Notes on a Scorecard - Oct. 26, 1994

Wayne Lukas was on the phone from Churchill Downs, a strong case of Breeders’ Cup-itis in his voice. . . .

“Tabasco Cat’s work this morning was his best in a long time,” the trainer said. “He went six furlongs in 1:13. That’s a monster work here. He likes this track and he’s been here for 49 days, so maybe he’ll have the home-court advantage in the Classic.” . . .

The Cat is only one of eight horses Lukas probably will send postward in four races on Nov. 5. . . .

Lukas hasn’t saddled a winner in the Breeders’ Cup since Steinlen in the Turf in 1989, but still has twice as many winners, 10, as any other trainer and has averaged one a year. . . .

“I’ve always put great emphasis on this day,” he said. “I’ve won more than anyone and have had more starters (79) than anyone. In the spring, we showcase 3-year-olds. But the Breeders’ Cup is a showcase for the entire thoroughbred industry.”. . .

When entries are announced today for the seven-race card, these are expected from the Lukas stable: Flanders, Serena’s Song, Cat Appeal and Lilly Capote in the Juvenile Fillies, Timber Country in the Juvenile, Harlan and Chimes Band in the Sprint and Tabasco Cat in the Classic. . . .

You would think that starting four two-year-old fillies in the same race for three different owners might be sticky for a trainer. . . .

“It could be,” Lukas said. “But you’ve simply got to do the best possible job with each horse.”. . .

Unbeaten Flanders, who romped by 21 lengths in her last race, is expected to be an odds-on favorite and the most probable winner of the day. . . .

“She’s a gifted athlete, a professional beyond her years,” Lukas said. “Like Lady’s Secret used to, she takes you out of your game plan. If you go with her, you don’t finish. If you stay back seven or eight lengths, you can’t catch her.”. . .

“But Serena’s Song’s numbers jump out of the past performances too. If she had run in the Frizette and Flanders hadn’t, she might have won by 21 lengths.”. . .

Some diplomat, that Lukas. . . .

*

Greg Maddux’s unprecedented third consecutive National League Cy Young Award was well deserved and is a remarkable achievement. . . .

But Sandy Koufax might have won four in a row from 1963-66 if there hadn’t been only one selection made in the major leagues then. . . .

Koufax won in 1963, 1965 and 1966, but not in 1964, although he was 19-5 with a 1.74 earned-run-average. . . .

The award that year went to another Los Angeles pitcher--Dean Chance of the Angels, who was 20-9 with a 1.65 ERA. . . .

The USC men’s basketball team practices at 5:45 a.m. and the women at 7 p.m. . . .

Anyone for soccer? Top-ranked Indiana, 16-1, and fourth ranked UCLA, 14-1, will be featured in the UCLA/Adidas MetLife Classic. . . .

The matchups: Indiana vs. Cal State Fullerton, 6 p.m., and UCLA vs. Notre Dame, 8 p.m., Friday at Spaulding Field. Cal State vs. Notre Dame, 11 a.m., and Indiana vs. UCLA, 1 p.m., Sunday at the North Soccer Field. . . .

The recent floods in Houston didn’t cause George Foreman to miss any training for his Nov. 5 heavyweight title fight against Michael Moorer in Las Vegas, but he did spend a night sleeping with his family in a shelter. . . .

Vito Antuofermo, Jimmy Bivins, Benny Goldberg, Raul Macias, Paul Pender, Lionel Rose, Billy Soose and Jose Torres will be inducted into the World Boxing Hall of Fame at its 15th annual banquet Saturday night at the L.A. Airport Marriott Hotel. . . .

UCLA linebacker Donnie Edwards leads the Pacific 10 Conference in tackles for losses with 19 and is tied for first in sacks with 11 1/2. The Bruin sack record is 13, by Carnell Lake in 1988. . . .

“I believe that within three or four years, we will see the Pacific-10 and Big Ten Conference and the Rose Bowl come into the bowl alliance,” Southeastern Conference Commissioner Roy Kramer said. “We came close this year.” . . .

Kansas State has dropped from No. 1 to No. 10 to No. 16 in the New York Times computer poll. . . .

If Gus Frerotte shows that his debut against Indianapolis was no fluke, the talent-poor Washington Redskins would have to be tempted to trade Heath Shuler. . . .

Houston, which will play the Raiders at the Coliseum on Sunday, is the AFC version of the Arizona Cardinals. The Oilers, 1-6, have scored 93 points and given up 155. The Cardinals, 2-5, have scored 89 and given up 155. . . .

There must be a Buddy Ryan connection there someplace. . . .

I can hardly believe it, but it is looking more and more like there is going to be an NBA season.