Exercise Rider

A few low, indecipherable noises escaped from the table where Shug McGaughey, trainer of even-money Preakness favorite Orb, sat during the post-position draw Wednesday. The horse had drawn the dreaded No. 1 gate, meaning eight horses will be closing him in as they race toward the shortest path to the first turn. McGaughey, though, was not among those who thought this meant anything significant. “Some people groaned,” he said. “I didn't groan.” McGaughey acknowledged a preference to start on the outside of the field - where both the jockey and horse can watch the field open up - but said he thought drawing the rail simply didn't matter in a nine-horse field running over a mile and three-sixteenths.

Articles in the Sept. 15 and 18 editions of The Sun gave incorrect information about a car accident that killed Wybiena Uden, a 28-year-old exercise rider from Holland. The Sept. 13 accident occurred at the intersection of Dorsey Run Road and Junction Drive in Annapolis Junction in Howard County.The Sun regrets the error.Pub Date: 9/21/96

NEW YORK -- Santa Anita Derby winner Brocco made it through a five-furlong workout yesterday at Churchill Downs, clearing the way for him to start in the Kentucky Derby.Brocco was placed on the vet's list at Santa Anita following the Santa Anita Derby when a veterinarian representing the state racing commission detected some unsoundness in his right front leg. He became ineligible to race until completing a workout to the satisfaction of a state or track vet, which he did yesterday.The work was completed in 1:03 under exercise rider Alfredo Garcia.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. -- D. Wayne Lukas still has no jockey for Honour and Glory, the fast-breaking speedster in his stable of five Kentucky Derby entries. He said Mike Smith would ride if Unbridled's Song does not enter.Holding court yesterday outside his barn, Lukas said he's having trouble ranking his starting five. The others are Grindstone, Editor's Note, Victory Speech and Prince of Thieves.So is Lukas' regular exercise rider, Donna Barton, who works them all."Honestly, it's so hard to pick them apart," Barton told the Louisville Courier-Journal.

Articles in the Sept. 15 and 18 editions of The Sun gave incorrect information about a car accident that killed Wybiena Uden, a 28-year-old exercise rider from Holland. The Sept. 13 accident occurred at the intersection of Dorsey Run Road and Junction Drive in Annapolis Junction in Howard County.The Sun regrets the error.Pub Date: 9/21/96A Laurel woman was killed early Saturday in the Annapolis Junction section of Howard County when her car collided with a dump truck.County police said Wybina Uden, 28, was traveling east on Junction Drive when she failed to yield in making a left turn onto Dorsey Run Road.

Anna Rosie Napravnik, 17, had long dreamed of becoming a jockey. In yesterday's opening race at Pilmico Race Course, the former exercise rider made that dream a reality, winning aboard Ringofdiamonds, her first official mount. Guiding the 4-year-old filly, Napravnik gunned for the lead and slowly increased it throughout the race. She peeked back at her competition several times before crossing the wire two lengths in front, timed in 1:47 2/5 for 1 1/16 miles. Ringofdiamonds, a bay daughter of Diamond, is trained by Richard Small, for whom Napravnik has worked since early 2004.

Cecil F. Coffman, a former jockey who owned and trained several thoroughbred horses, died of lung disease July 28 at Longview Nursing Home in Manchester. The longtime Hampstead resident was 87. Mr. Coffman was born and raised in Cumberland, and at 14 left home to work as a jockey in West Virginia. After riding professionally for eight years, he became an exercise rider and trainer at Alfred G. Vanderbilt's Sagamore Farm in Glyndon, where among other horses he exercised was Native Dancer, winner of the Preakness, Belmont and Travers stakes.

The return of Magic Weisner and King Leatherbury's pursuit of his 6,000th win could highlight an unusually spicy opening day at Laurel Park. Racing returns Thursday to the Maryland track after a six-week break for competition at Colonial Downs. Leatherbury, 70, is two wins shy of becoming the third trainer to win 6,000 races. Dale Baird and Jack Van Berg are the others. Leatherbury, who saddled his first winner in 1959, has 51 training titles at Pimlico and Laurel Park. "What can I say?

After arriving with a police escort in a white trailer at Pimlico Race Course yesterday, Big Brown walked calmly from his trailer to the end stall reserved for the Kentucky Derby winner just after 8 p.m. The flight carrying Big Brown from Louisville, Ky., to Baltimore-Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport arrived later than expected, but trainer Rick Dutrow said that was not an issue for his horse. "He was cool," Dutrow said. While Big Brown was en route to Baltimore, he drew the No. 7 post in the Preakness draw.

Traitor, a top contender for the Kentucky Derby, has resumed training after a freak accident Feb. 1 at Hialeah Park in Florida. But the week and a half of lost conditioning could jeopardize his chances of racing in the spring classics.Traitor is trained by Mary Eppler, based at Pimlico but spending the winter at Hialeah. He is owned by Alfred G. Vanderbilt, former owner of Sagamore Farm in Baltimore County.The accident occurred as Traitor walked off the Hialeah track after galloping. A horse behind him became unruly, upsetting Traitor and causing him to lunge into a railing.