Spotlight outside winner's circle
Special also-rans have earned place in Derby history
LOUISVILLE, Ky. -- Many have answered the starter's call, but few have been chosen as champion of the Kentucky Derby.
Since Oliver Lewis coaxed Aristides to victory in the 1875 inaugural, more than 1,000 3-year-olds have tried. Only 133 have succeeded. At about 5:04 p.m. today, a 134th victor will be crowned with a garland of roses. Another 19 will feel the thorns.
Along the way, the twin spires have been littered with memorables, archivally noteworthy for surprise futility, later nobility or some quirk of racing happenstance that left them with a distinguishing run-bug among the Derby vanquished.
Culled from the rose bawl, here's a list of 10 asterisked failures in the last 35 Kentucky Derbies (1973-2007):
1. Sham (2nd in 1973): The sub-billing became ''A champion in any other year,'' and any who saw the gallant son of Pretense run still believe it. Tore open two teeth on the starting gate at Churchill Downs but managed to run second to Secretariat in both the Derby and Preakness. Finally gave it up after a speed duel with Big Red in the Belmont and never raced again.
2. Forego (4th in 1973): A chorus liner behind Secretariat and Sham in KD 99, then a star of skywriting proportion. Won eight Eclipse Awards -- three straight as Horse of the Year (1974-76) -- for trainer Frank Whiteley Jr., who died at 93 on Friday.
3. Elocutionist (3rd in 1976): On a Triple Crown trail that featured Derby winner Honest Pleasure and Bold Forbes, he brought much pride and joy to Chicago-based Gene Cashman Stables. The muscular speedball showed surprisingly futile restraint in the Derby, then kicked out the crabs to win the Preakness.
4. Alydar (2nd in 1978): Bottom half of one of the greatest rivalries in the history of the game, the John Veitch trainee went postward as the 6-5 favorite in KD 104 over Affirmed (9-5). Lost all three Triple Crown races to Affirmed by a total of less than two lengths.
5. Gate Dancer (disqualified to 5th in 1984): After a wretched trip under Eddie Delahoussaye in the Derby, won the Preakness with Angel Cordero Jr. in the irons. Lost the Belmont, then zoomed up the marquee with victories in the Omaha Gold Cup and Super Derby. Ran second in the first two Breeders' Cup Classics.
6. Risen Star (3rd in 1988): Another victim of a limp-whipped wide ride by Delahoussaye, the Louis Roussel III trainee rebounded to win both the Preakness and Belmont.
7. Easy Goer (2nd in 1989): Some still insist Pat Day rode him too defensively in a muddy Derby. The son of Alydar came back to win the Belmont and deny Sunday Silence a Triple Crown. Amazing on New York ovals as a 3-year-old, winning the Wood, Belmont, Travers and Jockey Club Gold Cup.
8. Arazi (8th in 1992): Big Brown jumpers today would do well to remember the tale of the forgotten French star. After an eye-popping victory in the 1991 BC Juvenile at Churchill, the Allen Paulson colt was sent off at 4-5 in the Derby despite Post 17 in a field of 18. He made an electric move to third midway through the race but faded to eighth behind the upsetter Lil E. Tee.
9. Holy Bull (12th in 1994): Another riddler for the ages, Holy Bull won five Grade I stakes by the time he started in Louisville. As the 2-1 favorite, he never threatened, fading to 12th. From that phoenix, the Jimmy Croll prodigy rose to win the Haskell, Travers and Woodward and wound up as the 1994 Horse of the Year.
10. Point Given (5th in 2001): Another hugely vaunted, hugely disappointing Derby chalk (9-5), ''T Rex'' moved toward the lead in the turn only to finish fifth, well behind the late-charging Monarchos. Came back to become the only horse in history to win four $1 million races in a row: the Preakness, Belmont, Haskell and Travers.
