The gamecock. (Columbia, S.C.) 1908-2006, April 12, 2004, Page 9, Image 9
Derby picture becomes clearer
BY RICHARD ROSENBLATT
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS •
NEW YORK — Bobby Frankel
is at it again, working wonders
with a 3-year-old colt from his
home base in California.
This time, Master David is the
horse Frankel hopes will end his
Kentucky Derby drought. The
Hall of Fame trainer is 0-for-6 at
the Derby, but at least he’s got an
other shot May 1. _
Master David didn’t win his
first race in more than two
months, but his promising run
ner-up effort to Tap it in
Saturday’s Wood Memorial at
Aqueduct was proof enough he
carries the necessary credentials
to end up as the Derby favorite.
Yes, Smarty Jones won
Saturday’s Arkansas Derby to re
main unbeaten in six races, but
Master David has faced tougher
competition with consistent re
sults and remains No. 1 on this
week’s Derby Prospects list.
The rest of the top 10 under
went a major reshuffling after the
final Derby preps Saturday, with
Smarty Jones moving up to No. 2
and The Cliff’s Edge hitting the
chart at No. 3-with his victory
over Lion Heart in the Blue Grass
at Keeneland.
“I am happy with where we
are,” Frankel said. “He’s a tough
little horse, not as big as some of
the other ones, but he gave it ev
erything he had.”
Master David has never been
off the board in seven starts. The
son of Grand Slam began his ca
reer on the grass in England,
where he lost by a neck and then
a nose before his first victory. In
America, he finished second to
Read the Footnotes in the
Remsen at Aqueduct last
November.
That’s when Frankel took over
for new owner Peter Minikes,
who operates Georgica Stable.
The trainer with two runner-up
Derby finishes — Empire Maker
last year, Aptitude in 2000 — sent
Master David out to a third-place
finish in the Santa Catalina be
hind St Averil on Jan. 17. Three
weeks later, the colt won the
Sham Stakes, beating Derby con
tenders Borrego and
Preachinatthebar.
A slight illness kept Master
David out of the Florida Derby,
but his run in the 11/8-mile Wood
— he lost by a half-length and
held off Eddington by a nose for
second — gave every indication
he’s ready for a strong effort on
Derby day. In fact, Frankel
thought victory was possible as
jockey Alex Solis guided Master
David along the rail.
“I think he got beat because he
didn’t see the other horse on the
outside,” Frankel said.
Finishing second in the Wood
has been a good omen for Derby
hopefuls. Among Wood runner
ups winning the Derby are
Funny Cide (2003), Monarchos
(2001) and Go for Gin (1994).
The Derby field is limited to 20
horses. If more enter, only the top
20 graded stakes earners will
start.
One last prep is set for
Saturday — the Lexington Stakes
at Keeneland. Among prospective
starters are Minister Eric,
Pomeroy, Quintons Gold Rush
and Saratoga County.
The Derby would be the next
stop for each prospect.
Pinkins
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 8
Even the most optimistic of
Gamecock fans cannot predict that
Pinkins will have a breakthrough
season in 2004. In the 12-team SEC,
Carolina was 10th in scoring of
fense and ninth in passing offense,
despite having the fourth-best
rushing attack in the SEC last sea
son. Even with a decent running
game, the results just are not there
in the passing game.
Gamecock coaches can blame
everyone from the offensive line
not blocking to the wide receivers
not creating space, but sooner or
later you have to put some of the
blame on the quarterback.
However, the Gamecock offensive
line allowed the fewest sacks in the
conference last season. That seems
like a weird statistic for a team
that fired the offensive line coach
shortly after the Clemson game.
If nothing else, Pinkins must be
replaced so the Gamecocks do not
find themselves in the same situ
ation they have been for the last
three football seasons — looking
for a quarterback. Corey Jenkins
had virtually no game experience
heading into his senior season.
Pinkins received his first game ex
perience when USC headed into
the last two games at Florida and
Clemson. That is not exactly ideal
time to break a quarterback in.
None of the quarterbacks other
than Pinkins have meaningful
game experience. If Pinkins starts
all the games in 2004, fans can ex
pect a rough 2005 as well.
Even if Blake Mitchell or
Syvelle Newton are slightly
worse than Pinkins, one of them
must be given the ball this
August. Just look at the divi
dends that are now coming
Clemson’s way. They eventually
took the ball from Willie
Simmons and gave it to a young
freshman named Charlie
Whitehurst. Now, Whitehurst is
one of the most talented players
on the Clemson roster. No
Gamecock fan can forget the
numbers he posted on the score
board last November. Perhaps if
one of the promising youngsters
behind Pinkins were given the
chance to play, then maybe USC
will get similar results.
Finally, there is no reason to
believe that a move will break up
team chemistry. Pinkins has
been a Gamecock longer than
most people reading this article.
He started a game in 2000 at
• Alabama. He has seen Phil Petty
split time with Jenkins. Pinkins
himself took control of the offense
with just two games left in
Jenkins’ career. It is now time for
Pinkins to move over and let
someone else take control of the
USC offense for the overall good
of the program.
By now, it should be apparent
that quarterback play is critical in
college football. David Greene has
helped Georgia become a nation
al contender with his consistent
play. Eli Manning single-handedly
led Ole Miss to respectability the
last two seasons. When Steve
Spurrier was at Florida, he had a
reputation for developing quar
terbacks. Spurrier also had more
success in the SEC than any oth
er coach in history. Ironically,
Florida’s fall from grace will only
be reversed by the improved play
of Chris Leak.
