LOUISVILLE, Ky. - A year ago General Quarters and owner-trainer Tom McCarthy were among the favorite stories leading up the 2009 Kentucky Derby, with McCarthy becoming a media darling, as a former principal and schoolteacher from the Louisville area. Ultimately, there was little continuation of the story, with General Quarters running 10th in the Derby, followed by a ninth-place finish in the Preakness.

A year later on the 2010 Kentucky Derby undercard on Saturday, General Quarters regained the headlines for McCarthy, gamely winning the in the race preceding the Derby.

Bank the Eight outdueled Regal Warrior in the stretch to win Saturday's $70,000 Federico Tesio Stakes at Pimlico by a nose.

The 1 1/8-mile race for 3-year-olds is a local prep for the Preakness Stakes in two weeks, but neither Bank the Eight nor Regal Warrior is nominated to the Triple Crown, so it would cost their connections $100,000 to add them as a late supplement.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Trainer John Sadler's instructions to jockey Joel Rosario before the ? Go wide, young man.

Mona de Momma broke from the outside gate in a nine-horse field Saturday - and Rosario made the most of it. The sloppy Churchill Downs racetrack killed inside speed on most of Saturday's card, playing to outside closers like Mona de Momma. The Southern California shipper, making her first dirt start, rallied wide and edged another outside closer, Pretty Prolific, to win the second stakes of her career and her first Grade 1 race.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - While her legion of supporters may be pushing the panic button in the wake of Rachel Alexandra's shocking second-place finish to Unrivaled Belle in Friday's her trainer, Steve Asmussen, has remained calm and seemingly unconcerned over the reigning Horse of the Year's second defeat in as many starts in 2010.

Rail Ridge collared early pacesetter Mr. Missile late in the turn and drew clear to win the $50,000 Need for Speed Stakes on Friday night at Evangeline Downs. Longshot Zacaroid finished a willing second with a late run some 2 1/2 lengths further back, followed by Tortuga Straits.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Blind Luck may get a brief rest before resuming her 3-year-old campaign a bit later this spring or summer, trainer Jerry Hollendorfer said the morning after the filly posted a dramatic nose victory over Evening Jewel in the on Friday at Churchill Downs.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Advance wagering into the 136th Kentucky Derby suggests the race could produce the longest-priced favorite in Derby history, with Super Saver being the 7-1 choice after $340,544 was bet into the win pool Friday. Only one other Derby starter, Lookin At Lucky at 9-1, was less than double digits.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Jerry Hollendorfer leaned to his right, his body language fairly screaming to his filly, Blind Luck, as the trainer watched the Kentucky Oaks on a large-screen television above the paddock at Churchill Downs. Blind Luck came to the finish right alongside Evening Jewel, the margin in doubt right to the very end.

"Did we get it?" Hollendorfer asked, before stopping to watch a replay, and doing the Hollendorfer lean once more. After a second viewing, he was more confident. "I think we got it," he said.

Score another one for the Giant Killer.

Allen Jerkens, who turned 81 last week, saddled Le Grand Cru ($56.50) to an upset win in Friday's 82nd running of the the opening-day feature at Belmont Park.

VANCOUVER, British Columbia - It didn't take long for jockeys Isaias Cardenas and Amadeo Perez to make their presence known at Hastings. In just his second mount of the meet, Cardenas guided Epic Melody to a win in the second race of the meet, which opened last Saturday. Perez closed out the weekend with a win aboard $66.60 longshot Rainbow Dash for trainer Frank Barroby. Barroby was recently inducted into the local horse racing hall of fame for both his record as a jockey and a trainer. He has also had a hand in developing some of the leading riders at Hastings.