Up to 11 expected for Indiana Derby

ANDERSON, Ind. - Participants for Saturday's Grade 2, $500,000 Indiana Derby began filing in Tuesday morning as a field of anywhere from eight to 11 horses was expected to enter Wednesday morning for the 1 1/16-mile centerpiece of the Hoosier Park meet.

Scrappy T, the runner-up in the Preakness, was due in Tuesday afternoon on the heels of his five-furlong tune-up in 1:00 at Bowie on Sunday morning. Also on the grounds or expected in during the day were Purim, Southern Africa, and Greater Good. It's Time to Smile was also expected to arrive from his Penn National base Tuesday.

Don't Get Mad, the fourth-place finisher in the Kentucky Derby, and Foolish Cat were also considered definite for the race. Horses considered likely or still possible include Chips Are Down, Apache Point, Devilment, and Going Wild.

"We've got a horse that ran fourth in the Kentucky Derby and the horse that was second in the Preakness," said director of racing Butch Cook on Tuesday. "Any way you look at it, that's pretty solid right there."

Scrappy T and Don't Get Mad should vie for the role of favorite in the Indiana Derby. Scrappy T has not raced since his eventful trip in the Preakness, where he ducked out into the path of eventual winner Afleet Alex turning for home, creating one of racing's most memorable moments. Don't Get Mad won the Derby Trial before finishing fourth the following week in the Kentucky Derby. He went on to win the Northern Dancer Breeders' Cup at Churchill Downs in June and was most recently fourth in the Travers at Saratoga.

Eight entered in Indiana Oaks

A field of eight, topped by Flying Glitter, was entered Tuesday for Friday night's Grade 3, $400,000 Indiana Breeders' Cup Oaks. Flying Glitter has put together a three-race win streak for trainer Ronny Werner, including the Heavenly Cause at Churchill Downs and the Monmouth BC Oaks. Flying Glitter will be ridden by Robby Albarado, who will be shooting for his third win in the Indiana Oaks after winning the race with Awesome Humor in 2003 and Scoop in 2001.

Others in the 1 1/16-mile Oaks, from the rail out, are Winning Season, to be ridden by Corey Lanerie; Miss Matched, Shaun Bridgmohan; Pussycat Doll, Victor Espinoza; No Affair, Rex Stokes; Rimroc Gold, Mark Guidry; R Lady Joy, Jose Lezcano; and Eyes on Eddy, Jon Court.