what makes Smarty Jones' victory in Saturday's Derby so impressive as handicappers begin to size up his chances in the May 15 Preakness Stakes.

The Derby produces more than its share of fluky winners because the contestants are growing 3-year-olds, they're encountering the biggest field of their lives, they're racing 1 1/4 miles for the first time in their careers, most of them are running on the quirky Churchill Downs track for the first time, and jockeys make mistakes during the most pressurized two minutes in sports. This year's Derby had a chance for bigger surprises than usual because of the depth of contention, the presence of rookie riders on several contenders and the afternoon cloudburst that turned the track to a shiny slop. Yet, the race turned out to be as close to predictable as any in memory.

-- Not only did the favorite win the race for the second time since Spectacular Bid in 1979, but the Smarty Jones-Lion Heart exacta made this the first time the crowd's 1-2 choices actually ran 1-2 since Seattle Slew led Run Dusty Run to the finish in 1977.

-- Every horse with single-digit odds finished in the top half of the field for the first time since Bold Forbes and Honest Pleasure led the way in 1976. Tapit, the 6-1 third choice, was the worst of the ostensible contenders, finishing ninth of the 18 starters.

-- Horses coming into the Derby with more than one victory in main-track graded stakes - or, in Smarty Jones' case, the Grade II Arkansas Derby and the $200,000 Rebel Stakes, the season's richest ungraded 3-year-old stakes - finished 1-2-3-4-5-7-9.

-- Horses who had earned more than one Beyer speed figure of 100 or higher in stakes races finished 1-2-3-4-5-7.

-- Horses from the Blue Grass Stakes, which had been the highest-rated Derby prep race, finished 2-4-5-6.

We're looking for something that might suggest this was an oddly-run Derby, would invalidate the 2 3/4-length victory by Smarty Jones and jockey Stewart Elliott and would leave them vulnerable in the Preakness against opponents expected to number six to 10.

Might the rainy, sloppy conditions have helped Smarty Jones, who chased pacesetter Lion Heart before surging ahead in the stretch while horses with longer fuses fizzled?

Maybe so. Smarty Jones had won the Arkansas Derby on a muddy track. But he'd won five other races on fast tracks in a perfect career that stands as quite a defense against any such charge.

Consider this: Smarty Jones was one of seven Derby starters who had won a previous race on an ``off'' track. The others with that presumed advantage finished 3-8-11-13-15-17. Borrego, who ran second to Smarty Jones in the mud in the Arkansas Derby, could do no better than 10th at Churchill Downs.

The point here is that a lot of proven good horses ran well in the 130th Kentucky Derby, but Smarty Jones simply ran better.

So, on to the 129th Preakness, second leg of a Triple Crown that concludes with the June 5 Belmont Stakes.

Smarty Jones trainer John Servis said the colt galloped well Thursday at Philadelphia Park and continues to thrive since the Derby.

``I'm leaning toward all-systems-go for the Preakness,'' said Servis, who has refused to declare Smarty Jones a certain starter until he's sure the colt is ``110 percent.''

Pimlico Race Course lists Derby runners Smarty Jones, Lion Heart, The Cliff's Edge (fifth) and Borrego as likely Preakness entrants. ``Fresh horses'' Eddington, Rock Hard Ten and Water Cannon also are likely. Possibilities are Imperialism (third), Preachinatthebar, Sir Shackleton and Royal Assault.

--The weekend: Hollywood Park puts on four stakes this weekend, with the Jim Murray Memorial Handicap topping Saturday's tripleheader and the Vanity on Sunday.

Adoration, the Breeders' Cup Distaff winner, will carry Mike Smith and 122 pounds - five more than her top opponent - in the Vanity. Also expected are Star Parade, Hope Rises, Victory Encounter, and possibly Potra Fabulous and Beaucette.

Bobby Frankel goes for his sixth victory in the 15 runnings of the Murray when he sends out Gassan Royal with Javier Santiago aboard.

Hollywood Park gave the Murray purse a dramatic raise to $400,000 in 2003 - it's worth $350,000 this time - one of a series of efforts to raise the profile of its summer turf races.

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Photo:

Pat Valenzuela extended his streak of days with at least one victory to eight since his return April 25 under a stay of a suspension.

Benoit Photo/Associated Press

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- Kevin Modesti and Daily News Wire Services