Lukas Appears to Be Back in Derby Hunt

Trainer Wayne Lukas has run a record 41 horses in the Kentucky Derby, but he has failed to produce a starter at Churchill Downs in two of the last four years.

May 7 -- and the 131st Derby -- are a long way off, in horse minutes, but Lukas seems to be positioned for a return to Louisville. He nominated 12 horses for the Triple Crown series. One of them won last Saturday at Santa Anita and three more are racing this weekend.

At Santa Anita, where Going Wild won the Sham Stakes a week ago, Lukas will run Consolidator in Sunday’s $150,000 San Vicente. Lesser-regarded Lukas 3-year-olds are running today. Silent Bid will try to improve off his maiden win last month in the $150,000 Risen Star Stakes at the Fair Grounds in New Orleans, and Thievery, another recent maiden winner, is a longshot in the $75,000 Whirlaway at Aqueduct in New York.

The San Vicente is only seven furlongs, three-eighths of a mile shorter than the Derby, but it can be a useful steppingstone. Silver Charm won the San Vicente in 1997, three months before his Derby victory.

Bob and Beverly Lewis, who raced Silver Charm, also own Consolidator, a $1.25-million yearling who hasn’t run since his fourth-place finish in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile on Oct. 30. Before that, Consolidator won the Breeders’ Futurity at Keeneland in Lexington, Ky.

Only five horses were entered for the San Vicente, and the favorite, Roman Ruler, may not run. Blood-Horse magazine reported that trainer Bob Baffert’s horse has a cracked hoof that might result in a scratch.

Besides Consolidator, that would leave Fusaichi Rock Star, Kirkendahl and Don’t Get Mad. Fusaichi Rock Star, also trained by Baffert, was far back in two stakes starts in New York late last year and hasn’t run since. Kirkendahl was undefeated until he ran last in the five-horse San Rafael at Santa Anita. Don’t Get Mad, after winning two races for trainer Paul McGee in Kentucky, is now in the care of Ron Ellis, McGee’s brother-in-law.

Ellis also trains Declan’s Moon, the consensus early favorite for the Derby. Declan’s Moon’s first start is expected to be in the Santa Catalina at Santa Anita on March 5.

The Risen Star, a prep for the Louisiana Derby, has a California flavor. Besides Lukas’ Silent Bid, other West Coast shippers include Iced Out, second to Spanish Chestnut in the San Rafael; Buzzards Bay, winner of the three-horse Golden Gate Derby; and the well-bred Scipion, a $1.9-million yearling who’s looking for his first win since breaking his maiden six months ago.

The favorite among 11 starters at the Fair Grounds will be the undefeated Harlington, who’s running in his first stake after winning twice over sloppy tracks in New York and Florida. Eugene and Laura Melnyk, who raced Speightstown, last year’s Eclipse award-winning sprinter, paid $2.8 million for Harlington, whose sire, Unbridled, won the 1990 Derby, and whose dam, Serena’s Song, was an Eclipse winner.

Harlington, who will be ridden by John Velazquez, is trained by Todd Pletcher, a former Lukas assistant who nominated 34 horses, more than anybody, for the Triple Crown. He has yet to win a Derby. He and Velazquez won Eclipses last year.

At Aqueduct, the favorite is Galloping Grocer, who’s making his 3-year-old debut. The New York-bred gelding -- same credentials as Funny Cide, the 2003 Derby winner -- won his first three starts by 31 3/4 lengths before he moved into open company and was second behind Rockport Harbor in the Remsen at Aqueduct in November. It was Galloping Grocer’s last start.

Rockport Harbor, another top Derby contender, is training at Oaklawn Park in Hot Springs, Ark., where his trainer, John Servis, started with Smarty Jones last year before they won the Derby.

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Other races for 3-year-olds today are the $100,000 San Mateo Mile at Bay Meadows and the $100,000 Turf Paradise Derby in Phoenix. The Bay Meadows race features the Hollywood Park-based Texcess, whose three-race win streak ended when he finished third in the San Rafael. Stormin Away and General John B are California shippers running at Turf Paradise.