the
he
ot
d
gle.
ES
isON
is
on
hy,
ng
ted,
eed
n’t
ers.
ugh
Veteran trainer keeps
running Derby horses
Tapwrit and Patch. That will tie him centage is, keep shooting.”
with mentor D. Wayne Lukas for
Lukas often tossed numbers at the
most starters in Derby history at 48. Derby. The Hall of Fame trainer and
Pletcher is 1 for 45 going, his lone former high school basketball coach
victory coming in 2010 with Super had five starters in 1996, when he
Saver. Lukas is a four-time Derby won with Grindstone, and three on
BY BETH HARRIS
winner, but doesn’t have a horse this five different occasions, including
Associated Press
year.
1995 when he won with Thunder
LOUISVILLE, Ky. — If it’s May,
“The Derby is the goal for many of Gulch.
Todd Pletcher must be at Churchill our young horses. It will continue to
Pletcher has followed in Lukas’
Downs preparing a horse — or sever- be the goal,” Pletcher said on a rainy footsteps. The 49-year-old trainer
al — for the Kentucky Derby.
Thursday at Churchill Downs. “It’s had five starters in 2007 and 2013.
Just once since he first took a crack like a shooter in basketball: Just Three times he’s had four starters,
at America’s greatest race in 2000 because they’re not going in all the twice he’s had three and six times
has the
trainer missed the Derby. time, you don’t stop shooting.
The he’sMAY
had two.
www.palatkadailynews.com
FRIDAY,
5, 2017
Pletcher saddles three starters in only way you’re going to make a basIt’s not that Pletcher believes
Saturday’s race: Always Dreaming, ket is to shoot. Forget what your per- every horse he enters has a chance to
is
accirs a
sn’t lost his
rom
dges.
ocks
away on the
nted
sday at the
p, his shot
green and
hat
or
an eagle.
idn’t
rs,
while
d used his
dayof his
ners
re excited,
son
.
said. “I need
yer
I haven’t
he Masters.
usly,
ven though
hole
ionship is
a freak accie Masters a
rurned
the from
the
in his socks
n his rented
SPORTS
win. With 20-horse fields, many owners get a case of Derby fever and
overestimate their horse’s ability to
withstand running 1 ¼ miles in chaotic traffic for the first time.
“It’s hard to tell an owner who has
that chance not to do it,” he said.
“They may never see that opportunity again.”
If the first Saturday in May hasn’t
been Pletcher’s finest hour, the rest
of the racing calendar is dotted with
his victories in major races. He’s
twice won the Belmont Stakes, the
final leg of the TriplePAGE
Crown. 6A
See DERBY, Page 7A
Pletcher plays
at Derby
A numbers
D
B game
P
NOTHER
Veteran trainer keeps
running Derby horses
BY BETH HARRIS
Associated Press
LOUISVILLE, Ky. — If it’s May,
Todd Pletcher must be at Churchill
Downs preparing a horse — or several — for the Kentucky Derby.
Just once since he first took a crack
at America’s greatest race in 2000
has the trainer missed the Derby.
Pletcher saddles three starters in
Saturday’s race: Always Dreaming,
AY AT THE
Tapwrit and Patch. That will tie him
with mentor D. Wayne Lukas for
most starters in Derby history at 48.
Pletcher is 1 for 45 going, his lone
victory coming in 2010 with Super
Saver. Lukas is a four-time Derby
winner, but doesn’t have a horse this
year.
“The Derby is the goal for many of
our young horses. It will continue to
be the goal,” Pletcher said on a rainy
Thursday at Churchill Downs. “It’s
like a shooter in basketball: Just
because they’re not going in all the
time, you don’t stop shooting. The
only way you’re going to make a basket is to shoot. Forget what your per-
ALL
ARK
centage is, keep shooting.”
Lukas often tossed numbers at the
Derby. The Hall of Fame trainer and
former high school basketball coach
had five starters in 1996, when he
won with Grindstone, and three on
five different occasions, including
1995 when he won with Thunder
Gulch.
Pletcher has followed in Lukas’
footsteps. The 49-year-old trainer
had five starters in 2007 and 2013.
Three times he’s had four starters,
twice he’s had three and six times
he’s had two.
It’s not that Pletcher believes
every horse he enters has a chance to
win. With 20-horse fields, many owners get a case of Derby fever and
overestimate their horse’s ability to
withstand running 1 ¼ miles in chaotic traffic for the first time.
“It’s hard to tell an owner who has
that chance not to do it,” he said.
“They may never see that opportunity again.”
