John Pricci

HALLENDALE BEACH, Fla. - Any time good horses are led down the ramp into the walking ring at Gulfstream Park for a big race, the atmosphere resembles that of a prize fight. And like a big bout, the champion usually is the last to enter the ring. At the racetrack, this tradition is less about drama than it is about taking an edge. The shorter the time spent in the ring or paddock is less time for things to go wrong.

But there was no star treatment for Nobiz Like Shobiz prior to last week’s Fountain of Youth stakes. He was the no. 5 horse and he entered the ring in midpack with eight other three-year-olds seeking to climb the next rung on the Triple Crown ladder. And almost immediately for the pro tem Kentucky Derby favorite, the karma began to change. There it was, printed right there on the Gulfstream purple saddle towel: “Nobiz Like ShoWbiz.” Alas, there would be no “W” for Barclay Tagg’s colt this day.

When Tagg gave the meet’s leading rider, Cornelio Velasquez, a leg up on the imposing and attractive colt, the horse picked up his head, arched his neck, got up on his toes, lit a fire in his eyes and headed back up the ramp and out onto the main track. He was ready.

The next break with karma came about seven minutes later when Velasquez led him into the starting gate first. First? On the racetrack, loading into the gate in big races usually takes on a biblical connotation for the combatants: “And the last shall be first,” be it away from the barrier or to the finish line. Back in the day you’d never see Angel Cordero Jr. load his mount first.

Tardy break leads to more trouble
Standing in the gate approximately three minutes didn’t help the favorite at the start. In fact, he broke tardily, bumping with long shot Meritocracy and putting himself in an untenable position for the short run into the first turn. At that juncture he was steadied and altered course around Adore the Gold before reaching an attending position on the backstretch, three wide outside rivals.

Velasquez made his move at head-stretch and the colt did what he has had a tendency to do: changing leads awkwardly and ducking in soon after entering the straight. This time that bad habit cost him. After lugging in, he leaned on Adore the Gold, forcing Velasquez to pull him off that rival. Racing evenly at that point, he re-engaged when eventual winner Scat Daddy -- who now has beaten Shobiz twice and should finally be taken seriously -- rolled by outside. Nobiz Like Shobiz narrowed the gap to finish third, a half length behind the winner.

No matter what kind of spin his connections or fans use to explain the defeat, it was a decidedly subpar effort for a colt that is much better than he showed in the Fountain of Youth. Making his fifth lifetime start, greenness just doesn’t ring true anymore. Tagg appeared to watch the colt return for unsaddling in stunned disbelief, at a loss to describe the effort and for the moment reconsidering his plan to run him back in the Wood Memorial.

After sleeping on it, however, Tagg decided to stick with the schedule that worked so well with his Derby-winning Funny Cide in 2003, and will add a pair of “cheater” blinkers to the colt‘s equipment for the Wood, a hood designed for better focus while allowing the horse to see his competition.

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The barn had been reluctant to change equipment, especially coming off a series of wins. Indeed, the practice of making an equipment change following a win is not allowed in many jurisdictions. But something needs to be done, and right now, as only one prep remains.

Assistant trainer Robin Smullen said in Friday’s trades that everyone’s looking to train the colt now, claiming to have received about 100 e-mail suggestions. Here’s mine: Why not experiment with restraining him early, allowing the blinkers to put the colt in the race naturally, then make one explosive run to the lead, thereby teaching this young horse new tricks.

Efforts like the one demonstrated in the Fountain of Youth never will get it done on Derby Day. Time to change the karma and begin dictating to the colt instead of the other way around. He’s too good to run like that. He’s better than he showed last weekend, a lot better.