Coming Back for Eclipse Seconds

If the price of the meal is $275, the leftovers ought to be tasty, and here are a few from the Eclipse Awards dinner last Monday night at the Beverly Hilton:

Jockey Gary Stevens, who has gained at least 10 pounds since his retirement less than a month ago: “I should get an Eclipse just for fitting in this tuxedo.”

Broadcaster Chris Lincoln, who weighs more than 300 pounds: “I’ve tried the Laffit Pincay diet, and it stinks.”

Broadcaster Jack Whitaker: “What a pleasure it is to be back in a world where the athletes can’t talk back.”

Bob Baffert, who won his third consecutive award for training: “I’ll cherish this one the most. It was our best year, but it was also frustrating and humiliating. We had to tough it out all year. We didn’t do anything in the Triple Crown, and then after the Breeders’ Cup I had a lot of explaining to do.

“But when Chilukki broke her maiden by almost 10 lengths, and Silverbulletday won at Saratoga, those were the kind of things that got us back in it. We always had a horse to get us back on track. The win by Tuzla was the most exciting, because I’ve always stunk as a grass trainer. We had our disappointments, but we just kept on going.”

Horse owner Aaron Jones, talking before the dinner about recently firing Baffert: “I could say some things, but I’m not going to. I’m going to take the no-comment route and just move on.”

Wayne Lukas, runner-up to Baffert and trainer of horse-of-the-year Charismatic: “I’d like to thank [owners Bob and Beverly Lewis] for sticking with me as I bungled through the spring. This horse captured everybody’s imagination in the Kentucky Derby. He rose from obscurity that day and continued right on through in the Preakness and the Belmont.”

Baffert, apologizing for his rambling acceptance speech: “If Wayne had won, you would have had a better speech.”

Horse Racing Notes

Two of the horses Aaron Jones took from Bob Baffert and turned over to trainer Eduardo Inda are sidelined. Forest Camp, considered a Kentucky Derby contender, is getting a two-month rest and will miss the race, and Prime Timber has recurring foot problems and won’t run in the Strub Stakes at Santa Anita on Feb. 5. . . . Menifee, whose late bid fell a neck short against Charismatic in the Kentucky Derby, has been retired to the Kentucky farm of his co-owner, Arthur B. Hancock III. Plans to run Menifee as a 4-year-old were canceled because of an ankle injury. After the Derby, the colt was second to Charismatic in the Preakness. He won the Blue Grass and the Haskell Handicap. . . . Team Valor, which has hit the board in Triple Crown races with Captain Bodgit, My Memoirs and Thomas Jo, has bought Royal Highlander in England for a reported $650,000, and the 3-year-old colt will be sent to trainer Jenine Sahadi at Santa Anita. . . . Hookedonthefeelin, who has won five of six starts, including the La Brea on Dec. 27, will face eight opponents in Saturday’s $200,000 Santa Monica Handicap. Others running are Fontal, Enjoy The Moment, Theresa’s Tizzy, Kalookan Queen, Honest Lady, Gourmet Girl, A.P. Assay and Woodman’s Dancer.