The quarterback is the most
important position in college foot
ball and one that needs a major
rebuilding if the Gamecocks are
to experience success next sea
son. Otherwise, the 2004 football
season may be just another sea
son of five wins and mediocre
quarterback play.
Comments on this story?E-mail
gamecocksports@gwm.sc.edu
Baseball
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 8
eighth.
Carolina had an opportunity
for some iate-inning heroics for
the second-straight game as Steve
Pearce singled and Powell was in
tentionally walked, but Campbell
struck out and Winn popped out
to end the game.
use 7, Honda 6
The Gators again put up five
runs in an inning, this time in the
third as they jumped on top of the
Gamecocks 5-0. The Gator starter
Justin Hoyman looked untouch
able through the first five innings
by shutting out Carolina and al
lowing just one hit. Carolina fi
nally got on the scoreboard when
Hank Parks belted his third
home run of the season to lead off
the bottom of the sixth.
The Gamecocks continued to
cut into the lead when Ryan
Mahonev doubled, scoring Winn
and making the score 5-2. Florida
would push the lead back to four
when Justin Tordi hit a solo
home run in the top of the eighth
inning.
Carolina tagged the Gators for
four runs in the bottom of the
eighth, the big shot coming from
Winn — a three-run home run —
tying the game at six.
Neither team could score in
the ninth, and for the second time
in three games, the Gamecocks
and Gators would play extra in
nings.
After the Gators couldn’t push
a run across in the top of the 10th
inning, the Gamecocks came to
•l
'/ I'
the plate. Pearce singled to lead
off the inning, and Campbell sin
gled to put runners on the cor
ners at first and third base. Winn
ended it with a hit that scored
Pearce from third.
The Gamecocks will play host
to their rivals the Clemson Tigers
Wednesday at 7 p.m. at Sarge
Frye Field. The game will con
clude the series for the season.
Comments on this story? E-mail
gamecocksports@gwm.sc. edu
Masters
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 8
But this Masters didn’t need
him to deliver the drama.
With aces and eagles, so many
spectacular shots along the back
nine that the gallery was out of
breath, it came down to Mickelson
and Els in a duel as good as any at
a major championship.
Els, playing two groups ahead
of Mickelson, beat him on the par
5’s with an eagle and a birdie.
Mickelson answered with an
approach to the dangerous 14th
that grazed the cup for a tap-in
birdie, and a 15-foot birdie on the
par-3 16th, a hole that has haunt
ed him in the past.
“Baby!” Mickelson said as he
trotted off the green, tied for the
lead with two holes to play.
Playing the final hole, Els hit into
a bunker so deep he could only see
the hazy sky. He blasted out and
said, “Be right!” and it stopped some
25 feet behind the cup. His birdie
putt turned just left of the hole.
Els was on the practice green,
preparing for a playoff, when he
heard the loudest roar of the day.
Mickelson made the putt.
Mickelson won the Masters.
He became only the fourth play
er to win the Masters on a birdie
putt at No. 18.
Only two other players —
Harry “Lighthorse” Cooper (31)
and MacDonald Smith (24)—had
more PGA Tour victories than
Mickelson’s 22 without ever win
ning a major.
Some began to doubt it would
ever happen, especially since
Mickelson was coming off his
worst season ever. A year ago, he
nearly lost his wife, Amy, during a
difficult birth of their first son.
He refused to start practicing.
until Jan. 1, determined to put last
year behind him. Now, Mickelson
can look forward to many more
tries at majors, without the pres
sure of having to win his first.
“Get used to me, because I’m go
ing to be back every year,” he told
the Augusta National members in
green jackets, just like the one fi
nally draped over his shoulders.
It wasn’t easy—not over the last
12 year^, not over the last 12 holes.
Mickelson and DiMarco began
foe afternoon as co-leaders, but
came running back to the field af
ter a good start. Mickelson took
two shots to get out of the bunker
on No. 5 for double bogey,
DiMarco sailed over the sixth
green for a'double bogey.
Suddenly, the Masters was as
wild as ever.
Despite two sloppy bogeys out
of bunkers, Els shot into the lead
and took control with a 15-foot
birdie putt on No. 7, then one of
the purest shots of the day — a
long iron that caught enough of
the slope at No. 8 to feed down to
6 feet for an eagle.
That put the Big Easy in the lead,
and set the stage for the typical high
drama at Augusta National.
Mickelson couldn’t help but
hear it all. First came the cheers
for him — “It’s your year, Phil.
Make it happen!” — one man
shouted. Then came the roars
from all comers of the course.
The last cheer was for him.
That was a first.
Briefly
Track teams sprint
to solid Relays finish
The USC women’s track team
posted a solid final day at the Sea
Ray Relays, bringing home two
wins and a runner-up finish.
The team recorded a season
best time of 3:27.19 in the 4x400-me
ter relay, good enough for not only
a victory, but also an NCAA
Regional time. The team was made
up of Stephanie Smith, Shevon
Stoddart, Tawana Watkins and
Lashinda Demus. The time was
the third best in USC history.
The Gamecocks were also vic
torious in the shuttle hurdle relay
after recording a time of 54.50 sec
onds. That team was comprised of
Demus, Stoddart, Watkins and
Smith as well.
Finishing runner-up was the
women’s 4xl00-meter relay team,
licking up an NCAA Regional
:ime of 44.43 seconds.
For the men’s team, Tony
\llmond finished second in the
ong jump competition, reaching
14 feet, 8 inches.
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