California invaders lead field for Illinois Derby

STICKNEY, Ill. – When it comes to the 3-year-old crop of 2015, the West is best. California-based American Pharoah and Dortmund will be the top two choices in the Kentucky Derby, while Firing Line, who romped last out in the Sunland Derby, will come in for some support, and perhaps three other California-based horses – One Lucky Dane, Bolo, and Ocho Ocho Ocho – are prospective Derby starters.

It should come as little surprise that the second- and third-tier California-based 3-year-olds also will look good when matched against horses from other regions, and so it will be Saturday at Hawthorne in the Grade 3, $400,000 Illinois Derby, which drew a field of nine, including three Californians, when entries were taken Wednesday.

Cross the Line, the horse among several nominees trainer Jerry Hollendorfer chose to send for the race, should be favored, having finished fourth behind Dortmund, One Lucky Dane, and Bolo two weeks ago in the Santa Anita Derby. Cross the Line, making his dirt debut in the race after a second-place finish in the El Camino Real Derby, was beaten only a neck by Bolo, whose connections are leaning toward running the horse in the Kentucky Derby.

Bob Baffert, who has three likely Kentucky Derby starters, also has one for the Illinois Derby, Whiskey Ticket, who ran fast enough in winning his lone previous start in a Santa Anita one-mile maiden race that he could be the second choice here Saturday. The third Californian is Verraco, whose trainer, Jim Cassidy, also will have a Kentucky Derby runner if Ocho Ocho Ocho goes in the race, which seems likely.

Verraco raced twice with maiden claimers and won his first race for a $50,000 tag but exits a first-level allowance victory in which he beat the decent Cyrus Alexander. That performance was not in the same league as Cross the Line’s Santa Anita Derby fourth but still will earn Verraco some small measure of support compared to the Midwest entrants in the race.

From the rail out, the field is comprised of Kantune, Verraco, Cross the Line, A Rod Again, Conquest Curlinate, Whiskey Ticket, Lewys Vaporizer, Phenomenal Phoenix, and Private Prospect.

Trainer Mark Casse, who won the 2014 Illinois Derby with Dynamic Impact, has two entrants this year and said he intends to start both Kantune and Conquest Curlinate. The local horse Lewys Vaporizer should ensure an honest pace, having led throughout a recent six-furlong maiden romp at Hawthorne.

Also on the card is the Grade 3, $150,000 Sixty Sails Handicap, which lured only five fillies and mares: Awesome Flower, Ketel Twist, Parc Monceau, Sea Shadow, and Yahilwa. The field is short but well matched and loaded with pace elements.