Kentucky Derby

Kentucky Derby obviously changed the complexion of the race both as a sporting drama and a betting proposition. Little more than a week ago, the prospective field for 135th Derby appeared to well above average. Two colts, I Want Revenge and Quality Road, had both earned Beyer Speed Figures of 113 in prep races; considering that the average winning figure for the Derby is 109, both appeared to be potential stars. But Quality Road was sidelined with a hoof injury, and now I Want Revenge's defection makes the 19-horse lineup look ordinary.

The top two contenders now are Dunkirk, who remains an uncertain proposition because of his lack of experience; and Friesan Fire, whose best performance came on a sloppy track in Louisiana. The Churchill Strip was muddy this morning,and Friesan Fire would be a prime beneficiary if it remains wet at post time.

The scratch of I Want Revenge diminishes my enthusiasm for betting the Derby; he was the only entrant I thought possessed unshakable credentials. (Unfortunately, I hadn't been able to scrutinize his ankle. But because betting the Derby is a civic duty, my strategy will be to eliminate all of the horses with synthetic-track form,and play the trifecta and supefecta using the logical horses, Friesan Fire and Dunkirk, plus Papa Clem and the two invaders from Dubai, Regal Ransom and Desert Party.

I Want Revenge

I Want Revenge is out of the Kentucky Derby. The 3-year-old colt was scratched hours before the Run for the Roses after trainer Jeff Mullins discovered a hot spot on the horse's left front ankle. "We could tell he was not 100 percent," Mullins said. An X-ray did not find any damage, but with a wet track expected for the Derby, Mullins and owner David Lanzman didn't want to take any chances.

"When the word came out that running could hurt the horse, I looked at both doctors and said 'Then there is no debate,'" Lanzman said. "We'll fight another day." Larry Bramlage, the on-call veterinarian at Churchill Downs, said the horse didn't look injured while jogging for doctors. "Unfortunately, this close to the Derby, there's not a way to gauge how bad that is," he said.

Want Revenge and 19-year-old Joe Talamo were to start from post No. 13. The duo established themselves as one of the Derby favorites after a last-to-first dash in the Wood Memorial last month. Mullins said he doesn't expect the injury to be career-threatening but will give his star some time off before deciding what to do next. "We're going to do the right thing by him," Mullins said. "The doctors said he'll come back 100 percent."

Massachusetts Lottery

Massachusetts Lottery's oldest jackpot game, has a new look starting tonight. The inaugural drawing for Megabucks Doubler is at 11:24 p.m. on WCVB-TV Channel 5; as with the original game, drawings will be held every Wednesday and Saturday night. "Megabucks Doubler promises to create a great deal of excitement with higher jackpots and significantly more winners," Executive Director Mark Cavanagh said. "The improved game represents a real opportunity for our players and a fun way to raise more revenue for our 351 cities and towns."

According to lottery officials, the $1 per bet price will remain the same. However, they said jackpots on average will be twice as high in the new game; starting jackpots will be increased from $400,000 to $500,000; one in 10 tickets will be a "Doubler ticket" that would double non-jackpot prizes; and lower-tier prizes for matching three, four or five numbers will all "dramatically increase."

Megabucks, which began in 1982, had sales of $40.5 million last fiscal year, or about 1 percent of total lottery sales. But sales for Megabucks dwindled over the years as other games gained in popularity. In 1986, for example, Megabucks sold more than $473 million in tickets, or about 43 percent of lottery sales, officials said. "Our players will enjoy this game more than the original," Cavanagh said. "The game preserves the best of the old and adds a bold freshness to our portfolio."