Stevens Sees Winning Colors Streaking to the Triple Crown

Can a filly take the Triple Crown? Gary Stevens doesn’t see why not. Stevens rode Winning Colors to Saturday’s Kentucky Derby victory, and sees nothing that will stay the female from her appointed rounds.

“I think we’ve got a great chance,” said Stevens, after returning Sunday to Hollywood Park. “I know they’re saying no filly’s ever won the Triple Crown before, but there’s a first for everything. I think she’s a definite standout, and, I think we’ve got the toughest race out of the way. The Preakness will definitely be easier on her because everybody knows that track favors speed.”

The jockey said he has ridden at Pimlico only once and the turns are somewhat tighter than those at Churchill Downs. “But all race tracks are round. This filly can run anywhere, and I don’t think any different race course will bother her,” he said.

“She was very relaxed (Saturday). She walked onto the race track, and had her head dropped down between her legs. They sang ‘My Old Kentucky Home’ and the crowd went nuts when they were through, but she never raised her head up. She never had a wet hair on her body when she got to the gate. And, it was very hot and humid yesterday.”

Although Stevens agreed that the five-pound weight allowance for fillies didn’t hurt any, he disagreed with Woody Stephens, trainer of runner-up Forty Niner, as to how much it mattered.

“Woody’s been (complaining) all week long,” Stevens said. “He said in all the (Louisville) papers this morning that it was just talk, what he’s been saying all week, and that he went ahead and congratulated Wayne (Lukas, the winning trainer). But, in the same breath, he said, ‘Now, try to beat my five Derbies.’ So, that tells you right there about the guy.”

Winning Colors has never had such a short period--two weeks--between starts, and fillies generally can use more time. “But, she’s not a typical filly,” Stevens said. “She’s a big, strapping filly, and she shouldn’t lose a lot of weight in between races. She didn’t act like the race yesterday took a lot out of her. She should handle it fine.

“I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: Going into the Preakness or any of her races, if somebody gets in front of her, the pace is too fast, because she’s just doing what’s comfortable for her. If somebody is in front of her, they’re going too damn fast, and they ain’t going to be around for the finish.

“In the Santa Anita Derby, Laz (Barrera) said the filly would never make the lead. That’s fine. We never said we want the lead. If somebody else wants the lead, that’s fine. Same goes for the Preakness. If they want to put a sprinter in there that goes :21.2, that’s fine. They’ll probably end up at the quarter pole when we’re at the finish line.”