BackTrack: DQ Lifts Line in the Sand to Louisiana Derby

The champagne in the Fair Grounds directors' room tasted a touch flat, but William S. Farish was enjoying his glass.

"During the past 35 years, I've been disqualified a handful of times from a stakes win," said Farish, sporting a mischievous grin. "This is the first time that I've been 'kissed up.'"

Indeed, lady luck had given the master of Lane's End Farm a delightful smooch on the afternoon of March 21. His homebred colt Line in the Sand, the 9-10 favorite, was awarded first money via disqualification in the 67th running of the $200,000-guaranteed Louisiana Derby (G3).

Colony Light, sent away at 7-1 and carrying the orange and yellow colors of John H. Peace, had swept under the wire 1 1/4 lengths in front of Line in the Sand, completing the 1 1/16 miles in 1:43 2/5 over a fast track. The inquiry sign immediately, however, lit up on the tote board. Approaching the eighth pole, Colony Light had swerved toward the inside for several strides and appeared to have impeded Hill Pass.

The interference likely did not affect the order of finish, but it was a violation of the rules of racing. The stewards viewed the head-on replay a dozen times, then acted accordingly: Line in the Sand was moved up to first, Hill Pass was moved from third to second, and Colony Light's number was dropped to third on the board.

Julie Krone, who had ridden Colony Light, offered no protests.

"My colt was much the best," she said. "If it's any consolation to Rusty (trainer Rusty Arnold), he got a good line on what Colony Light needs Maybe next time I can keep him straight."

Pat Day, who had taken Line in the Sand postward said he had received, "a nice clean trip," and that his colt had done "some good, solid running, even though Colony Light looked better today."

Day has won four Louisiana Derbys, equaling the record of jockey Ray Broussard. A non-drinker (even of flat champagne), Day celebrated Line in the Sand's win with a glass of water.

A field of nine went postward with weights ranging from 119 to 112 pounds. Darley Stud's West Vermont, a colt which shipped to Fair Grounds after an allowance victory at Gulfstream Park, took the early lead with fractions of :24 1/5 for the opening quarter and :47 2/5 for the half. West Vermont remained clear through a 1:12 three quarters but shortened stride upon entering the Fair Grounds stretch (which at an imposing 1,346 feet long, frequently means doom for frontrunners.)

Colony Light, eight lengths behind the pace through the half, was making an extended move and took a one-length lead at the furlong marker. He registered 1:37 for the mile and was coasting, allowing Line in the Sand no gain in the closing yards. The damage, however, had already been done.

Completing the order of finish were Louie Roussel III's Sheik to Sheik, followed by West Vermont, Naviator, Coaxing Matt, highweighted Say Guv, and Texas Won (which at 275-1 trailed throughout). All the starters were making their first starts in a graded event.

Some Saw, Many Bet

A sparse crowd, only 6,700, was on hand on a showery, surprisingly cool day in New Orleans. Adding OTB, intertrack, and out-of-state simulcast figures, however, meant that this year's 12-race Louisiana Derby card generated a total handle of slightly more than $4.1 million.

Line in the Sand, a chestnut son of Mr. Prospector, is a full brother to Ravinella, which was champion filly at ages 2 and 3 in England and France, her victories including a win in the 1988 One Thousand Guineas (G1) at Newmarket. The dam, the Northern Dancer mare Really Lucky, was a genuine producer, although ironically named.

"She was killed by lightning about a year ago," Farish said.

As a yearling, Line in the Sand was consigned to the August Sale at Saratoga. The British Bloodstock Agency (England) entered a bid of $600,000 but the bid did not reach the reserve, so Farish bought back the colt.

Farish campaigns Line in the Sand in partnership with James Elkins and Thomas Webber. Elkins is a banker, Webber an investment executive; both reside in Houston. The triumvirate also owns Prospectors Delite, a 3-year-old chestnut daughter of Mr. Prospector. The filly, also bred by Farish, is undefeated in three career races and is scheduled to compete in the $100,000-added Fair Grounds Oaks (G3) on March 29.

Neil Howard, trainer of record of both Line in the Sand and Prospectors Delite, took care of saddling chores on Louisiana Derby Day. Both runners have been conditioned at Fair Grounds by Mike Zwiessler.

A solid Line at Fair Grounds

Line in the Sand won at first asking at Keeneland last October, then managed only a pair of placings in four allowance tries for non-winners at 2. In his two races prior to the Louisiana Derby, however, Line in the Sand won the Lecomte Handicap and Risen Star Stakes at Fair Grounds.

In the Louisiana Derby, Day was aboard for the first time since Line in the Sand's maiden triumph. Day has won four Eclipse Awards, two runnings of the Preakness Stakes (G1), the Belmont Stakes (G1), and a half-dozen Breeders' Cup events, more than 5,400 races all told, and a niche in the National Museum of Racing's Hall of Fame.

His 0-for-9 record in the Kentucky Derby (G1) is one of the sport's bewilderments. At the post-Louisiana Derby press conference, the inevitable question was asked concerning Line in the Sand. Day was prepared—to voice no commitment either way.

"Right now, just about all the good riders are shopping around," he said. 

Krone, who has never ridden in the Kentucky Derby, might have a live mount this year, Colony Light, a dark bay son of Pleasant Colony and a $180,000 yearling purchase at Keeneland in July of 1990, has looked sharp in recent outings. He won his first race with Krone in the irons, ran a solid second in a nine-furlong Gulfstream Park allowance race, then undertook his Louisiana Derby. His time was only one-fifth of a second slower than Risen Star's 1988 clocking.

Colony Light's sire was something of a late developer. Farish, possessed of a superb horseman's eye, assesses Colony Light as "already impressive and likely to get better." 

Arazi? Farish has an opinion concerning him too, albeit a guarded one.

"Francois (Boutin) is an outstanding trainer," said Farish. "If Arazi can win the Derby off the schedule that's been mapped out for him, it will be an outstanding feat."

Line in the Sand's $120,000 share of the Louisiana Derby purse upped his career earnings to $175,208. Farish said the $500,000 Blue Grass Stakes (G2) on April 11 at Keeneland would be the colt's next race.

"Running in that race has always fit the general progression we like to follow," he said.