Quality Road defected from the Derby on Monday, and it was Square Eddie’s turn on Tuesday. Doug O’Neill and company tried to bring him back from a February injury, but he re-aggravated his shin. The Canadian bred could show up in the Queen’s Plate on June 21st if healthy.

I Want Revenge fired a four furlong bullet (:47.34) on Tuesday, and he deserves to be favored based on Gotham-Wood Memorial wins and morning activity at Churchill. I will most likely have him in my Top 3…but not on top!
Take The Points has been removed from Derby consideration by Todd Pletcher, who already …read more

Pioneerof The Nile drilled six furlongs in 1:13.52 over the drying out Churchill oval on Tuesday. Baffert liked the move, and more importantly, clocker and DRF columnist Mike Welch gave him a big thumbs up. He will have his final Derby work early next week, and he looks like a major factor at this point.
I Want Revenge breezed five panels (1:01.62) in company with Gato Go Win. Regular rider Joe Talamo was up for the work. He was not asked for his best in the maintenance move.

Mike Smith was up for Chocolate Candy’s flat mile (1:42.06) move. He was reportedly worn …read more

Probable Derby fav I Want Revenge worked 4f in :50 seconds at Churchill on April 14th. The Mullins trainee took it easy over the muddy surface. Regular rider Joe Talamo was aboard for the move. Expect a more serious five furlong drill next week.
The Dubai duo of Regal Ransom and Desert Party are supposed to work over the Churchill surface on April 18th.
Arkansas Derby winner Papa Clem arrived in Louisville on Tuesday. Pioneerof The Nile and Chocolate Candy are expected to arrive at Churchill on April 16th.

Over at Keeneland, Friesan Fire drilled five panels …read more

Good looking Florida Derby hero Quality Road has developed a quarter crack. Big Brown had a similar problem prior to the ‘08 Belmont Stakes, and we all know how that turned out…stay tuned!
I Want Revenge had an adventurous journey in the Wood. Kudos to young pilot Joe Talamo for keeping a cool head. He was clearly much the best and heads to Louisville as the probable fav.
All is not well in the Revenge camp as trainer Jeff Mullins has taken quite a bit of heat for detention barn antics that caused the scratch of Gato Go Win in the Bay …read more

I Want Revenge lived up to top billing with a visually impressive Wood Memorial tally at the Big A on April 4th.
The Jeff Mullins trainee overcame a bad start and traffic woes to win handily, and he heads to Kentucky with plenty of momentum. West Side Bernie rebounded from a below par Lane’s End effort to land the place, but the winner was much the best.
Confident young rider Joe Talamo has plenty to feel good about, and Revenge will likely vie for Derby favoritism with Quality Road.
On the other side of the country, Pioneerof The Nile got the …read more

$500k Ilinois Derby (G2) – Hawthorne race 7 (4-4-09)
Perfect Song (6-1) is a head away from a 3-3 record, and that loss occurred on synthetic ground. Trombetta is 23% with shippers, and the son of BC Classic hero Pleasantly Perfect is bred to handle added ground. He sports best overall pace figs and might get brave if able to shake loose early.
Musket Man (7-2) fits the winning track profile as a stalker breaking from an outer post. Win type continues to work well and is an obvious threat.
Nowhere To Hide (5-1) has more tactical …read more

A field of 8 has been assembled for the $750k Wood Memorial (G1), to be run at nine furlongs on April 4th at the Big A in New York.
Handy Gotham (G3) winner I Want Revenge will break from the rail and has been installed as the morning line choice. The David Lanzman/IEAH colt will be ridden once again by Joe Talamo, and a repeat of his last would be more than enough.
Gotham runner-up Imperial Council is on the improve for Shug McGaughey, and he desperately needs graded earnings. Prado has booted him home twice, …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

I Want Revenge uncorked a 113 BSF en route to a romping Gotham Stakes (G3) tally (replay below) while trying conventional dirt for the first time. He showed quality on synthetic, and his connections (Mullins/Talamo) were spot-on in saying he would move up on dirt. He will ship back to his Hollywood Park base before returning to the Big A for the Wood Memorial on April 4th.
Imperial Council ran a quality race to grab the place in his first start around two turns. If you like Shug’s well bred colt, don’t give up on him because the …read more

Aqueduct’s $250k Gotham Stakes is an important two turn graded test for Derby hopefuls, and the final local prep for the $750k Wood Memorial (G1) at nine furlongs on April 4th.

Masala was clearly 2nd best behind stablemate Take the Points at the Gulf last time, and that one came back to finish a fine 2nd behind The Pamplemousse in the Sham Stakes (G3) last weekend. Todd Pletcher is 23% 2nd off a layoff, and his strong late pace fig last time bodes well for his route chances.
Imperial Council is a $130k Keeneland sales grad with the best pedigree …read more