Notes on a Scorecard - April 3, 1991

This may be a season of firsts for important people in Arcadia. . . .

Trainer Wayne Lukas finally won the Santa Anita Handicap with Farma Way last month, and jockey Chris McCarron will be favored to win the Santa Anita Derby aboard Dinard Saturday. . . .

“Dinard is a real pro already,” said McCarron, who had to choose between him and San Felipe Stakes winner Sea Cadet. “He’s never shown any greenness. You never know if a young horse can go a distance, but he impresses me as the type who can. He’s got a lot of speed but doesn’t need the lead.” . . .

At 5 feet 3 and 111 pounds, McCarron is the biggest little man in sports. . . .

He became the eighth and youngest jockey to reach the 5,000-victory plateau, the fifth and youngest to exceed $100 million in earnings and is riding better than ever less than a year after breaking both legs and an arm. . . .

McCarron was back on the track only 81 days after a spill last summer at Hollywood Park. He recovered to win the riding title at the Inglewood fall meeting and is leading the Santa Anita standings, proving again that jockeys are among the most resilient of all athletes. . . .

“Physical fitness is the biggest factor,” McCarron said. “Jockeys work all year round and never get out of shape.” . . .

In a recent poll conducted by the New York Racing Assn., McCarron’s ride aboard Alysheba in the 1987 Kentucky Derby was voted the second-best of all time behind Bill Shoemaker’s ride aboard Ferdinand in the 1986 Derby. . . .

“I was flattered, but I think the horse deserved a lot more credit than I did that day,” McCarron said. “Alysheba clipped heels with Bet Twice down the stretch, but any jockey would have done the same thing I did. I steadied him, he regained his balance, and off we went.” . . .

McCarron, 38, says Alysheba is the best horse he has ridden, followed by John Henry. . . . Unlike most of his colleagues, the redhead didn’t take a seat on a horse until relatively late, when he was 16. Hockey and baseball were his sports while growing up in the Boston suburb of Dorchester, Mass. He had no interest in racing until his older brother, Gregg, became a jockey. . . .

“Actually, all jockeys are hindrances to horses,” he said. “The difference between a bad jockey, a good jockey and a great jockey is this: A bad jockey is a big hindrance. A good jockey is less of a hindrance. A great jockey is (an) even lesser hindrance.” . . .

McCarron’s greatest contributions to the sport may be those off the track. Four years ago, Chris, his wife Judy and actor Tim Conway founded the Donald MacBeth Memorial Fund for Disabled Jockeys. Through their efforts, close to $1 million has been raised. . . .

“This is the most gratifying work I’ve ever done,” McCarron said. “You hear so many sad stories, so many awful things. Now people are aware of them and able to help out.” . . .

An Encino homeowner and father of three daughters, he says he is having too much fun and success even to think about retirement. But he would like to stay in the sport as a trainer, executive or broadcaster when his riding days are over. . . .

Among his ambitions are to spend a full season riding in England or France. And, oh yes, winning the Santa Anita Derby some day soon wouldn’t be bad, either. . . .

A basketball team that is fouled in the last two minutes should have its choice of shooting free throws or merely keeping the ball. Players shouldn’t be encouraged to break rules late in the game. And the last two minutes of the Duke-Kansas championship game shouldn’t have taken 20 minutes to play. . . .

Overlooked was the fact that Nevada Las Vegas became the ninth consecutive wire-service poll champion that didn’t win the NCAA tournament. . . .

Don’t concede the 1992 championship to Duke yet. Indiana and North Carolina have plenty of talent returning, and Seton Hall will welcome two 7-footers and Bobby Hurley’s younger brother, Danny. . . .

Reggie Perry is No. 1, but Curtis Conway looked terrific at quarterback on opening day of spring practice at USC despite not having played the position since 1988 at Hawthorne High School. . . .

Only in hockey can somebody--Tony Amonte--play for Boston University in the NCAA championship game on Saturday and suit up for the New York Rangers in the Stanley Cup playoffs the following Wednesday. . . .

The Kansas City Chiefs are listening to trade offers for Christian Okoye. . . .

The Kansas City Royals believe that Kirk Gibson and young Gary Thurman will make up for the loss of Bo Jackson. . . .

Only one year and one day until the NCAA Women’s Final Four comes to the Los Angeles Sports Arena. . . .

The first public address announcer for the Houston Colt 45s was Dan Rather.