Lukas Earns Sixth Triple Crown Win in Row

It could be called horse racing’s answer to Joe DiMaggio’s 56-game hitting streak.

When Grindstone, a Wayne Lukas-trained horse, overtook Cavonnier at the wire to win the Kentucky Derby three years ago, it was Lukas’ sixth consecutive Triple Crown victory, two wins each in the Derby, the Preakness and the Belmont Stakes.

The previous longest such streak by a trainer was Lucien Laurin’s four in a row with Riva Ridge’s Belmont victory in 1972 and Secretariat’s 1973 sweep.

Grindstone’s was the closest call of Lukas’ six.

Early in the race, Grindstone was running 15th. Unbridled’s Song had the lead on the far turn, but Cavonnier took over in mid-stretch, as Grindstone had moved up to fourth. He moved up to first at a finish so close no one could call it.

It was the closest Derby finish since Tomy Lee beat Sword Dancer by a nose in 1959. And Grindstone, in only his sixth race, became the most lightly-raced horse to win the Derby since Brokers Tip won in 1933 in his fifth race.

It took stewards two minutes to review photos, after which they gave it to Grindstone. Cavonnier’s trainer, Bob Baffert, until then thought his horse had won what would have been Baffert’s first.

“For two minutes, I knew what it felt like to win the Kentucky Derby,” he said. Horses trained by Baffert won in ’97 and ’98.

Also on this date: In 1957, Bill Shoemaker committed a major blunder at the Kentucky Derby. Aboard Gallant Man, Shoemaker thought the 16th pole was the finish line, stood up briefly in his irons, thinking the race was over, and was passed by Iron Liege, who finished in front of Gallant Man by a nose. . . . In 1974, 163,628 saw Cannonade win the 100th Kentucky Derby. . . . In 1967, heavyweight prospect Joe Frazier won a hard-earned decision over warhorse George “Scrap Iron” Johnson at the Olympic Auditorium.