John Eastwood

Dan Illman will attempt to uncover Derby sleepers in the weeks leading up to Kentucky Derby 131.

Last week's Radar Runner, Kansas City Boy, gets his chance this Saturday in the Fountain of Youth at Gulfstream. Here's to a safe trip.

On to this week's selection!

Straight Line (Boundary - Zanti, by Strawberry Road (Aus*) )
Foal Date - May 25, 2002
Foal State - Kentucky
Auction Status: 15K yearling
Trainer: Harvey Vanier
Owner: Cartwright Thoroughbreds LLC and Nancy A.Vanier
Last Race: Won G3 Iroquois at Churchill Downs on November 6
Best Beyer Speed Figure - 98

Take a $15,000 yearling - turned maiden claiming winner - turned Graded Stakes winner. Stir in a recovery from an infected left hock that put said runner in the equine hospital. Sprinkle in an octogenarian trainer. What do you get? An honest to goodness rags to riches Cinderella story named Straight Line. Another chapter will be written in his tale on Saturday at Gulfstream as he tackles the undefeated phenom Lost in the Fog in the Swale Stakes.

Straight Line's sire, Boundary, is one of the most underrated stallions in the world. He gets debut winners in bunches, and Straight Line was no exception, winning his first start by open lengths in a $50,000 maiden claimer at Arlington last July. Boundary was a crack sprinter, but Straight Line gets plenty of stamina through his female family. The dam notched all three of her victories going long on the dirt, and she is a half-sister to the long-winded turfer Glok. The second dam was a $500,000 Keeneland July yearling purchase, and she is a half to Grade 1 winner Tango Dancer. The third dam won the Grade 3 Del Mar Oaks.

Straight Line has been a gradual work in progress for veteran trainer Harvey Vanier. A very precocious youngster, Straight Line won his first two starts in gate-to-wire fashion. He ran poorly when stretched out to seven furlongs for his third start, but learned a very valuable lesson in defeat. He was taken off the pace for the first time in his career, and although he didn't finish with the pack that day, he had been successfully taught a new trick. In his next start, the Arlington-Washinton Futurity, Straight Line rallied from midpack to finish in a dead heat for second. While he now had a new dimension to draw from, Straight Line had found another bad habit. He failed to change leads in the Arlington-Washington, and again didn't switch when fourth in the Breeders' Futurity at Keeneland.

Sent off as the favorite in the one turn Iroquois at Churchill Downs, Straight Line settled nicely off a solid pace, engaged the pacesetter turning for home, and powered away from the field in the stretch. Although he still seemed a little green in the stretch, Straight Line did switch leads correctly, and he was ultimately flattered when the third-finisher in the Iroquois, Greater Good, returned to win his next two outings in stakes company.

While prepping for the Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes at Churchill Downs, Greater Good suffered from an infected left hock, and had to be rushed to the hospital. He has recovered, and will take his first steps on the Triple Crown Trail on Saturday. He has a tendency to get hot in the paddock, and still may be a bit green, but he owns a 98 Beyer, and has yet to utilize either blinkers or Lasix. He has some upside, and is definitely under the radar.

Questions? Comments? E-mail Dan Illman.

BETTING MAIDENS & 2-YEAR-OLDS Betting Maidens & 2-Year-Olds - Analytic Approach To Future Winners By Dan Illman In Betting Maidens and 2-Year-Olds, Dan Illman, one of Daily Racing Form's expert handicappers, puts this longtime misconception to rest with his informative account of profitable ways to analyze juvenile and maiden races through sire and trainer profiles, breeding and workout data, diligent record-keeping, and common-sense handicapping. [Read a Sample Chapter - Buy Online]