NOBODY KNOWS ABOUT THE NOSE.Byline: Kevin Modesti Staff Writer When 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. heard about racehorses wearing nasal strips - like the ones two-legged athletes use to open up the air passages - he laughed as hard as anybody. ``I said, `Whoa, I've seen all the gimmicks . . .,' '' the Hall of Fame trainer said this week. What next? Horses with eye black, knee pads, sweatbands? But Lukas isn't sure it's a joke anymore. He plans to affix affix v. 1) to attach something to real estate in a permanent way, including planting trees and shrubs, constructing a building, or adding to existing improvements. the strips to his seven horses in Saturday's Breeders' Cup races at Gulfstream Park, including Cat Thief in the Classic and contender Surfside surf·side adj. Situated or sited at or near the seashore: surfside parties; a surfside road. in the Juvenile Fillies. Trainers Bobby Frankel (four horses) and Joe Orseno (three) also plan to use the strips, essentially larger and darker-colored versions of the white Band-Aid-like items humans wear. None of the three is convinced the strips will make a difference. Or that they won't. None of the three has used them before. ``The bottom line is, it might help and it won't hurt,'' Lukas said. The strips were sent to trainers all over the country last month by the same company that makes the product for people. Their arrival caused surprising controversy. Although Florida, Kentucky and other states approved their use, California and New York racing officials said no for now, citing questions about whether the betting public had to be informed of their addition and removal (as is the case with certain medications and with blinkers blinkers 1. rigid pieces of leather fitted to a head harness at a point where they will obstruct the horse's lateral vision. 2. a more sophisticated piece of harness worn by expensive horses consisting of a canvas head-covering with holes for the ears to protrude and two though not with other equipment changes). Santa Anita stewards ordered Frankel to remove a nasal strip affixed af·fix tr.v. af·fixed, af·fix·ing, af·fix·es 1. To secure to something; attach: affix a label to a package. 2. to a filly named Zante in the Santa Anita paddock before an Oct. 28 race. Zante finished second in the race. ``I said (to the stewards), `Why? You let 'em run with everything else - earmuffs Earmuffs are objects designed to cover a person's ears for protection. They consist of a thermoplastic or metal head-band, that fits over the top of the head, and a pad at each end, to cover the external ears. , tongue ties,' '' Frankel, still exasperated, said at Gulfstream. ``If I'd put it on his (hindquarters), they'd have let me run him. Why worry about a Band-Aid? ``But you know what it is? It's the human race. Anything they don't know about, they're frightened of.'' California Horse Racing Board spokesman Mike Marten marten, name for carnivorous, largely arboreal mammals (genus Martes) of the weasel family, widely distributed in North America, Europe, and central Asia. Martens are larger, heavier-bodied animals than weasels, with thick fur and bushy tails. said Thursday the matter is under review. Frankel said he'll try a strip on Bouccaneer in one of the Breeders' Cup-eve stakes races here today, the opener of a special three-day Gulfstream ``season.'' The Hall of Fame trainer, who hasn't won a Breeders' Cup race in 31 tries, will run Juddmonte Farms-owned English import Chester House in the Classic on Saturday. ``Obviously it's not going to help 'em 10 lengths, but it might help 'em that much,'' Frankel said, holding his hands inches apart. ``And how often do you get beat by that much?'' Pretty often. In Kentucky late last month, horses wearing nasal strips won at 33-1 and 9-1 odds. Inconclusive data, but provocative. ``It'll be years before we know if they really make a difference,'' Lukas said. Breeders' Cup officials aren't requiring trainers to declare their intention to use the strips. No public notification is planned. But the strips should be visible low on horses' snouts even if they wear blinker hoods. ``If you're a hard-core handicapper hand·i·cap·per n. Sports & Games 1. One who assigns handicaps. 2. One who predicts the winners in a horserace, especially one who publishes such predictions as a guide for bettors. Noun 1. and your life depends on knowing everything about a horse, go to the paddock (and look at the noses),'' Lukas said. BREEDERS' CUP TURF The Breeders' Cup Turf is a Weight for Age Thoroughbred horse race on turf for three-year-olds and up. It is held annually at a different racetrack in the United States or Canada as part of the Breeders' Cup. The race's current title sponsor is John Deere. Purse: $4 million; $2.08 million to the winner. Eligible: 3-year-olds and up. Distance: 1-1/4 miles on the main (dirt) track. Record: 1:59.16 by Skip Away in 1997 at Hollywood Park. History: The general public knows the Kentucky Derby; but the Breeders' Cup Classic The Breeders' Cup Classic is a Grade 1 Weight for Age thoroughbred horse race for 3 years old and older run at a distance of 1¼ miles (2012 m) on dirt. It is held annually at a different racetrack in the United States or Canada as part of the Breeders' Cup. is the race of the year for insiders, the sport's heavyweight championship, the richest U.S. race. Six of the 15 winners were voted Horse of the Year. No Classic loser has received that title. Memorable Classic moments are Wild Again's wild victory in the 1984 inaugural, featuring Gate Dancer's disqualification from second for interfering with Slew o'Gold in the stretch; Ferdinand's narrow win over Alysheba in the 1987 battle of Derby winners; Alysheba's 1988 win in near darkness at Churchill Downs; Sunday Silence's grudge-match win over Easy Goer (1989); French import Arcangue's 133-1 stunner stunner device used in abattoirs to stun an animal so that it is unconscious when it is bled out. concussion stunner a captive-bolt, nonpenetrating device, activated by a standard bullet. (1993). Contenders: Not the race it might have been before midseason injuries and retirements, Saturday's finale finds New York-based 5-year-old Behrens a lukewarm favorite to clinch the Horse of the Year title with his fifth win in nine starts. He'll have to beat 13 other horses, including the Bob Baffert-trained duo of 3-year-old California-bred General Challenge and 6-year-old ex-claimer River Keen; Arab-owned Almutawakel; and Belmont Stakes winner Lemon Drop Kid Lemon Drop Kid (foaled 1996) is a Champion American Thoroughbred racehorse. He is among many stakes-winning Thoroughbreds to be descended from Triple Crown winner Seattle Slew. Seattle Slew is the sire of his dam, Charming Lassie. . - Kevin Modesti CAPTION(S): Photo, Box Photo: (1--Color) At least 14 horses will try nasal strips in Saturday's Breeder's Cup. Associated Press Box: BREEDERS' CUP TURF (See text) |
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