KENTUCKY DERBY : Day Makes the Right Choice : Jockey: The man who passed up rides on Alysheba and Unbridled gets first Derby victory in 10 tries.

Number nine, number nine, number nine . . .

The number twirled in Pat Day’s head. Nine times he had ridden in the Kentucky Derby. Nine times he had failed.

It couldn’t have been the track. Day is the king of Churchill Downs. He has won more races here than any other jockey. Day has spent his life winning races with goofy names such as the Cardinal Handicap, Jefferson Cup, and Locust Grove Handicap.

But never the Kentucky Derby. Until Saturday.

Day rode the longshot Lil E. Tee, who took Day where Easy Goer, Summer Squall, and Forty Niner had failed to go--to the Derby winner’s circle.

“Pat’s got the onus off his back now,” said Chris McCarron, who rode Dr Devious.

The victory was popular among the local fans, who admire Day. A horse who should be 3-1 always will be 8-5 at Churchill Downs with Day on his back.

This Derby was particularly special for Day. He already has won four Eclipse Awards as champion rider, and last year he was inducted into the sport’s Hall of Fame. Day has won six Breeders’ Cup races. Saturday’s Derby was the crowning glory.

Day was also motivated by a chance encounter he had Friday afternoon at a local hospital for gravely ill children.

While visiting there, Day spoke with 8-year-old Todd Hawkins, who was laying on a stretcher, awaiting chemotherapy for treatment of leukemia. Day took with him a hat from the hospital--Kosair Children’s Hospital--and told the youngster he would wear it in the Kentucky Derby winner’s circle.

Call him the Babe, light.

“I’m wearing this in the winner’s circle for you, Todd,” Day said on national television.

Hawkins, however, would not see it until later. A hospital spokeswoman said Hawkins was asleep during the Derby, but would be shown a videotape of the race once he awoke.

“Words can’t begin to describe what I feel, what’s going on inside my head and inside my body right now,” Day said.

“We sometimes get too caught up in this, and put a lot of importance in a horse race. Then you see kids fighting for their lives, waiting for bone marrow transplants, and it helps get your priorities straight.”

Day’s voice began to crack, and he had to pause for a moment.

“I saw Todd laying on a stretcher and said, ‘I’m going to wear this hat for you tomorrow.’ ”

Day’s fans say he is a calm, calculating rider. His detractors say he is somnolent.

Because Day often arrives at the wire too late, he has been given an unflattering nickname--Pat (I’ll Wait All) Day.

His style was a detriment in 1988, when Day finished second with Forty Niner. Forty Niner was the only horse capable of staying with the front-running filly Winning Colors in the early going.

But Day chose to leave Winning Colors alone on the front end, and by the time he got Forty Niner going, the wire was fast approaching. Forty Niner came up a neck short.

Day was second again with Easy Goer in 1989 and Summer Squall in 1990. The result was frustration and ridicule.

Day’s first three Derby mounts were on rank outsiders, but in 1986, Day had a strong chance with Rampage.

Rampage was moving into contention at the top of the lane, but Day was beaten to a small hole by Ferdinand and Bill Shoemaker. Day had to pull hard on the reins to avoid an accident, then waited and wheeled his horse to the middle of the track.

It was too late. Rampage closed to finish fourth, and a few jumps past the finish line, he was in front of everyone.

Day then rode the favored Demons Begone in 1987. Down the backstretch of that race, Demons Begone began bleeding from the nose. Demons Begone had to be pulled up.

Last year, Day was ninth with the inexperienced Corporate Report.

Adding agony to Day’s Derby travails was his uncanny knack for picking the wrong horse every spring. In 1987, he had the choice between Demons Begone and Alysheba.

In 1990, it was Summer Squall or Unbridled.

This time, he finally got the right one.

“I have stated emphatically time and time again that I thought there was a Derby out there with my name on it,” Day said.

Fifteen minutes later, Churchill Downs was struck by a violent thunderstorm.

Day’s Derby demons were gone.