Master David Is Out

After failing to defeat Smarty Jones in the Kentucky Derby and Preakness, Patrick Biancone, the trainer of Lion Heart, gave up the chase. Now you can add Bobby Frankel to the list of the we-can’t-beat-Smarty trainers’ club.

On Sunday, Frankel eliminated Master David from consideration in the June 5 Belmont Stakes, saying he couldn’t see any horse beating Smarty Jones.

“In some other Belmonts, you could always point to a horse and say that they had a chance to knock off the favorite,” he said. “I’m talking about my horse [Empire Maker] last year, and Victory Gallop and Touch Gold were also in that category in recent years. But this year there’s nobody close to Smarty Jones.”

Empire Maker’s victory in the Belmont prevented Funny Cide from winning the Triple Crown. Master David could have earned a spot in the Belmont but a far-back third-place finish in the Peter Pan Stakes on Saturday at Belmont Park convinced Frankel he wouldn’t present a challenge to Smarty Jones, who won the Preakness by a record 11 1/2 lengths with the best speed figure of his career.

“The track was slow at Pimlico on Preakness day, and yet he ran a very good [speed] number,’ said Frankel. “He’s run a streak of races with good numbers, and he’s due to blow up, but he could bounce in the Belmont and still win.”

The Tribune Co. newspapers Triple Crown panel certainly sees the obvious; all first-place votes went to Smarty Jones. Rock Hard Ten is rated second. The third- and fourth-place horses, Lion Heart and Imperialism, are skipping the Belmont and may next race in the Swaps Stakes at Hollywood Park.

Belmont Park officials are listing only six definite starters for the Belmont: Smarty Jones, Rock Hard Ten, Eddington, Tapit, Royal Assault and Tap Dancer. Others who might run include Birdstone, The Cliff’s Edge and Mustanfar. Purge, who won the Peter Pan by more than six lengths, will skip the race.

Tap Dancer seems to be an unlikely contender. Ridden by Stewart Elliott, who has won the Kentucky Derby, Preakness and six other races with undefeated Smarty Jones, Tap Dancer was fourth in the Sir Barton Stakes on the Preakness undercard.

It was the sixth straight defeat for Tap Dancer, who has two wins in 10 career races.

Trainer Ned Allard’s colt hasn’t won since last August. But Allard trains Tap Dancer at Philadelphia Park, the home base of Smarty Jones, and perhaps he thinks there’s something magical there.

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Triple Crown Ratings

Tribune Company ratings for 3-year-olds leading up to the Belmont Stakes:

*--* Horse Trainer Jock St W P S Last Race Next Race ey 1. John Stew 8 8 0 0 Preakness Belmont Stakes SMARTY Servis art (1st) JONES Elli ott 2. ROCK Jason Gary 5 2 2 1 Preakness Belmont Stakes HARD TEN Orman Stev (2nd) ens 3. LION Patric Mike 7 3 3 0 Preakness Maybe Swaps Stakes HEART k Smit (4th) Bianco h ne 4. Kristi Kent 17 5 4 2 Preakness Maybe Swaps Stakes IMPERIAL n Deso (5th) ISM Mulhal rmea l ux 5. THE Nick Shan 9 4 2 1 Kentucky Belmont Stakes CLIFF’S Zito e Derby EDGE Sell (5th) ers 6. PURGE Todd John 5 3 1 0 Peter Pan Undecided Pletch Vela (1st) er zque z 7. ASHADO Todd John 9 6 2 1 Kentucky Mother Goose Pletch Vela Oaks er zque (1st) z 8. Mark Jerr 7 2 2 3 Preakness Belmont Stakes EDDINGTO Hennig y (3rd) N Bail ey 9. Todd Jose 10 5 0 3 Kentucky Ohio Derby or LIMEHOUS Pletch Sant Derby Northern Dancer E er os (4th) 10. TAPIT Michae Ramo 5 3 0 0 Kentucky Belmont Stakes l n Derby Dickin Domi (9th) son ngue z

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Triple Crown panel: Bill Christine, Los Angeles Times; Dave Joseph, South Florida Sun-Sentinel; Tom Keyser, Baltimore Sun; Neil Milbert, Chicago Tribune; Paul Moran, Newsday.