Hall of Fame trainer D. Wayne Lukas sent his three-pronged Preakness threat
onto the track early Wednesday morning for some light exercise, and he was more
than pleased with the way they handled the 12-hour van ride the day before.
“They were great,” said the 77-year-old Lukas, who is looking for his sixth
Preakness victory. “I was pleasantly surprised this morning. I did a little with
them, just jogged them and tried to let them get their energy level up, but they
were excellent out there this morning. I was really surprised at how well they
shipped.”
Oxbow and Will Take Charge have an experience edge over Titletown Five and
are coming off sixth- and eighth-place finishes in the Kentucky Derby, but Lukas
gives all three a chance to be factors in the middle jewel of the Triple Crown.
“If you look at the aerial view of the Derby and study it, Will Take Charge
ran one hell of a race,” Lukas said of the Rebel winner. “He was totally
stopped. He was moving probably better than Orb at that point. Whether he’d have
finished with him is speculation at best. I think he’d have been second. He’s
not a stop-and-start horse.”
Oxbow chased the frantic pace set by Palace Malice in Kentucky and still
managed to hold on for sixth while most of the others who went out early faded
to the back of the pack. Lukas said he has come back to himself quickly despite
the demanding Derby trip.
“He worked this week at Churchill (four furlongs in :49 4/5) and Gary
(Stevens) said that was the most relaxed, the best he’s ever had him work, so
he’s a factor in here,” Lukas said. “With the sixteenth of a mile shorter and
everything, he’ll be OK.”
Stevens, who rode both Oxbow and Titletown Five in their respective last
starts, will be replaced on Titletown Five by Julien Leparoux. Jon Court has
been replaced by Mike Smith on Will Take Charge. Lukas said he wasn’t displeased
with Court’s performance.
“I thought if we could get three world-class Eclipse (Award-winning) riders,
I’d be remiss if I didn’t give my clients that opportunity,” Lukas said. “I ran
it by them, and they were excited about it. Nothing against Jon Court; I rode
him all spring with good luck, but I think it’s the coach in me. I always tell
those riders we’re just gonna date, we’re not gonna get married.”
The unknown commodity of the Lukas trio is Titletown Five, co-owned by the
trainer and two former Green Bay Packers (Paul Hornung and Willie Davis) among
others. The colt’s name comes from the nickname for Green Bay and Hornung’s
uniform number.
“He’s a very talented horse,” Lukas said of the son of Tiznow, who ran fourth
in the Derby Trial after a ninth-place fade in the Louisiana Derby. “He’s been
behind all spring, but he’s got a lot of ability. He’s a beautiful mover; he’s
got a high cruising speed. Willie Davis and Paul Hornung and those guys — it
means a lot to probably be in the main arena here, and I own part of him, too,
so I thought it was worth a shot.”
Lukas is hoping Titletown Five will be able to display a bit more restraint
in the Preakness.
“I think Leparoux on him will get him to probably be forwardly placed, but
not like his last two,” Lukas said. “He got in a speed duel in the Derby Trial
and it really was ridiculous in the Louisiana Derby.”
Lukas, who has won 13 Triple Crown races to tie “Sunny Jim” Fitzsimmons for
the all-time record, knows he is facing an uphill task, but he did it before
here with a Derby also-ran, Tabasco Cat (6th in 1994).
“I think Orb’s the horse to beat,” Lukas said. “He has to come back a little
bit to us and we have to move forward. I’m not running for second, however.
That’s not my style. If I had my choice, I’d like to see 30 of them in here
because I’d know Orb would be behind at least 25 of them. I think if he gets by
this one he’s got a great (Triple Crown) chance.”
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