After he hopped off his mount yesterday in the Haskell Invitational Handicap here at Monmouth Park, he relayed what fellow jockey Chris McCarron had told him after the horses crossed the wire.

McCarron, aboard the winner Touch Gold, turned to Stevens, riding the runner-up Anet, and said: "This is the best horse I've ever ridden."

And McCarron has ridden such greats as Alysheba, Sunday Silence and John Henry. All three were Horse of the Year -- John Henry twice.

Later, when asked about his comment to Stevens, McCarron said: "He let the cat out of the bag. Yes, I did say that to him.

"I guess we'll have to wait until he's retired before we can throw around those accolades. But I think there's a very good chance he's the best horse I've ever ridden."

With his explosive victory in the hotly contested Haskell, Touch Gold established himself as the best 3-year-old thoroughbred in the country -- at least the best currently in training. Silver Charm, winner of the Kentucky Derby and Preakness and second in the Belmont Stakes, is sidelined with a blood disorder.

"Unfortunately, we can't run against him again," said Touch Gold's trainer David Hofmans, referring to Silver Charm. "I think they're pretty close."

But then, watching a replay of the Haskell as Touch Gold blew by Triple Crown star Free House down the stretch, Hofmans said: "I didn't think of this until now. But I haven't seen any horse run past Free House like that.

"This is a pretty good horse we're looking at," he said of Touch Gold, who won the Belmont and is 4-for-5 this year. "I think you're going to hear a lot more about him in the future."

Touch Gold paid $4.40 to win as the slim favorite in the $1.24 million Haskell. He and Free House, who finished second in the Preakness and third in the Kentucky Derby and Belmont, were co-favored at 6-5, but slightly more money was bet on Touch Gold. Bettors regarded them so equally that if they had finished one-two, in either order, the exacta would have paid $7.

http://articles.baltimoresun.com/1997-08-04/sports/1997216083_1_touch-gold-haskell-frisk