By ED GOLDEN

Artax was named for a character in a book read by Paraneck Stable owner Ernie Paragallo�s daughter. And if the 3-year-old colt continues on his present path, he could write his own glorious chapter in the Kentucky Derby on May 2.

The son of Marquetry scored a smashing, 5 1/2-length victory in the Santa Catalina Stakes at 1 1/16 miles on Feb. 1. The triumph was so decisive, trainer Randy Bradshaw has decided to keep Artax at home and let the opposition do the walking on the way to Churchill Downs.

"There�s probably not much chance we�ll leave town, because he looks like he�s the horse to beat here," Bradshaw said. "Why take a chance of shipping him and getting him sick or hurt if you don�t have to? If he were getting beat here, that would be a different story. It would be logical to look for softer spots out of town (like he did with 1995 Louisiana Derby winner Petionville)."

Artax�s next two stops are the March 14 San Felipe Stakes and the April 4 Santa Anita Derby. Bradshaw, a 48-year-old native of Evanston, Wyoming, would prefer more time between races for Artax, a large, dark bay Kentucky-bred who was pressured throughout the Santa Catalina before drawing off with authority through the stretch.

"The San Felipe is only 20 days before the Santa Anita Derby, and that race is just 28 days to the Kentucky Derby, if we make it that far," Bradshaw said. "That schedule is a little tough. I�d rather have at least a month between races." The good news is, Artax has excellent recuperative skills.

"He came back great," said Bradshaw, one of the game�s nicest guys. "He�s a horse who recovers quickly. When I got to the test barn, he wouldn�t have blown out a match. He�s a horse with great aerobic power. He doesn�t get stressed that much. He might be tired two seconds after the race, but within five minutes, he�s not even blowing anymore. To me, that�s the sign of a good horse.

"Most horses don�t want to eat for four or five days after a race like that. Hell, he literally licked the (feed) tub clean. There�s nothing left. In the paddock or receiving barn, he never breaks out, doesn�t get hot, handles everything just right. He could be the best horse I�ve had -- it�s hard to say. He�s got a long ways to go. Urbane by far is one of my favorites. She was special. Artax has a lot more to prove yet, but the ability is there.

"What stops most horses from being great is soundness problems. Knock wood, he�s been a very sound horse. If we can keep his wheels underneath him, then he should be sound for a while."

ELECTRIC GREEN -- Well-meant first-timer lost all chance at the start, but closed big gap before flattening out. Tab versus $32,000 maidens.

HEDONIST -- Bradshaw-trainee went to lead under a pull and won with speed in reserve. Can run unbeaten skein to three with no problem.

THE HOMESTRETCH: In the Nov. 25-Dec. 1 editions of Gaming Today, we wrote of a then-2-year-old colt named Sea of Secrets: " . . . won geared down in one of meet�s easiest wins. If you can still get 100-1 in Derby future book, get down." Sea of Secrets has dropped to 50-1 in some books, and will plunge lower after a handy half-length victory in the San Vicente Stakes, in which 2-5 favorite Orville N Wilbur�s finished fourth, beaten 6 1/2 lengths, thanks to a heady ride by Kent Desormeaux, who put Corey Nakatani in a box early. "Well, it was no coincidence," said Desormeaux. "That�s what makes it fun. We popped a little corn today." Said Nakatani: "My horse was just never comfortable, and I was sitting in the pocket. I started to come around and Kent forced me to back down. So I clipped heels with the horse in front of me. He could never pick it up after that." It was far too early for conservative trainer Neil Drysdale to compare Sea of Secrets with his 1992 Horse of the Year, A.P. Indy. "This is only Sea of Secret�s third race," Drysdale said. "But I�m very happy about this horse." Sea of Secrets and Orville N Wilbur�s are due to meet again in the San Rafael Stakes on March 1 . . . After years of winners not worthy of a $1 million purse -- Mr Purple, Urgent Request, Stuka and Sir Beaufort -- and being spurned by Holy Bull, Cigar and Skip Away, Santa Anita finally has a Big �Cap it can trumpet with legitimacy, thanks to powerhouse wins by Gentlemen in the San Antonio and Silver Charm in the Strub. Their showdown is March 7 at 1 1/4 miles . . . When Noble Threewitt and Laffit Pincay Jr. teamed to win with first-time starter Wide of the Mark at 14-1 on Feb. 5, they became the oldest trainer and jockey ever to win together at a combined age of more than 137 years. Threewitt will be 87 on Feb. 24 and Pincay was 51 on Dec. 29. "It�s some kind of a record, I guess," said Threewitt, who looks and plays 20 years younger. "I�ve been wanting to put Laffit on something but I don�t have too much to ride. Laffit is a credit to racing, but he isn�t getting very good mounts. I�m certainly happy that we won. My fondest wish is that he reaches (Bill) Shoemaker�s record of 8,833 wins and then retires, with each of them tied." Threewitt added that he had Pincay on another first-timer two days later that "could run some," and run some he did. Double D J, led throughout and held on by a nose under a stirring Pincay ride to pay $27.40 . . . Santa Anita Director of Racing Tom Robbins says it was coincidence that 2-year-old champion Favorite Trick was unanimously assigned highweight of 128 pounds in the Experimental Handicap by three of the game�s premier handicappers, Howard Battle (Keeneland and Saratoga), Mike Lakow (NYRA) and Robbins (Santa Anita and Del Mar). "We�re supplied the horses that qualify (they must run 1-2-3-4 in a $50,000 stakes or higher) and are asked to rate them in a hypothetical one-mile race on dirt. It�s subjective and we all do it independently. It was kind of surprising that we all came in at 128." Robbins on Horse of the Year: "I have a vote, but I elect not to tell anybody since it is a secret and I have to deal with horsemen. If I have to ask Sonny Hine to run Skip Away, and if, say, I�d have voted for Favorite Trick, I�d hate to have my vote show up in some publication where Sonny would get ticked off at Santa Anita. So I never tell anybody how I vote." . . . Add Golden winners: Fair Mims, $3.80, Lady Tap, $7, Sea of Secrets, $8.80 .