Trainer Jerry Hollendorfer said there were a lot of reasons that led him to choose New York-based Jose Lezcano to ride Rousing Sermon in Saturday’s Kentucky Derby.

Hollendorfer noted that a lot of big-name trainers such as Bill Mott and Tom Proctor use Lezcano regularly, he’s fearless, and he competes on a daily basis with the top riders in the country.

“He’s a fearless rider, and you need a fearless rider in the Derby,” Hollendorfer said. “He’s someone who’s ridden against many of the guys he will be riding against in the Derby.”

Following his Monday arrival, Wood Memorial runner-up Alpha was on the track Tuesday morning for a 1 3/8-mile gallop. Though a routine exercise, it was significant in the fact that his presence here made the Derby seem more of a reality to trainer Kiaran McLaughlin.

Alpha suffered a cut on his left shin in the Wood that developed into an infection that needed to be treated with antibiotics and forced Alpha to miss one work.

Summer Applause has not posted a timed workout since April 20, nor has she been seen during the special training window, 8:30 to 8:45 a.m., reserved for Kentucky Derby and Oaks starters. But those two facts do not mean that anything has gone amiss with Summer Applause, trainer Bret Calhoun said, and Calhoun remains bullish on Summer Applause’s chances Friday in the Kentucky Oaks.

Churchill Downs has announced that the guaranteed pools for the $2 pick-six wager for both Kentucky Oaks and Derby Days will be $200,000 and $500,000, respectively, figures that are sure to be met given the immense volume of wagering on both days.

The wagers both officially carry the name of Churchill Downs’ advance-wagering deposit website, TwinSpires.com. There are no guaranteed pools on any other multi-race wagers on either day, including any of the pick fives or pick fours, all available in 50-cent increments.

Maryland-based trainer Howard Wolfendale has maintained a near-monopoly on the Tony Gatto/Dream Big Stakes, the closing-day feature at Atlantic City, for the past four years. Wolfendale won back-to-back runnings of the five-furlong turf sprint in 2008 and 2009 with Hesa Big Star, then nearly pulled off the same feat in 2010 and 2011 with Blue Sailor, whose bid for a repeat victory came up a neck shy in a photo finish last spring.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – For a few years there, the Thursday crowd of Kentucky Derby week was treated to a stakes race, sometimes even two. At one time or another, races such as the La Troienne, the Mamzelle, the Kentucky Breeders’ Cup, and even a steeplechase event were part of what is known as “Derby Eve eve,” when 20,000 or more fans would turn out to get a head start on their weekend.

Hudson Landing’s victory in Saturday’s Grade 3 San Francisco Mile gave trainer Blaine Wright his first graded stakes victory with only his second starter in a graded race. The victory in the turf race also was the first in a graded stakes for Hudson Landing, who is now 3 for 3 with $129,000 in earnings since being claimed for $50,000 by owner Jared Chappel on Feb. 25.

Three-year-old fillies will be featured at Golden Gate Fields in Sunday’s $75,000 Golden Poppy, a 1 1/16-mile turf stakes.

Early in the week, four fillies were listed by the racing office as definite: Ize in Trouble, third in the $200,000 Sunland Park Oaks in her last start; Sweet Nothings, who is stakes placed; Oh Molly Brannigan, who has won three straight; and Stormy Lucy, who has won two straight since arriving at Golden Gate Fields.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – The favorites for the Kentucky Oaks came comfortably drawn when On Fire Baby and Grace Hall were assigned posts 1 and 2, respectively, while Broadway’s Alibi will start from post 6 in the oversubscribed field of 3-year-old fillies ready to go Friday in the 138th running of the filly classic at Churchill Downs.

Grace Hall, with Javier Castellano, has been listed by Churchill linemaker Mike Battaglia as the 5-2 program favorite for the Oaks, with On Fire Baby (Joe Johnson) and Broadway’s Alibi (John Velazquez) pegged as the co-second choices at 4-1.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – D. Wayne Lukas has trained four winners of the Kentucky Derby, and three of his former assistants have horses in this year’s Kentucky Derby. Now they can have a reunion in the saddling paddock on Saturday afternoon, because on Tuesday morning, Lukas got the word he so desperately craved for days, that enough horses above Optimizer on the graded earnings list had come out to allow him in.