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

Quality Road passed his first route test with flying colors in Saturday’s Florida Derby .
The Elusive Quality colt was always traveling well tracking the pace under Johnny V , and when Dunkirk made a bold move turning for home, Quality Road found another gear and pulled clear for a 1-3/4 length tally.
The James Jerkens trainee joins I Want Revenge and Friesan Fire as versatile graded Derby prep route winners, and this crop is much faster and deeper than the ‘08 crew.
Early/pressing speed is frequently dangerous at the Gulf, especially at nine furlongs, and the track …read more

The world’s richest race will be run at Nad Al Sheba on Saturday, and the $6 million Dubai World Cup has attracted a wide open international cast.
Casino Drive appears poised for glory in this spot. I fancied the Japanese colt when he came to the US last year, and he has come into his own in ‘09 after an ambitious 3yo campaign. He owns fine positional speed and should enjoy this distance.
Albertus Maximus was my top in BC Dirt Mile and Donn, and he is thriving for Kiaran McLaughlin. He gets a distance test today.
Asiatic …read more

First it was 2yo champ Midshipman. Then it was Vineyard Haven. Now, Godolphin’s Kentucky Derby hopes ride with Desert Party.
The $2.1 million son of Street Cry will break from post 5 in Saturday’s UAE Derby (UAE-G2) from Nad Al Sheba Racecourse in Dubai.

He began his career with a Polytrack victory at Arlington last June, and he nabbed Saratoga’s Sanford (G3) in his 2nd career start.
After a failed try in the Hopeful (G1), he was shelved and shipped to Dubai, and he has won twice at Nad Al Sheba since, including a good looking 2000 …read more

A field of 9 has been drawn for the nine furlong $750k Florida Derby (G1), and the highly regarded Dunkirk is the probable fav.
The Todd Pletcher runner has been visually impressive in a pair of wins to kick off his career at the Gulf, and it’s make or break time as he desperately needs graded earnings. Anything less than an exacta finish and his Derby dreams are virtually over.
Pletcher is worried about the lack of pace on Saturday, and he has entered maiden Europe to spice up the early fractions. The rabbit broke slow in …read more

Dunkirk (Unbridled’s Song) is high on many Kentucky Derby lists, but he has no graded earnings to date, so Saturday’s Florida Derby is a critical prep for the Todd Pletcher trainee.
In order to make it to the Derby starting gate, a top two finish on Saturday is mandatory.

Fountain of Youth hero Quality Road is the one to catch, and to that end, Pletcher may enter a rabbit (Europe) to ensure an honest pace for his undefeated $3.7 million purchase.
Entries for the Florida Derby will be taken on March 25th. Stay tuned!
Photo Credit: newscom.com

Four-time Kentucky Derby winning trainer D. Wayne Lukas is once again on the Triple Crown trail with $700k Keeneland sales grad Flying Private. The bay Fusaichi Pegasus colt, out of an Unbridled mare, was clearly 2nd best in Saturday’s Lane’s End at Turfway Park, and he garnered a much needed $94,000 for his efforts.

He will need more graded earnings for a spot in the Derby starting gate, and Lukas is reportedly looking at the Arkansas Derby , Blue Grass, or Lexington Stakes as his next engagement.
The improving sort has plenty of seasoning with nine races under his belt, …read more

Fountain of Youth hero Quality Road worked a solid seven panels (1:25) on March 21st in advance of the Grade 1 Florida Derby (March 28th).
The James Jerkens trainee will try two turns in the nine furlong Derby prep, and his early/pressing speed should serve him well on Saturday.

Possible Florida Derby fav Dunkirk also worked on the 21st, and his company drill with stablemate Affirmatif netted him a 1:00.15 five furlong bullet. The promising Pletcher runner needs graded earnings in his final Derby prep, and the $750k purse is a nice chunk of dough.
On …read more

Hold Me Back returned in style to nab the $500k Lane’s End Stakes at Turfway Park, and he has thrust himself into the Kentucky Derby picture thanks to his $282,000 graded payday.
He showed quality last year with a pair of Polytrack wins to kick off his career, and he was shelved after a 14-length defeat in the Remsen Stakes last November. Bill Mott is excellent with layoff runners, and he had the son of Giant’s Causeway in prime condition on Saturday.

Last year’s winning Ky Derby rider Kent Desormeaux is now 2-2 with this one, and he is …read more

The Grade 2 Lane’s End Stakes is Turfway Park’s major Derby prep, and the $50k nine furlong synthetic route has attracted big name trainers such as Bill Mott, Todd Pletcher, and Wayne Lukas.

West Side Bernie (Bernstein) won the Ky Cup Juvenile here. He was last seen finishing an even 3rd from disadvantageous outer post in graded flat mile affair at the Gulf. He handles any footing and packs a decent late kick, and he should give a good account of himself under new rider Edgar Prado.
Jack Spratt (Candy Ride) failed to handle regular dirt in Fountain of Youth …read more