Sports

Speedster Trinniberg fast, furious at Kentucky Derby

LOUISVILLE, Ky. — It takes a bolt from the blue to shake up the century old Kentucky Derby, but Shivananda Parbhoo, an Indian from Trinidad, turned America’s biggest horse race on its head last week when he entered his sprinter, Trinniberg, in the race.

In an instant, he changed the whole complexion of the race, forcing every trainer back to the drawing board and setting off a tide of speculation that is still buzzing to this day.

Here’s the reason: Nobody believes Trinniberg has a ghost of a chance of winning the Derby (he has never run beyond seven furlongs) but everyone believes he is going to have a profound effect on shaping the outcome.

When the gates spring open, every eye is going to be glued on Trinniberg.

He is a monster sprinter who zooms straight to the lead and sets blazing fractions. which could run the legs off the highly-regarded speed horses — Bodemeister, Hansen, Union Rags, Take Charge Indy, Gemologist — and set it up for a come-from-behind bomb to blow the lights out of the tote board.

It’s been done before — often. Back in 2001, Songandaprayer, a flying machine, ran the fastest half-mile in Derby history (44.4 seconds) which killed everyone, including Songandaprayer, but Monarchos came from nearly 20 lengths out of it to win at 10-1.

In 2005, Spanish Chestnut, another meteor, hit the half-mile marker in 45.1, which demoralized the field, leaving a 50-1 shot named Giacomo to come from near last to pick up the pieces.

That’s what Trinniberg figures to do Saturday. He can spin off a half- mile in 45 seconds and not blow out a match. “They’re going to give us the lead,” said Parbhoo. It is what happens next that will determine the fate of the Derby. Will he stop on a dime — or keep motoring?

At the barn yesterday, Parbhoo, a 47-year-old trucker who came to the U.S. from Trinidad in 1991, dismissed out of hand the notion that he’s in the Derby to wreak havoc. “They all think Trinniberg is going to stop,” he said. “The distance is a question, but we think he’ll get it. A lot of people are going to be surprised.”

Asked whether someone put him up to it, to enter a “rabbit” to knock off the favorites, Parbhoo cried, “No, no,no. I wouldn’t come here to be a rabbit for anyone. A waste of time. I’m here to win.”

This team is not to be underestimated. Parbhoo and his father, Bisnath, who is Trinniberg’s trainer, a few years ago bought Giant Ryan for $27,000. Last year, the horse won six straight races, including the Vosburgh. He ran seventh in the Breeders’ Cup and fifth in the big sprint in Dubai last month to wind up the year with $750,000 in the bank and the title of New York’s Horse of the Year.

Trinniberg is another buying miracle. “I went to the Ocala salesyards looking to pick up some supplies, not thinking of buying a horse,” Parbhoo said. “Then I saw this horse come by and I fell in love with him at first sight. I bought him for $21,000.”

Trinniberg, to date, has earned $341,000. And that is only the beginning, if Parbhoo’s dream comes true. He plans to bet $5,000 on him in the Derby. “I expect to get 50-1, but I’m hoping it will be 100-1,” he said. “You have to pay a lot of money to bring a horse to the Derby so why not spend $5,000 to bet on your horse?”

It wouldn’t be Parbhoo’s first hit. Way back in 2001, he fell in love with the European star Johannesburg. When they brought him to the Breeders’ Cup, Parbhoo bet $3000 on him. “He won and paid about $18,” he said.

And Trinniberg? Guess what? His grandsire is none other than Johannesburg.