TRIPLE CROWN RATINGS : Pimlico Should Couple Lukas’ Pair

It would behoove Pimlico Race Course’s stewards to couple Thunder Gulch and Timber Country in the betting for the May 20 Preakness. If they do anything else, Pimlico, the Triple Crown and the Maryland Racing Commission are risking public outcry.

It was all right for Thunder Gulch and Timber Country to run uncoupled in the Kentucky Derby. The Wayne Lukas-trained colts have different owners, and stewards at Churchill Downs had the option of listing them separately or as an entry.

The rule is similar for stakes races in Maryland, giving the stewards the option.

The difference between the Derby and the Preakness is that Thunder Gulch, having won the first race, is now the only horse eligible for the $5-million payoff that goes with winning the Triple Crown.

Lukas wants to win the Preakness with either horse--he’s already theorizing that Timber Country, the troubled third-place finisher in the Derby, might be the favorite in Baltimore--but the bettors won’t be very understanding if Pat Day, riding Timber Country, drops his whip near the finish line, allowing his stablemate to win by a nose.

Bettors are cynical, usually expecting the worst and always pointing fingers when they get it. “See,” they would say, “Lukas wanted to win with the horse that would give him the $5 million.”

They would make this comment when asked why they burned down the Pimlico grandstand.

Pimlico’s management, however, would not want Thunder Gulch and Timber Country coupled because the Lukas entry would go off at about 3-5 odds, making the Preakness an undesirable betting race. The better the numbers on the tote board, the more money likely to be bet.

But even if Lukas’ colts are coupled, Pimlico will have a sufficient number of betting interests for the Preakness.

Afternoon Deelites, suffering from a throat infection, was taken out of the race Monday, but there probably will be about a 10-horse field in addition to Lukas’ pair. Candidates include Tejano Run, Talkin Man, Eltish, Citadeed, Ski Captain, Oliver’s Twist, Mecke, Mystery Storm, Petionville, Peaks and Valleys, and Western Echo.

John Heisler, Pimlico’s chief steward, will be in charge of making the decision about coupling Thunder Gulch and Timber Country.

“For every six reasons there are to couple those horses, there are six other reasons not to couple,” said Ken Schertle, executive director of the Maryland Racing Commission. “The matter will be confronted when the time comes.”

And when might that be?

“Probably the Wednesday or Thursday of Preakness week,” he said.

Entries for the Preakness are scheduled to be taken on May 18.

(BEGIN TEXT OF INFOBOX / INFOGRAPHIC)

THE RATINGS

Horse S 1 2 3 Earnings 1. Thunder Gulch 10 5 2 1 $1,423,406 2. Timber Country 11 4 1 4 $1,113,590 3. Tejano Run 9 3 3 2 $626,147 4. Jumron 9 5 2 1 $404,380 5. Talkin Man 9 5 1 0 $677,967 6. Eltish 8 3 2 2 $380,373 7. Afternoon Deelites 7 5 1 0 $668,125 8. Mecke 18 5 3 6 $373,570 9. Serena’s Song 15 8 2 1 $1,231,435 10. Oliver’s Twist 8 4 1 0 $253,275

Advisory panel for The Times’ Triple Crown Ratings: Jim Bolus, racing historian; Trevor Denman, announcer at four Southern California tracks; Tom Durkin, track announcer in New York and Florida, and Dave Johnson, racing announcer for ABC-TV and ESPN.