Namesake of USC's coach ready for run

Peachtree Stable owner John Fort has invited South Carolina football coach Steve Spurrier to be his guest at the Kentucky Derby, and Spurrier says he'll be there.

But those plans hinge on the performance of the horse that bears Spurrier's name.

Fort's promising 3-year-old colt Spurrier will likely earn a spot in the Kentucky Derby starting gate on May 3 if he can finish first or second in the nationally televised (WCBD) Wood Memorial to be run at 5:15 p.m. today at Aqueduct Race Course in New York.

"If this horse were to go to the Kentucky Derby and we could get the coach to go with us, my God do you think the sports writers wouldn't have a field day with that?" said Fort, who attended South Carolina and now resides in Camden. "It would be the best thing that ever happened to football, it would be the best thing that ever happened to racing and it would be the best thing that ever happened to sports in general. He's the most charismatic figure in sports, and the Kentucky Derby is the most charismatic

event in sports."

Sounds good to Spurrier.

"If he goes to the Derby, you tell (Fort) I'm coming with him," Spurrier said. "I'll find a way to get there if my horse Spurrier is in it."

Spurrier — the four-legged one — is one of several top 3-year-olds with South Carolina connections who will be running in key Kentucky Derby prep races this weekend.

Also in the field of the Wood Memorial today is Texas Wildcatter, owned by University of South Carolina graduate Bob McNair.

McNair, owner of the NFL's Houston Texans, is a frequent visitor to the Lowcountry and owns a home on Kiawah Island.

Meanwhile, Aiken-based Dogwood Stable sends out Atoned in the Illinois Derby today at Hawthorne Race Course in Chicago.

All three horses are trained by Todd Pletcher.

"Todd needs one of us to run big today and make it to the Derby," Fort said.

Of the three, Spurrier rates as an intriguing longshot at 15 to 1 on the morning line.

Spurrier raced twice as a 2-year-old, finishing a well-beaten fourth and sixth.

He finally won his first race in his second start as a 3-year-old, beating a field of eight going a mile and 70 yards over Aqueduct's inner track on Feb. 2.

Since then, he came back to win a $75,000 optional claiming race at the same distance on March 5.

Spurrier has had two solid workouts since his last race and seems to be a rapidly improving horse, but will be taking a huge step up in class for today's race, which includes War Pass, last year's 2-year-old champion, winner of five of six races, and the likely post-time favorite.

Spurrier will break from the No. 2 post position in the 1- 1/8th mile race and will be ridden by jockey Stewart Elliott, who guided Smarty Jones to victory in both the Kentucky Derby and Preakness in 2004.

For Spurrier to reach the Kentucky Derby, a first or second-place finish in the today's $750,000 Wood Memorial is essential. The Derby is limited to the 20 horses with the highest earnings in graded stakes races.

"We know we're reaching here," Fort said. "He'll be a longshot on Saturday, but gosh wouldn't it be fun if he won, and wouldn't it be fun if he won with that name, and wouldn't it be fun if we could get the Ball Coach to go to Kentucky with us for the Derby? I think you have to set yourself up for a good time or a good thing. And we have set ourselves up here for a wonderful scenario for the whole state of South Carolina."

Spurrier the coach says he plans to watch Spurrier the horse in today's race.

"Shoot, yeah," Spurrier said. "I'll be rooting for him."

Fort purchased the horse as a yearling for a modest $45,000 at the Keeneland September sale of 2006.

An avid admirer of South Caro-lina's head football coach, Fort decided to name the grey colt Spurrier, although he couldn't help but note a certain irony between the name and the horse's breeding.

Spurrier is sired by Dixieland Band, and was foaled from a mare named Humble.

"You wouldn't exactly think a horse named Spurrier would have a mother named Humble, would you?" Fort said.

Fort sells partnerships in the horses he buys, and not long after he named the colt he got a phone call from an interested investor from Florida, obviously not a Spurrier fan.

"When I told him the horse's name, he said, 'Oh, no, I can't do that, I hate Steve Spurrier too much' " Fort said.

"Every time Spurrier wins a race, I get e-mails from him. You know what I tell him? It's all in the name."

Reach Charles Bennett at cbennett@postandcourier.com.