Notes on a Scorecard - April 1, 1992

Wayne Lukas, the thoroughbred trainer and basketball fan, is hoping for a couple of upsets on the first Saturday in April. . . .

At 2:40 p.m., Lukas’ colt Hickman Creek, an outsider, will race in the $500,000 Santa Anita Derby at Arcadia. . . .

About 2 1/2 hours later, Lukas’ friend Bob Knight will coach Indiana, a mild underdog, against Duke in the NCAA tournament at Minneapolis. . . .

For a while, it looked as though the fields for both the horse race and the basketball semifinals would number four. Now it appears that five or six will go in the Derby. Still, most handicappers believe it will be a duel between Bertrando and A.P. Indy. . . .

“Watch out,” Lukas said. “I think Hickman Creek has big upset possibilities. He’s on an upward spiral. Bertrando and A.P. Indy aren’t invincible, believe me. Not to knock them, but they haven’t been dominating their prep races.” . . .

Actually, it is another 3-year-old, Arazi, who is being described as invincible. He has won seven of his eight races, including a remarkable 5 1/2-length victory in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile last November at Churchill Downs. But he since has undergone arthroscopic surgery on both knees and will have only one prep race, Tuesday outside Paris, before the Kentucky Derby, the first Saturday in May. . . .

“Arazi has a very tough job ahead of him,” Lukas said. “The Kentucky Derby is so difficult to win that you usually can’t if you have to make any compromises. In 1988, when we won it with Winning Colors, everything fit right into place.” . . .

Lukas, who isn’t a betting man, says he would like to book some of the heavy action on Arazi in Nevada. . . .

“But you have to remember something,” Lukas said. “I’m the same guy who went on Paul Hornung’s television show in Louisville the night before the Breeders’ Cup and told everyone to put a line through Arazi in the Juvenile because he had no shot to win.” . . .

After completing his duties at the track Saturday, Lukas will make the short drive home, pull up an easy chair and cheer for the Indiana Hoosiers against the Duke Blue Devils. . . .

He spent some time last week in Albuquerque with Knight at the NCAA West Regional. It was a case of someone who had coached high school basketball for 10 years getting an opportunity to observe one of the all-time great college coaches at work. . . .

“I’ve never experienced quite the intensity of those three days,” Lukas said. “While UCLA was still playing New Mexico State on Thursday night, Bobby was in his hotel room, studying tapes of an earlier UCLA game.” . . .

Lukas was introduced to Knight by a mutual friend, Hall of Fame coach Pete Newell, several years ago and has spoken to the Indiana team three of the last four seasons. . . .

“Our personalities are pretty much alike,” Lukas said. “Intensity is what makes us tick. There are no gray areas with Bobby. You always know where you stand with him. There are no small things, either.” . . .

“His players develop a suit of armor. They learn that what he wants most is for them to excel. They learn to adjust. There is no star system. They band together because they can’t survive alone. That’s why they are able to set six screens and make 10 passes during one possession.” . . .

Lukas is more flexible than Knight, but there is no question about who is in charge of his operation, either. . . .

Recently, the Oaktown Stable, owned by rap music star Hammer, sent its outstanding filly, Lite Light, to Lukas. Although she has never run on the surface, Oaktown thought it would be a good idea to run Lite Light on turf. . . .

“OK,” said Lukas. “I’ll run Lite Light in a grass race, and Hammer will make a country-and-western album.” . . .

End of discussion. . . .

Southwest Missouri State, which will play Western Kentucky Saturday morning in the NCAA women’s Final Four at the Sports Arena, is perhaps best known for its drama department. Among former students are John Goodman, Kathleen Turner and Tess Harper. . . .

In 1987, Indiana defeated Syracuse for the NCAA championship, 74-73. Four of those Orangemen are in the NBA today, including three who were lottery picks. None of the Hoosiers are playing in the league. . . .

Michigan has reached the Final Four this season in basketball and hockey. . . .

Andre Cason, the star of the indoor track and field circuit, will challenge Carl Lewis at 100 meters in the Mt. SAC Relays April 18. . . .

Man Bites Dog Department: The prices of some tickets for the Disneyland Pigskin Classic, which will match Stanford and Texas A&M; Aug. 26 at Anaheim Stadium, are being dropped from $28 to $15. . . .

Chicago got jobbed in that big trade--and I mean the Cubs. . . .

What could possibly be more exciting than a spring training game? A split-squad game. . . .

The Raiders should jump at the opportunity to acquire New York Giant quarterback Phil Simms.