LOUISVILLE – Patience Game, fresh off an eight-length maiden score in California, came from off the pace under Corey Nakatani to win yesterday’s Grade 3, $100,000 Derby Trial at Churchill Downs by 21/4 lengths with Prime Directive closing for second. Both colts returned bleeding, Patience Game from the leg and Prime Directive from the foot, and neither will run in the Kentucky Derby on Saturday. Straight Man was third after setting the pace.

The big news of the race was the temper tantrum thrown afterward in the tunnel under the grandstand by trainer D. Wayne Lukas, whose good 3-year-old sprinter Yes It’s True finished fourth.

”I’m sick I didn’t scratch the SOB,” said Lukas, hot under the collar about the dry, cuppy condition of the track. ”The time (1:37.4 for the mile) is three seconds off. You’re not talking five lengths, you’re talking 20.

”That’s BS. Everybody’s been complaining all day (about the track not having enough moisture). It isn’t like they didn’t have a weather report. (Track superintendent) Butch (Lehr) is the best in the world but he let it get away from him today.”

Patience Game paid $9. The exacta returned $83.20.