Notes on a Scorecard - July 19, 1995

Swaps, the 1955 Kentucky Derby winner, loved Hollywood Park. . . .

His first stakes victory was the June Juvenile in 1954 at Inglewood, and he went on to win eight more races there, including the Hollywood Derby and Gold Cup. . . .

However, the track hasn’t been nearly as kind to the two Kentucky Derby winners that have run in the race named in honor of Swaps. . . .

After winning the Triple Crown in 1977, Seattle Slew suffered his first defeat in the Swaps Stakes. . . .

He finished fourth behind J.O. Tobin, Affiliate and Text on an afternoon when so many fans turned out, 68,132, that the late Mervyn LeRoy, track president at the time, removed his coat, loosened his tie and helped direct traffic. . . .

In 1989, Sunday Silence was upset by Prized. . . .

Now comes Thunder Gulch. . . .

The 1995 Kentucky Derby winner will face six or seven rivals Sunday in a Swaps that has been shortened in distance from 1 1/4 to 1 1/8 miles and increased in purse money from $200,000 to $500,000. . . .

“I’m not too worried about the history of the race,” trainer Wayne Lukas said in Kentucky, where he is participating in the Keeneland Selected Yearling Sales. “I think this is a good spot for Thunder Gulch. We’re not meeting many horses who ran in Triple Crown races and the distance should be excellent.” . . .

Three of his probable opponents--Petionville, Dazzling Falls and Da Hoss--have combined to win six derbies. . . .

“Yeah,” said Lukas, “but none of them won the Kentucky Derby or the Belmont Stakes.” . . .

Thunder Gulch was seeded second, behind Timber Country, among the 3-year-olds in Lukas’ barn at the start of the year before coming within three-quarters of a length of winning the Triple Crown. . . .

Most racing scientists still believe Timber Country is superior, but Thunder Gulch will earn some more respect Sunday if he can accomplish something that Sunday Silence and Seattle Slew couldn’t. . . .

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Sign of the times: CNN’s late-night sports show Monday led with the opening of NFL camps and reported no baseball scores during the first segment. . . .

Calling all Klostermans. . . .

The first Klosterman Klassic, a benefit for the Scleroderma Foundation that is dedicated to battling the rare skin disease, will be held Friday at Los Amigos golf course in Downey. . . .

Among the 18 Klostermans participating will be Don, an executive at the Hollywood Park Casino and former general manager of the Los Angeles Rams. . . .

Klosterman used to get his players into camp on time, but the surprise of training camp at this early date is that the St. Louis Rams have signed all their draft choices. . . .

If Tom Coughlin is a perfectionist, what is he doing coaching the Jacksonville Jaguars? . . .

Art Aragon is so bullish on fellow Albuquerque, N.M., native Danny Romero that the original Golden Boy will travel to San Antonio to watch the International Boxing Federation flyweight champion defend his title against Miguel Martinez on July 29. . . .

Promoter Bob Arum is quoted as saying, “Romero is the hottest young star in boxing today.” Hmm. What does that make Oscar De La Hoya? . . .

The tape of the Tommy Morrison-Razor Ruddock fight on ESPN the other night showed that Morrison’s chin might be getting stronger. He took plenty of good shots from Ruddock before stopping him in the sixth round. But we’ll know more after Morrison fights Lennox Lewis. . . .

Aaron Krickstein, who will celebrate his 28th birthday Aug. 2 during the Infiniti Open at the L.A. Tennis Center, was the youngest player ever to win a tour singles title when he won at Tel Aviv in 1983 at 16 years 2 months. . . .

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If I’m promoting a women’s tennis tournament, I give Monica Seles any seeding she wants. . . .

Sports capital of the nation update: Los Angeles, which has no NFL teams, might soon have two National Roller Derby teams. There are plans to revive the Thunderbirds, who would join the Aztecs at the Grand Olympic. . . .

Best little-known hitter in baseball is Edgar Martinez, the Seattle Mariner who is leading the American League in batting and was the 1992 champion. . . . Someone please explain to me why the Dodgers, whose lineup is packed with right-handed hitters, have a better record against right-handed pitchers than left-handers. . . .

I wonder what Magic Johnson’s plans are for the 1996-97 NBA season.