Roar Does Just That in Building Credentials for Kentucky Derby

Beaten in both of his previous tries around two turns, Roar became a candidate for the Kentucky Derby with a 1 1/2-length victory over 38-1 shot Ensign Ray in the $600,000 Jim Beam Stakes on Saturday at Turfway Park in Florence, Ky.

Trying more than seven furlongs for the first time as a 3-year-old, the Forty Niner colt tracked the pace set by Ensign Ray, got the lead in the stretch and went on to win for the fourth time in nine starts. He ran the 1 1/8 miles in 1:49 3/5.

What was a gratifying race for trainer Shug McGaughey was a disappointment for Wayne Lukas.

Looking for his second consecutive Beam win after Serena’s Song won in 1995, Lukas had to settle for third with 9-10 favorite Victory Speech and seventh with Dr. Caton.

A troubled third in the Fountain Of Youth when beaten by half a length by Built For Pleasure, Victory Speech finished four lengths behind Ensign Ray.

“I’d say he ran third and used only 75% of his capabilities,� Gary Stevens said of the favorite. “He just didn’t seem to have any confidence, and he never leveled when I asked him.�

The 5-2 second choice, Roar ran his win streak to three for McGaughey and owners Claiborne Farm and Adele Dilschneider.

“All of his races have been very good this winter,� McGaughey said. “The biggest thing I’m pleased with is, condition and lookswise, he’s going forward and he has been all winter.

“About the last month, he’s come forward, forward, forward. [Jockey] Mike [Smith] was really pleased with his last race [a one-length win in the Swale on March 16]. He got into some trouble that day, got bumped around, ate a lot of dirt and was still able to finish up and win.�

Lukas said neither of his colts handled the track. He indicated Victory Speech may not run again until the Kentucky Derby on May 4, and Dr. Caton may go in the Derby Trial on April 27, then possibly the Preakness on May 18.

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Del Mar Dennis on Saturday became the first horse in the history of the Santa Anita winter-spring meeting to win the same stakes race three years in a row. John Henry won the Oak Tree Invitational three consecutive times at the Oak Tree meeting.

Del Mar Dennis, a 6-year-old gelding, followed up his victories in the 1994 and 1995 San Bernardino with a half-length win over Just Java in the Grade II race.

In the process, the 13-10 favorite also ended a drought for jockey Kent Desormeaux. He hadn’t won a stakes race at Santa Anita in 1996 and this was only his third of the meeting. Desormeaux hadn’t won a stake since Kingdom Found took the Ack Ack on Dec. 31.

Successful in eight of 11 tries on the Santa Anita main track, Del Mar Dennis led every step of the way with Just Java, the 5-2 second choice, right behind. Del Mar Dennis ran the 1 1/8 miles in 1:48 1/5 for owners John Toffan and Trudy McCaffery and trainer Paco Gonzalez.

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Romano Gucci remained unbeaten and earned himself a start in the $500,000 Wood Memorial in two weeks with a half-length victory over favored Tiger Talk in the $201,200 Gotham Stakes at Aqueduct on Saturday.

Winning for the fourth time, the Maryland-bred gelding overcame a slow start to go right to the front under Julie Krone and win in 1:34 2/5 for the mile.

Losing for the first time in four starts, Tiger Talk, ridden by Chris McCarron for trainer Ron Ellis and owners Jan, Mace and Samantha Siegel, finished three lengths ahead of Feather Box as the 7-5 favorite.

Owned by Herbert Kushner, a retired dentist who lives in Maryland, Romano Gucci paid $10.60 as the third choice. Gold Fever, the 7-2 second choice, finished sixth.

Horse Racing Notes

Del Mar Dennis earned $96,650 Saturday and increased his earnings to $971,475. . . . Pugnacious, a 3-year-old full brother to the stakes-winning Dianes Halo, easily won the $96,250 Rushaway at Turfway Park on Saturday. Ridden by Shane Sellers for owner Gary Garber and trainer David Cross, the gelding won by six lengths as the 2-1 favorite, covering the 1 1/16 miles in 1:43.