Illinois Derby

Hallandale, Fla. -- Strong Contender has just come in from his morning work and is gracefully walking down the shedrow at Gulfstream Park. Trainer John Ward watches as the horse approaches the far end of the stalls. "There goes a happy horse," Ward said. "You see his tail swishing. He's talking to us. He's telling us he's feeling good, biding time until after his bath and another walk when he'll be able to go out to that patch of green and eat some grass." Strong Contender doesn't know it, but his Kentucky Derby future will be on the line next Saturday in the Blue Grass Stakes in Lexington, Ky. The 3-year-old, considered by many to be a top contender for the Derby, is in danger of not even getting into the race unless he can make enough money next Saturday to assure his entry.

For the second year in a row, Pimlico did its part. It provided the sporting world a horse with a chance to win the Triple Crown.Now it's up to Real Quiet.After winning the Preakness on Saturday with a powerful surge around the far turn -- two weeks after winning the Kentucky Derby -- Real Quiet leaves Pimlico today on course to become the 12th Triple Crown winner in history. Last year, Silver Charm followed the same route. But in the Belmont, he lost by less than a length.Silver Charm and Real Quiet are trained by Bob Baffert, the first trainer to win the Kentucky Derby and Preakness in consecutive years.

Bob Baffert says the same thing every spring: Until 3-year-olds start racing at 1 1/8 miles, you can't tell anything about their chances in the Kentucky Derby at 1 1/4 miles. Know what he's talking about? He's talking about the major stakes today and next weekend that will determine who graduates to Churchill Downs for the Kentucky Derby in four weeks and who starts turning up in $100,000 races or trying the turf. A three-time winner of the Derby, Baffert entered three horses in the Santa Anita Derby today at Santa Anita Park.

Twelve days ago MI Developments Inc. revealed a $5.5 million bonus program for the Grade I Preakness at Pimlico Race Course. Tuesday, the company announced a similar, $2.2 million bonus for the Grade II Black-Eyed Susan stakes that has been traditionally run for fillies the Friday before the Preakness. To qualify for the $2.2 million bonus, $2 million of which goes to the owner and $200,000 to the trainer, a filly has to win three designated races at Gulfstream Park (the Forward Gal Stakes, the Davona Dale and the Oaks)

Horsemen will receive a 7 percent purse boost when Laurel Park opens its doors for its live summer meet June 15.Pimlico/Laurel operator Joe De Francis notified owners and trainers of the increase yesterday as well as unveiling an incentive to increase field sizes and enhance the live product.De Francis said that also starting at Laurel, the tracks will offer a 40 percent purse bonus for all allowance and open claiming races, except those carded on the turf, if there are eight or more betting interests in each field.

The field of eight required almost five minutes to load while Sunny Sunrise balked and required some equipment adjustments.Once they were off, Sunny Sunrise seemed to like the changes, setting punishing fractions in the 1 1/8 -mile Native Dancer Handicap yesterday at Laurel Park.But in the end, Gulf Reckoning showed his versatility, rallying from just off the lead to nail the pacesetter by 1 3/4 lengths and win the $75,000 event.Gulf Reckoning had won the Congressional Handicap here three weeks ago by setting his own tempo while running on the front end from wire to wire.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. -- When the first Kentucky Derby odds from yesterday's betting were released at Churchill Downs, Empire Maker, the 6-5 morning-line favorite, was not the early bettors' choice. Ten Most Wanted was. The dazzling colt by Deputy Commander caught everyone's eye while training this week for the Derby. He is dappled from nose to tail. His brown coat glows. His gallops have been powerful, and his trainer confident. Wally Dollase, based in Southern California, has brought horses to the Derby twice before.

Sun racing reporter Tom Keyser comments on the 129th Preakness: Lion Heart He has led in each of his past three races, only to get caught in the stretch - at one mile to Imperialism, at 1 1/8 miles to The Cliff's Edge, at 1 1/4 miles to Smarty Jones. He'll likely be on the lead again playing the same game: Catch me if you can. Borrego His 10th-place finish in the Kentucky Derby wasn't indicative of his ability - or his chances in the Preakness. He got stuck in traffic and struggled in the slop.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. -- In the end, the trainer who seemed to be everywhere was suddenly nowhere to be found. More than an hour had passed since Barbaro won the 132nd Kentucky Derby. The Maryland-based horse returned to its barn with a slow gait. Not far away, the sign hanging on Barn 33 seemed to have a glaring omission. It listed the names of past Derby winners Silver Charm, Real Quiet and War Emblem. There was a huge vacant space before Bob Baffert's name, a slot seemingly reserved for one of the trainer's three entrants in yesterday's field.

When trainers talk about the May 5 Kentucky Derby, more and more they're saying it's a wide-open race. But no one is quite sure if that's really the case, as most eyes today will be focused on the $750,000 Grade I Toyota Blue Grass Stakes, where Street Sense and Great Hunter are expected to turn the seven-horse race into a two-horse showdown. "There's a lot of nice 3-year-olds out there," said veteran trainer Bob Holthus, who trained Lawyer Ron in last year's Kentucky Derby and who will send Officer Rocket to post against Curlin and five others in today's $1 million Arkansas Derby.