If the first Saturday in May hasn’t
been Pletcher’s finest hour, the rest
of the racing calendar is dotted with
his victories in major races. He’s
twice won the Belmont Stakes, the
final leg of the Triple Crown.
See DERBY, Page 7A
ANOTHER DAY AT THE BALL PARK
en-
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Photos by CHRIS DEVITTO / Palatka Daily News
Russell Allebaugh enjoys the April 19 St. Johns River State baseball game with Zach Duke.
Sound the Viking Horn
Russell Allebaugh, 86, celebrates SJR State baseball, home runs in particular
R
ussell Allebaugh has become so
closely associated with St. Johns
River
State College
that
Russell
Allebaugh
enjoys baseball
the April 19
St. Johns River State baseball game with Zach Duke.
when Tindall Field served as a neutral site for a state tournament
play-in game last week, Daytona State coach
Tim Touma wanted to borrow him.
At first, Allebaugh said
no, that he honked the
horn on his motorized
scooter only for Viking
home runs. But SJR
State coach Ross Jones
said it would be all right,
that he was rooting for
Touma’s team. So for one
night at least, Allebaugh
ussell Allebaugh has become so
was a Falcons fan.
ANDY HALL
closely associated with St. Johns
ToCollege
no avail.
River State
baseball that
Tallahassee
CC beatas a neuwhen Tindall Field served
Daytona in 10 innings.
tral site for a state tournament
– Russell Allebaugh
Allebaugh
usedlast
to being
the winning
play-inisgame
week,on
Daytona
State coach
side atTim
Tindall
Field.
He’s atoregular
only at
Touma
wanted
borrownot
him.
home games, but at practices.At
That’s
in thesaid He was there Wednesday when the Vikings
first, him
Allebaugh
no,shirt,
that he
honked
Korean War cap and Vikings
riding
histhe loaded up to go to the state tournament in
horn on hissection
motorized
scooter to and from the handicapped
of
Lakeland. Allebaugh made one state tournascooter only
Viking ment trip back in 2010, but with vision probthe grandstands to a spot alongside
thefor
dugout
homeand
runs.
But SJR
where he can chat with coaches
players.
lems that limit his driving, he’ll follow his team
online this morning as the Vikings, 36-16 and
ranked sixth inPhotos
thebystate,
open against Chipola
CHRIS DEVITTO / Palatka Daily News
College, 40-8 and ranked No. 1 not only in the
state, but the nation.
“At first, I thought they had a chance to go to
nationals, but they’ve been playing sloppy ball.
Ross knows it, too,” Allebaugh said. “Every one
of them’s a good player, but sometimes they’re
error-prone. If they can get past Chipola and
Santa Fe, they’ll have a good chance.”
Allebaugh’s standards are high, having
grown up in Rhode Island as a Red Sox fan who
saw Ted Williams and Joe DiMaggio play.
“Kids ask me if I played. I said, ‘No, I was
uncoordinated. I couldn’t adjust my cup and
spit at the same time.’ Actually, I sang in the
second-oldest boys’ choir in the country for a
online this morning as the Vikings, 36-16 and
huge Episcopal Church. Back in the ‘40s, you
ranked sixth in the state, open against Chipola
did what
your
wanted,
not in
what
College,
40-8
andparents
ranked No.
1 not only
the you
wanted.”
state, but the nation.
Hefirst,
spent
eight years
the
Navy, about
“At
I thought
theyin
had
a chance
to go tofour
months on
a ship
near
Korea.
(“They
rotated
nationals,
but
they’ve
been
playing
sloppy
ball.
ships.
I never
actually
set foot
on “Every
land.”)one
Ross
knows
it, too,”
Allebaugh
said.
Allebaugh
spent
a portion
of his life they’re
in the printof
them’s a good
player,
but sometimes
error-prone.
If they
can get
past Chipola
and for a
ing industry,
working
in customer
service
Santa
Fe, they’ll
have
a goodNational
chance.” Geographic.
firm that
used to
publish
Sound the Viking Horn
“My favorite saying is, ‘I’m on
this side ofSJR
the State
fence. baseball,
They’re home runs in particular
Russell Allebaugh, 86, celebrates
on that side.’ I let Ross and his
other coaches take care of
(coaching).”
R
Allebaugh’s standards are high, having
grown up in Rhode
Island as a Red
See ALLEBAUGH,
PageSox
7A fan who
State coach Ross Jones
saw Ted Williams and Joe DiMaggio play.
said it would be all right,
“Kids ask me if I played. I said, ‘No, I was
that he was rooting for
uncoordinated. I couldn’t adjust my cup and
ht in
Touma’s team. So for one
spit at the same time.’ Actually, I sang in the
to play well,
win
night at least, Allebaugh
second-oldest boys’ choir in the country for a
ely sure
ould
was a Falcons fan.
huge Episcopal Church. Back in the ‘40s, you
ANDY HALL
eying
in the
To no avail.
did what your parents wanted, not what you
h into
Tallahassee CC beat
wanted.”
ng
Daytona in 10 innings.
