Adalin Wichman, who created some of the most popular and acclaimed public works of art and sculptures in central Kentucky and made several enduring artistic contributions to the Thoroughbred industry, including the Eclipse Awards statuette, died on March 10 at her home in Lexington, Ky., after a brief illness. She was 91.

ARCADIA, Calif. – While Verrazano on Saturday was reconfirming his position as the ante-post favorite for the May 4 Kentucky Derby with his easy victory in the Tampa Bay Derby, the depth chart on the West Coast took on a new look as Hear the Ghost upset the previously unbeaten Flashback and highly regarded Goldencents in the San Felipe Stakes here at Santa Anita.

Verrazano, who ran his unbeaten record to three in the Tampa Bay Derby and remains the favorite for the May 4 Kentucky Derby, is being pointed to the Wood Memorial on April 6 at Aqueduct for his final Derby prep, trainer Todd Pletcher said Monday morning.

[ROAD TO THE KENTUCKY DERBY: Prep races, point standings, replays]

Ive Struck a Nerve, the 135-1 winner of the Risen Star Stakes last month at Fair Grounds, was scheduled to undergo surgery Monday at the Rood and Riddle equine hospital in Lexington, Ky., after suffering a fractured sesamoid in his left front ankle during a Saturday morning workout at the New Orleans track. The colt is expected to be sidelined for perhaps six months and will miss the Triple Crown series.

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. -  Despite winning three graded stakes and four races overall on Saturday, trainer Todd Pletcher is not about to rest on his laurels. In fact Pletcher barely got any rest at all, sending out his first set of workers including Florida Derby candidate Shanghai Bobby well before dawn Sunday morning at Palm Meadows after returning home from Tampa late the previous evening following Verrazano’s impressive victory in the Grade 2 Tampa Bay Derby.

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. --  Todd Pletcher was still in the Tampa Bay Downs winner’s circle following Verrazano’s smashing victory in the Tampa Bay Derby when the field, including his Discreet Dancer, broke for Saturday’s $300,000 Gulfstream Park Handicap. And it’s surprising he was unable hear the gasp that went up from the crowd just seconds later when Breeders’ Cup Classic winner Fort Larned stumbled badly just two strides out of the gate and unseated his jockey Brian Hernandez Jr.

HOT SPRINGS, Ark. -- In a race ripe for a wire job, jockey Calvin Borel moved Rose to Gold to the lead soon after the start of Grade 3, $150,000 Honeybee at Oaklawn on Saturday, and the pair rode the rail to a two and three-quarter length win over 2-5 favorite Flashy Gray.

“We were going to sit off of it a little bit, but she broke so sharp,” said Borel.

Verrazano solidified his position as the likely favorite for the Kentucky Derby with a convincing 3 ½-length victory over the slow-breaking Java’s War in Saturday’s $350,000 Tampa Bay Derby. Falling Sky, who contested the early pace, finished a tiring and well-beaten third.

Verrazano, a son of More than Ready owned by the partnership of Lets Go Stable and Coolmore, earned 50 qualifying points for his third convincing win in as many starts. The 50 points figure to be enough to clinch his spot in this year’s Derby field.

Mr Palmer overcame a sluggish start and passed all eight of his opponents in an emphatic victory Saturday in the $100,500 Private Terms Stakes at Laurel Park in Laurel, Md.

With Junior Alvarado riding for trainer Bill Mott, Mr Palmer prevailed by 3 1/2 lengths after rallying widest of all for the stretch run of the 1 1/8-mile Private Terms. He returned $5.60 as the favorite in a field of nine 3-year-olds after finishing in 1:51.35 over a fast track.

NEW ORLEANS – Ive Struck a Nerve, the 135-1 winner of the Risen Star Stakes last month at Fair Grounds, suffered an ankle injury in a Saturday morning workout and will miss the Triple Crown series, trainer Keith Desormeaux said.

“It’s very disappointing,” said Desormeaux. “It doesn’t look like it’s career-threatening and he’s not in peril. It’s the kind of injury that happens quite a bit in this game. The good news is we know we still have a nice horse.”