This time last week, race track pundits were predicting that Saturday's Kentucky Derby would be the dullest in years. But yesterday afternoon, the ninety-fourth running of America's most famous horse race turned into one of the most bizarre incidents in sports history. Boston-owned Dancer's Image, who won the race with a dramatic closing rush in the stretch, was disqualified and placed last on the charge of being drugged--presumably by his trainer.

The drug which figured in this first disqualification in Derby history was Phenylbutazone, which, ironically, is as far from the "dope" that the Record American immediately labelled it, as owner Peter Fuller '46 is from Mafia leader Raymond Patriarcha. "Bute" is the equine equivalent of aspirin, a simple pain-killer which is widely used by veterinarians and has no stimulating effects. Its use was legal until several years ago.

But however innocent phenylbutazone may be, it is not legal now, and the unanswered question is why Lou Cavalaris, Dancer's Image's competent and indisputably honest trainer, would administer it--knowing that it would show up in the routine urine test administered to all race winners. "There is a good possibility a mistake might have been made," a stunned Fuller said last night. He would not elaborate.

A second question, now irrelevant but still tantalizing, is whether without the "bute", Dancer's Image could still have mustered his stretch charge against the 2-to-1 favorite Forward Pass, who now receives the trophy, the $122,600, and the shot at the Triple Crown. Dancer's Image has been bothered all his life with sore ankles, and if the "bute" did anything, it alleviated the pain which might have prevented him from giving his best effort.

Pain

Pain in an unknown factor, but it was clear to those who bet Dancer's Image down to 7-to-2 second-favoritism that the Derby field was perfectly set up for a horse of his come-from-behind style. At least four of the 14 horses, including Forward Pass, could be counted on to tire each other out in a fight to establish the lead in the mile and one-quarter race. The question in the stretch would simply be whether the late-running Dancer's Image would be able to catch the tiring Forward Pass. It is a tough assignment for any horse; for a sore-ankled champion, tougher still.

Fuller said yesterday that he has not yet decided whether to run his horse in the Preakness and the Belmont, the final two races of the Triple Crown. The disqualification gives the new victor's owner, Calumet Farm, an unprecedented eight Derby winners. Forward Pass joins the ranks of such Calumet greats as 1948 Derby-winner Citation, who went on to become the last winner of the Triple Crown.

The last suspicious Derby, albeit a more picturesque one, was run in 1933, when the jockeys on the two leading horses--Broker's Tip and Head Play--engaged in a vicious battle in the stretch, pulling at each other's reins and whipping each other. Broker's Tip finished first and the stewards allowed the race to stand. He never won another race.