He spent eight years in the Navy, about four
d a lot more
– Russell Allebaugh
Palatka
Daily
News
Peniel first-year coach Jeff Baptist.
immediately
into the regional
pliked to
Allebaugh is used to being onmorning,”
the winning
months on a ship goes
near Korea.
(“They rotated
sidebeatthe
Tindall
He’sto
a regular
not onlysaid.
at “They had severe
ships.
I never
set foot
land.”) against the winm swinging Monday will
nextField.
attempt
Hutchins
By putting the game
back
untilactually
semifinal
ononTuesday
nce
home
games,
but at practices.
him coming
in the from
He was
there Wednesday
when the
the Vikings
Allebaugh
spent anportion
shots
1-2A
first-round
soft- That’s
weather
Tallahassee
Monday,
thought might
have been
e r o f ofthis
h elifemina tthe
c hprintup between
last out play the Region
Korean game
War capfor
andPeniel
Vikings shirt,
riding
his and they
loadedtold
up to
the state
tournament
in get itsinglone
industry,
working
in customer
service forChristian
a
have to see.ball
I tournament
toward
them
usgototohold
that
Peniel would
senior,
Gainesville
Countryside
and
scooter to and from the handicapped
of
Lakeland. Allebaugh made
one state
tournafirm
thatfrom
usedato publish
NationalEagle’s
Geographic.
ds, and defiBaptist Academy.
off on section
coming.”
shortstop
Ashley
Spedden,
back
Jacksonville
View. Aucilla
the grandstands
a spotfor
alongside
theidea
dugout
mentFriday
trip back
in out
2010, but
withtrip
vision
prob-York. But Hutchins Christian, the two-time defending
ompetitive The Warriors
had their to
game
The
of playing
was
school
to New
See ALLEBAUGH,
7A
where he canuntil
chat with
coachesofand
lems that
his driving,
he’ll follow
.”
Thursday postponed
3 p.m.
theplayers.
question, according
tolimit
Hutchins,
squashed
thathis
inteam
a hurry.
state 2A Page
champion,
is 14-8, while
on a PGA Monday by host Monticello Aucilla because he said Aucilla Christian had
“They’re flying back at that time on Peniel is having its best season at 19-7.
ongest since
Christian due to a threat of severe testing going on Friday and he was Monday into Jacksonville,” he said. “So Last year, Aucilla Christian defeated
ee straight in
involved in an archery event planned we still won’t have her.”
Peniel, 13-0, in the regional opening
were to winweather.
The winner of the game Monday round at Aucilla Christian.
nt, it would “We found out about 9:30 in the well in advance at his church, Francis
won five in
7 through
Weather pushes Peniel softball playoff game to Monday
n the gap
a distance
ver the last
e 7A
239
ws.com
“My favorite saying is, ‘I’m on
this side of the fence. They’re
on that side.’ I let Ross and his
other coaches take care of
(coaching).”
Weather pushes Peniel softball playoff game to Monday
Palatka Daily News
Monday will be the next attempt to
play the Region 1-2A first-round softball tournament game for Peniel
Baptist Academy.
The Warriors had their game for
Thursday postponed until 3 p.m.
Monday by host Monticello Aucilla
Christian due to a threat of severe
weather.
“We found out about 9:30 in the
morning,” Peniel first-year coach Jeff
Hutchins said. “They had severe
weather coming from Tallahassee
toward them and they told us to hold
off on coming.”
The idea of playing Friday was out
of the question, according to Hutchins,
because he said Aucilla Christian had
testing going on Friday and he was
involved in an archery event planned
well in advance at his church, Francis
Baptist.
By putting the game back until
Monday, the thought might have been
that Peniel would get its lone senior,
shortstop Ashley Spedden, back from a
school trip to New York. But Hutchins
squashed that in a hurry.
“They’re flying back at that time on
Monday into Jacksonville,” he said. “So
we still won’t have her.”
The winner of the game Monday
goes immediately into the regional
semifinal on Tuesday against the winner of the matchup between
Gainesville Countryside Christian and
Jacksonville Eagle’s View. Aucilla
Christian, the two-time defending
state 2A champion, is 14-8, while
Peniel is having its best season at 19-7.
Last year, Aucilla Christian defeated
Peniel, 13-0, in the regional opening
round at Aucilla Christian.