The last weekend of Derby preps and the water's still muddy. I love years like this; years when you can just taste a $400 exacta. Casse and Classic Empire came off the ropes like Ali in Zaire and delivered a knockout punch to a big, tough field in Arkansas. Team Casse made a slick comeback here. A little time with the back doctor, a lot of time with the head doctor and Voila! we have ourselves a Derby horse again. Now, we just wait and see
which Empire, Vader or Skywalker shows up.
But enough about that, I'm pestering you yet again to plead the case of another Hall Of Fame longshot, Craig Perret. Why this guy is a longshot completely escapes me; shoulda had a plaque decades ago. Four Breeders' Cups, a Derby, a Belmont, and 35 years of smooth, slick, smartest guy in the race rides. Big race jock. As Stuart Scott would have said, “cool as the other
side of the pillow.”
Perret, after riding quarter horses in Louisiana since he crawled out of his mom's stroller, made his official debut in 1967, went on to be leading apprentice that year and never looked back. He won the Gazelle at the Big Apple in 1968 and his “Big Race Rider” rep built from there. When Leroy Jolley needed to replace Braulio Baeza on Honest Pleasure, he called Perret. Tough man to make happy, tough man to replace. All in a days work for ol' Craig. Winner.
Perret rode four, count'm four champion sprinters, but he was so much more then a speed rider. Somehow he talked Honest Pleasure and Rhythm into thinking they could get 1 1/4 miles and won the Travers on both. He and Bet Twice ran off the screen in the 1987 Belmont, thus denying Alysheba his Triple. But it's that Derby ride on Unbridled that sticks in my mind.
Shuffled at the break, maybe 11th turning down the backside, Perret kept his patient eye on the yellow polka dots of Pat Day and Summer Squall, stalking them like a cat on a mouse. Day made his move, inhaled through his nose and thought he smelt roses and then, ruh roh, here comes Unbridled. Turning for home, smooth as silk Perret went past Day like a Globetrotter goes by a General, gave a casual glance to his right and hand rode to glory. No big deal. Made it look easy.
Don't get me wrong, those other four guys are totally qualified for a spot at The Spa. Albarado 5000+ wins; Gomez 13 Breeders' Cups and two Eclipses; Espinoza seven Triple Crown wins, and Castellano four straight Eclipse Awards. But Craig Perret was something different. Never chose to ride full time in NY or SoCal. After he turned 25, never had 1000 or more starts in a year again in his career. Personal choices that now I guess have him flying under the voters' radar. But if you were at Monmouth Park anytime over 25+ years, you knew just how good he was. Rode what he wanted, when he wanted. Lots of favorites, almost no mistakes. He rode the chalk like Mr. Bergbaum in sixth grade science. Lean over the paddock rail, watch Perret, Croll, and Levy standing under a tree talking about who was gonna stand where in the winner's circle and try and get those boys beat at your own peril. Watch Perret hit the rode for a big race, Miami, NY, L.A., or Louisville and put on a clinic. Ask Maple or Fires. Ask Krone or Brumfield. Angel or Jorge or any other jock from that era who has a spot on the wall on Union Ave; that Craig Perret could beat you without seeming to sweat. Open the door folks, let him in.
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