Tampa Bay Derby winner Musket Man takes on ten rivals in Saturday’s Illinois Derby (G2) at Hawthorne Race Course. Eibar Coa hops aboard the versatile 7-2 morning line fav. He has won 3 of 4 and figures right there if able to handle a surface other than Tampa.
Giant Oak (9-2) is late running trouble-prone sort, and he is due for clear sailing and racing luck. The Chris Block runner needs pace help, and the speedy Perfect Song (6-1) figures to ensure honest splits.

Nowhere To Hide (5-1) will start from the rail for Nick Zito, and he was …read more

There are no less than four Saturday Derby preps on tap, and each day this week I will preview one, starting with the Louisiana Derby.

I liked Patena in the Lecomte, and he ran on nicely to land the place in his initial try over conventional dirt. My Derby future (pool 1) play was subsequently purchased by IEAH and is now trained by Rick Dutrow, the same connections that brought us Big Brown last year. Well bred $250k Keeneland sales grad drilled a bullet at the Gulf on March 9th and figures to fire a big shot off the layoff under …read more

A field of 13 is set to tackle Saturday’s Grade 3 Risen Star at Fair Grounds, the final local prep for the Louisiana Derby (G2).

Indygo Mountain (A. P. Indy) rates a shot to rebound at a price. Bret Calhoun trainee was sensational in his Nov. ‘08 Churchill maiden breaker, then the wheels fell off the cart. Foot issues caused him to be scratched at the gate before a local allowance race in December, and he experienced a troubled beginning when resurfacing in the Lecomte. $600k Keeneland sales grad shows a strong 5f work for this and can right the …read more