HORSE RACING : TRIPLE CROWN RATINGS

REMARKS: Already, it is shaping up as this kind of year for the 3-year-olds:

--The No. 1 horse in The Times’ first set of Triple Crown ratings has lost two of his last three starts.

--Brian’s Time, the winner of Saturday’s Florida Derby at Gulfstream Park, wasn’t able to run in the Flamingo at Hialeah on Jan. 2 because he hadn’t made enough money.

--Five of the horses in the top 10 have been beaten in their last race.

Obviously, there is much to be sorted out before the Triple Crown opener, the Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs on May 7. The other races in the series, which hasn’t been swept since Affirmed did it in 1978, are the Preakness at Pimlico on May 21 and the Belmont at Belmont Park on June 11.

Remaining major races leading to the Kentucky Derby are the San Felipe Handicap at Santa Anita on March 20, the Santa Anita Derby on April 9, the Arkansas Derby at Oaklawn Park and the Wood Memorial at Aqueduct, both on April 23, and the Blue Grass at Keeneland on April 28.

A $5-million bonus is being offered to any horse that sweeps the Triple Crown, and there’s a $1-million payoff to the horse with the best finishes in all three races in the event there’s not a sweep.

The Times’ three-man panel felt that Forty Niner deserves to be placed on top in the first week, because he was the champion 2-year-old colt in 1987 and has been consistent this year. He has won a stake in 1988 and a length and a neck have prevented him from winning two other starts.

Forty Niner is headed to Kentucky from Florida, probably to run in the Lexington Stakes at Keeneland on April 16. His trainer, Woody Stephens, finished second in the Lexington with Swale in 1984, and then the colt went on to win the Kentucky Derby.

It should come as no surprise to Stephens watchers, however, that the trainer is already thinking that another of his colts, Cefis, might be better than Forty Niner. Stephens’ second-string horses have frequently won the major races. Cefis, a horse named for Stephens’ middle name, is scheduled to run in the Tampa Bay Derby at Tampa Bay Downs on March 20.

Last Saturday was a big day for sons of Roberto, the English Derby winner in 1972. Both Brian’s Time and Dynaformer, the winner of Lucky Draw Stakes at Aqueduct, might inherit staying power from that U.S.-born stallion. Dynaformer, while close several times, had won only two of seven starts, but he rushed by his stablemate, Cougarized, to win at Aqueduct. In his previous start, Dynaformer came from 10 lengths back to finish second, a half-length behind the undefeated Private Terms, in a race at Laurel.

Regal Classic, third in the Hollywood Futurity and second in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile in his last two starts, makes his debut as a 3-year-old Sunday, running in the Louisiana Derby at the Fair Grounds.

On Wednesday, several California 3-year-olds capable of developing are running in the Bradbury Stakes at Santa Anita. They include Stalwars, second to the highly regarded Lively One, and Din’s Dancer, who might be Jack Van Berg’s best Derby hope this year. Van Berg won the race last year with Alysheba.

Advisory panel for The Times’ Triple Crown Ratings: Lenny Hale, vice president for racing at Aqueduct, Belmont Park and Saratoga; Frank (Jimmy) Kilroe, vice president for racing at Santa Anita; and Tommy Trotter, racing secretary at Gulfstream Park.

Career Horse S 1 2 3 Earnings 1. Forty Niner 9 6 2 0 $854,444 2. Brian’s Time 6 3 1 0 341,619 3. Lively One 5 3 1 1 91,600 4. Regal Classic 8 4 3 1 812,500 5. Tejano 11 5 2 2 1,192,189 6. Seeking the Gold 4 4 0 0 62,100 7. Dynaformer 8 3 3 1 129,110 8. Mi Preferido 4 3 0 0 135,375 9. Ruhlmann 8 2 2 1 166,363 10. Private Terms 4 4 0 0 99,528