Cigar Is Smokin’ Now, but Lukas’ Horses Close

Trainer Wayne Lukas doesn’t smoke but he knows that eventually he will wind up trying to extinguish a red-hot Cigar.

This Cigar is a 5-year-old, not a stogie, and despite the heroics of Lukas’ 3-year-olds the last five weeks, he’s the best horse in the nation--undefeated in six starts this year and on an eight-race winning streak.

Thunder Gulch and Timber Country, who gave Lukas an unprecedented two-horse sweep of the Triple Crown, represent the most serious tests of the year for Cigar, who is expected to face them in the Breeders’ Cup Classic at Belmont Park on Oct. 28, as well as in some earlier races there in the fall.

“[Cigar is] the top horse right now,” Lukas said. “If I had a vote in those polls, I’d put him on top. He’d be a heavy favorite if he ran against my horses today, but we hope to close the gap by October. Study the history of the Classic, and you’ll see where the 4-year-olds and the 5-year-olds level off. The 3-year-olds get better as the year goes on.”

Four of the last six Classic winners have been 3-year-olds, and last year at Churchill Downs, the first four finishers were 3-year-olds. One, Lukas’ Tabasco Cat, finished second to Concern.

Earlier in the year, it was Tabasco Cat, with his victories in the Preakness and Belmont, who started Lukas on his record-setting five consecutive Triple Crown victories. Thunder Gulch’s victories in the Kentucky Derby and Belmont were sandwiched around Timber Country’s victory in the Preakness this year.

Because Thunder Gulch and Timber Country have different owners, they are not expected to run in the same race until the Classic. Thunder Gulch will be shipped to California Tuesday for the Swaps Stakes at Hollywood Park and the Pacific Classic at Del Mar, then probably be sent back to Belmont Park for the Woodward as his Breeders’ Cup prep. Timber Country’s schedule includes the Dwyer at Belmont and/or the Haskell at Monmouth Park, followed by the Travers at Saratoga and the Jockey Club Gold Cup at Belmont.

Although they share the same trainer and a spot in racing history, the colts are not similar. Timber Country is a big horse, weighing about 1,250 pounds. He outweighs Thunder Gulch by more than 200 pounds and is five or six inches taller.

All year, Thunder Gulch has been in the way of the top horses in trainer Nick Zito’s barn. Zito, who has been second in the Belmont four times in the last six years, was the runner-up again Saturday as Star Standard lost to Thunder Gulch by two lengths. Timber Country, who missed the race because of a fever, will resume training this week.

Thunder Gulch beat another Zito colt, Suave Prospect, in the Kentucky Derby, and Thunder Gulch and Suave Prospect had two cut-throat battles this winter at Gulfstream Park, Lukas’ horse winning the Fountain of Youth by a neck and the Florida Derby by a nose.

Zito’s 1994 Kentucky Derby winner, Go For Gin, was second to Tabasco Cat in last year’s Preakness and Belmont. And in another stake on Saturday’s card, Lukas’ Western Larla beat Zito’s Mr. Greeley by a neck in the Riva Ridge.

“When you go up against Lukas, you’re [in trouble],” Zito said. “I’ve got a lot of admiration for Thunder Gulch. He just won’t go away. He just keeps hanging in there.”

At least, Thunder Gulch will be on the West Coast for a while. But Star Standard will probably run into Timber Country at Saratoga in August; Zito plans to run him in the Jim Dandy and the Travers. Suave Prospect, who was 11th in the Derby, will meet Timber Country in the Haskell on July 30.

Zito was asked Sunday which was the more difficult achievement, winning five consecutive Triple Crown races or five Belmonts in a row, as Woody Stephens did in 1982-86.

“That’s a tough question,” Zito said. “There are a couple of ways to think about, and I just don’t know. But what I’ve done is probably the toughest of all: Be second in four Belmonts.”