Partner-to-Be Would Put Spend A Buck in Preakness

A man who still doesn’t have a financial interest in Spend A Buck will likely determine whether the winner of the Kentucky Derby goes after the Triple Crown by running in the Preakness Stakes at Pimlico in Baltimore May 18.

Although owner Dennis Diaz and trainer Cam Gambolati are still weighing the options, which would be the $350,000 Preakness and the May 27 Jersey Derby at Garden State Park with its potential $2.6-million reward, it’s believed that Will Farish, an influential Lexington, Ky., owner-breeder, will probably make the final decision.

If that is indeed the case, Spend A Buck will go to the Preakness, the second leg of the Triple Crown series that concludes with the Belmont Stakes in New York June 8. Farish is said to be a traditionalist, an old-school horseman who still believes that the classic races supersede the recent million-dollar additions to the thoroughbred calendar.

Spend A Buck’s value as a sire would probably soar to $50 million if he added the Preakness and Belmont to his Derby victory. That could be more important than what looks like an easy spot in the Jersey Derby at Garden State Park, where Spend A Buck has run just as spectacularly as he did in the Derby.

The horse is probably already worth $25 million, with Farish and Diaz on the verge of announcing that Farish has acquired a 50% interest. Diaz said the deal wasn’t completed prior to the Derby because there wasn’t enough time to bring together all the details.

Post-Derby comments by Diaz and Gambolati indicated that the owner leaned to the Jersey Derby while the trainer preferred the Preakness. Gambolati said the decision is entirely in Diaz’s hands and Sunday morning, at Spend A Buck’s barn at Churchill Downs, Diaz said there would probably be an announcement today.

“In our negotiations, Mr. Farish has said that he doesn’t want control of the horse,” Diaz said. “But we would still consider his advice. We would be stupid not to--he’s a very smart man.”

Diaz had about half a dozen offers from people wanting to buy into Spend A Buck prior to the Derby, including one proposal of $6 million for a 50% partnership. But none of these offers came from Farish, who apparently didn’t get interested until after Spend A Buck’s win in the Garden State Stakes on April 20.

“When I first talked to Mr. Farish, he knew a hell of a lot about the horse,” Diaz said. “It was surprising how much he knew.”

No matter what the decision, Spend A Buck is scheduled to be flown to New York today, then vanned down to Garden State Park where he can resume training for either the Preakness or the Jersey Derby. He suffered a superficial nick to his right hind leg in the Derby, which he won in 2:00 1/5, third-fastest time in the race’s history after he ran the fastest six furlongs (1:09 3/5) and the fastest mile (1:34 4/5) ever in the Derby.

The Spend A Buck decision may also determine the next race for several of the Derby starters, but the Preakness is likely to be a small field. Expected to run in the Preakness are Chief’s Crown, the Derby favorite who finished third; Skywalker, sixth in the Derby; Tank’s Prospect, who was seventh; Eternal Prince, the 12th-place finisher in the field of 13; and Rajji’s Treasure, winner of the California Derby, not nominated for the Kentucky Derby and a horse who would have to be supplemented to the Pimlico race for $20,000.

George Steinbrenner, owner of the Yankees and 37 1/2% owner of Eternal Prince, was reportedly unhappy because he heard an assistant starter was still holding his colt in the gate when the stall doors opened. Eternal Prince also was apparently bitten by Stephan’s Odyssey shortly after the start.

On Sunday morning at Churchill Downs, Brian Hurst, another of Eternal Prince’s owners, wasn’t giving excuses.

“Our horse got a slight cut on the back of one of his ankles,” Hurst said, “but let’s face it, we got our ears pinned back.”