JAMAICA, N.Y. - As Kentucky Derby preps go, Saturday's Grade 1 Wood Memorial has more intrigue than a John Grisham novel.
With the possible exceptions of Remsen Stakes winner Saarland and Florida Derby runner-up Blue Burner, none of the entrants in the $750,000 Wood can yet be considered an accomplished Kentucky Derby contender. But oh how things could change by late Saturday afternoon.
HOT SPRINGS, Ark. - The Wood Memorial and the Blue Grass Stakes may have the most talked-about 3-year-olds in their starting gates Saturday, but the Grade 2, $500,000 Arkansas Derby at Oaklawn features a handful of late-developing colts who also are being pointed to Louisville on the first Saturday in May.
And because it is has attracted a wide-open field of 11, the Arkansas Derby could be the most bettable leg of the Big 3 Pick 3.
SAN MATEO, Calif. - The key phrase heard in racing this weekend will be "Kentucky Derby prep."
The term will be applied to the Blue Grass Stakes at Keeneland, Wood Memorial at Aqueduct, and Arkansas Derby at Oaklawn.
But it can also be applied to Saturday's $150,000 California Derby at Bay Meadows. The connections of three colts in the field of eight for the 1 1/8-mile race have said they will consider going to Kentucky with a victory Saturday.
HOT SPRINGS, Ark. - The strength of trainer Steve Asmussen's current 3-year-old crop will be on display Saturday in the Grade 2, $500,000 Arkansas Derby at Oaklawn Park. Asmussen will send out both Private Emblem and Windward Passage in the race, and they figure to vie for favoritism with Kentucky shipper Mr. Mellon.
One of Asmussen's other top 3-year-olds, Grade 2 Louisiana Derby runner-up Easyfromthegitgo, is being pointed for the Coolmore Lexington Stakes at Keeneland on April 20.
With nearly every contestant in Saturday's $75,000 Yankee Affair at Gulfstream a need-the-lead type, doping out the winner of the five-furlong grass race basically comes down to the question: Who is the speed of the speed?
The short answer is Kipperscope, a blazing-fast son of speed sire Kipper Kelly who not only is capable of clearing his seven opponents early, but also comes into the Yankee Affair in peak condition. He also has a Beyer profile that is superior to all in the field except the classy Texas Glitter, who has been on the sidelines for the past four months.
ARCADIA, Calif. - Executives from California racetracks and horsemen's organizations met at Santa Anita on Wednesday to discuss potential legislation that would raise the parimutuel takeout to offset increased costs to owners and trainers for workmen's compensation.
The two-hour meeting did little to resolve the complicated issue, according to people who attended the meeting. Another meeting is scheduled in Sacramento on April 18.
LEXINGTON, Ky. - Time has healed the wound to a large degree, but Ken McPeek still remembers the 1995 Blue Grass Stakes as if it were last week.
That year the stretch-running Tejano Run - the first big horse McPeek ever trained - was victimized by a ridiculously slow pace and finished third behind Wild Syn, who scored a stunning upset on the front end.
GRAND PRAIRIE, Texas - There was only one stakes race scheduled at Lone Star Park this weekend. Now there are two.
Saturday's $75,000 Irving Distaff has been split into two divisions to accommodate the 17 horses entered in the 7 1/2-furlong turf stakes. The split is nothing new. Two divisions were contested in 1997 and 1998.
"It's a case of an early grass stake for fillies," said Larry Craft, director of racing for Lone Star Park. "For some of these horses that were at Oaklawn, this will be a chance to get on the grass."
GRAND ISLAND, Neb. - Flaming Night will try for a third straight victory Saturday when she heads a field of nine Nebraska-bred 3-year-olds in the fillies division of the $30,000-added Fonner Park Special Stakes at six furlongs.
Flaming Night turned some heads with her $74 upset win in the March 9 Islander Stakes, in which she won her maiden by over four lengths. She returned March 24 against nonwinners-of-two allowance company, again winning by daylight.
GROVE CITY, Ohio - T J My Man looks to go from maiden claimer to stakes winner in less than a month when he heads a field of 10 Ohio-breds in Saturday's $40,000 Rollin on Over Stakes at Beulah Park.
T J My Man began his career in a $16,000 maiden claimer at Tampa Bay on March 17 with a two-length score for owner-trainer Heather Giglio. Giglio then shipped the gelded son of Rhodes to Cleveland where he scored a front running 3 1/2-length victory over allowance company at Thistledown on March 30.