04/08/2001

By Gary West / The Dallas Morning News

Fifty Stars falls short

Although Fifty Stars was unsuccessful in Saturday's $500,000 Lone Star Derby, he'll soon be on his way to Churchill Downs for the Kentucky Derby.

"He's off to Churchill Downs on Monday," said Fifty Stars' trainer, Steve Asmussen, after the colt finished second, beaten by two lengths, in the Lone Star Derby. Fifty Stars is owned by James Cassels of Irving and Bob Zollars of Dallas, and he's ridden by Donnie Meche, the second-leading rider at Lone Star a year ago. Before Saturday's start, he won the Louisiana Derby at Fair Grounds.

"I'm proud of the horse," Asmussen said. "He looked like he always does – beautiful in running and wanting to go forever." Fifty Stars rallied from last, but the slow early pace in the Lone Star Derby compromised his chances because it left Percy Hope, the winner, with plenty of energy in the stretch.

Hooverdidn'tgetthekeys

Connections for Hoovergetthekeys made no excuses for the colt's poor performance Saturday. Winner of the Golden Gate and El Camino Derbies at Golden Gate Fields, Hoovergetthekeys finished seventh as the even-money favorite in the Lone Star Derby.

"He acted real good going up to the race, and halfway down the backstretch I thought I was in a good spot," said Ron Warren Jr., the jockey on Hoovergetthekeys. "I was tracking the leaders. I tickled him a little bit to inch forward, and he did fine. But when I asked him to run and catch them, for some reason he just didn't have it today and backed up."

His trainer, Brian Koriner, said, "He just didn't run his race, but that can happen when you ship [travel]."

Briefly ...

Percy Hope is named for the grandfather of his owners, Thomas Willmott of Boston and Peter Willmott of Chicago. ... Saturday's attendance of 13,519 was down from last year's attendance of 16,119 on Lone Star Derby. .. Before winning the Lone Star Derby, Percy Hope had won the Rushaway Stakes at Turfway Park. He's the second Rushaway winner to take the Lone Star Derby, the first being Anet in 1997. ... Percy Hope also was entered in Saturday's Illinois Derby at Sportsman's Park near Chicago. Tony Reinstedler, the colt's trainer, said that once transportation arrangements were made, the decision to come to Lone Star was easy because he feared the colt wouldn't like the deep sandy surface at Sportsman's.

Other Derby preps

The Lone Star Derby was only one of four Kentucky Derby preps run Saturday.

In California, Point Given solidified his position as the division's leader by drawing away to win the Santa Anita Derby by 5½ lengths over Crafty C.T. I Love Silver finished third, another three lengths back. Under jockey Gary Stevens, Point Given ran the 11/8 miles in 1:47.77. It was Stevens' eighth Santa Anita Derby victory, tying the record held by legendary jockey Bill Shoemaker.

In the Flamingo Stakes at Hialeah in Florida, Thunder Blitz put himself in the Triple Crown picture when he drew off to win by 6¾ lengths over Tour Of The Cat, with Talk Is Money another 33/4 lengths back in third. Outof Thebox, the 3-4 favorite, faded to fifth. Thunder Blitz covered the 1 1/8 miles in 1:48.23.

And in the Illinois Derby, Distilled, the 4-5 favorite, led from start to finish, winning by 1¾ lengths over Saint Damien, with Dream Run another 2¼ lengths back in third. Distilled completed the 11/8 miles in 1:51.37.