Derby Will Be a Real Horse Race, Trainer Insists

HOT SPRINGS, Ark. —  Trainer Jack Van Berg has heard it all before, that this is a no-talent group of 3-year-olds.

Hold on, says the man who has trained more than 5,000 winners.

For starters, there’s Mister Frisky, unbeaten in 16 starts.

“I don’t know how long you guys have been around the race track. . . . In my whole life I’ve never seen a form on a horse like that,” he said while sipping half a cup of cola. “I don’t care if you’re out here in the littlest town in Arkansas, if you walk out of a bar and whip 10 guys in a row, 10 nights in a row or 10 years in a row, you can fight.

“By God, this horse has whipped everybody they’ve led to him,” he said. “He may not have the pedigree and all that that everybody likes, but I’ll tell you one thing, he can run.”

So, he was asked, why are he and the trainers of 13 other 3-year-olds lined up for Saturday’s $500,000 Arkansas Derby and a shot at Mister Frisky, Summer Squall and Champagneforashley in the May 5 Kentucky Derby? Those three thoroughbreds have lost a total of one race.

“No. 1, you can’t beat ‘em if you don’t go,” Van Berg said. “That’s why my dad entered a lot of horses. He said if you don’t run, you’ve got no chance of winning, absolutely none.

“When you take a horse to the Kentucky Derby and have him at his peak that day and nothing happens, that man up above has to be looking over you. He’s not going to be looking over 20 people’s shoulder, I can tell you that. You just hope you can be the one he’s looking at the day he shines that star.”

Van Berg, who trained 1987 Kentucky Derby winner Alysheba, has Tarascon in Saturday’s 1 1/8-mile race at Oaklawn Park. Up front, Van Berg said the gelding must win to earn a trip to Louisville. Then, he hedged a smidgen.

“Well, if he had some trouble or something, that’s a different story, but I would want him to win impressively to go,” he said.

Van Berg took over Tarascon after John Franks purchased the son of Flying Paster in California. In his first start at Oaklawn, Tarascon sat behind front-running Karen’s Tom and romped to a 12-length victory in the Southwest Stakes at one mile. That made him the favorite for the March 31 Rebel Stakes. Tarascon was with the leaders that day and got stuck on a slow rail but still made the lead at the top of the stretch before finishing third behind fast-closing Nuits St. Georges and Maverick Miner.

“I thought the last time he had kind of a rough trip,” Van Berg said. “We were penned in. When you’re penned in, your horse fights you. You can be a neck off and outside of horses and your horse will run easier but when you’re down on the fence, it’s a little tougher.”

Larry Snyder was aboard in the Rebel, but Jorge Velasquez is to ride Saturday. Van Berg refused to discuss the switch.

Ideally, he said, he would like to see about three horses set some fast early fractions with Tarascon about fourth. The most likely candidates for the early lead are Real Cash, the pacesetter in the Santa Anita Derby, and Wicked Destiny, unbeaten in three starts.

“But, you never know,” he said. “I’ve been in races like that and they end up, one gets on the lead just galloping, too.”

For instance, the 1984 Arkansas Derby when the filly, Althea, had things her own way and the Van Berg-trained Gate Dancer got bounced around and ran third.

“It’s happened to me a lot of times, and I’ve won races like that,” he said. “You just have to have a rider that you can tell to let him run away from there and then use his own judgment.”

Tarascon is the early third choice in the Rebel at 5-1. Bright Again, second to Summer Squall in the Jim Beam, is the 2-1 favorite. The D. Wayne Lukas-trained entry of Real Cash and Power Lunch is 3-1.

At 6-1 is El Camino Real Derby winner Silver Ending. Wicked Destiny, who won the Remington Park Derby in his last start, is 8-1. At 12-1 is Nuits St. Georges. Hawaiian Pass, a troubled fourth in the Rebel, is 15-1.

At 20-1 is the Loblolly Stable entry of Maverick Miner and Bismarck Hills. The group at 30-1 includes Seasabb, Bold Pocket, Penguin and Autocracy.