Giving New Meaning to ‘And Away We Go’

When jockey Laffit Pincay suffered a broken collarbone in a charity harness race at Los Alamitos Jan. 26, the pacer he was driving was named Trixie Norton.

And Trixie Norton isn’t the only horse that fans of the 1950s television show “The Honeymooners,” starring Jackie Gleason as Ralph Kramden, can cheer for.

Gino Comparetto of Melville, N.Y., owner of Camgi Stables, has used the series as a source of names for several of his horses. Remember Ralph’s neighbor, Mrs. Manicotti? A 3-year-old filly by that name has been third and second in her only two starts for Comparetto.

“I also named Core a Apple, who won the Albany Stakes in 1987, and I have an unraced 2-year-old colt named Chef of the Future,” Comparetto said.

Core a Apple and Chef of the Future are from the episode in which Ralph and Ed Norton fail miserably attempting to demonstrate the wonders of a kitchen gadget during a live TV commercial.

Bob Colombe, co-founder of the Long Island, N.Y.-based Royal Association for the Longevity and Preservation of the Honeymooners (RALPH), applauds Comparetto’s taste in thoroughbred names. “I just hope he’s more successful than Ralph’s harebrained schemes to get rich quick,” Colombe said.

Comparetto’s stable is not the only home for racehorses with Honeymooner-related names. To the Moon Alice is an unraced 6-year-old thoroughbred mare. Can a colt named Ralph Kramden be far behind? One of these days . . .

Trivia time: The Toronto Maple Leafs have a chance to lead the NHL in both goals scored and goals given up. Which team was the last to do it?

The candy bar is even better: Dale Brown, Louisiana State basketball coach, on the secret of success: “It’s not your IQ, it’s your FQ, your failure quotient. Most of us handle failure in one of several ways. We blame it on somebody else, we deny it happened, we become embarrassed by it, or we totally lose confidence and give up. You have a fifth avenue, and that’s to rise from your ashes.”

Taking the gloves off: Before he knocked out Mike Tyson to become world heavyweight champion, the biggest moment in the sports career of James (Buster) Douglas probably came during the national junior college basketball tournament in Hutchinson, Kan., in 1979. Douglas, a 6-foot-4 reserve forward, had 20 points and 18 rebounds to spark a victory by Coffeyville (Kan.) Community College. The Red Ravens lost their next game, finishing 25-8.

When does the fun start?Fay Vincent, on the frustration of the owners’ lockout marring his first season as baseball commissioner: “Is it crisis after crisis after crisis? Is there some normalcy? I’ve really been looking forward to getting to the ballpark and enjoying that part of this job.”

Trivia answer: The Chicago Blackhawks in 1926-27.

Quotebook: Golfer Lee Trevino on the Rolling Stones: “Man, I’ll tell you what, those are the ugliest guys I’ve ever seen. But I’m a fan, man. Those guys can really rock and roll.”