The mutuel field closed Sunday as a 5-2 favorite in Pool 2 of the 2015 Kentucky Derby Future Wager, with Texas Red the heaviest-backed individual interest at 9-1.

When closing Sunday at 6 p.m. Eastern, the field, the 24th or “all others” option, was higher odds than what the Churchill Downs morning line of even-money had projected. Nonetheless, the field still has been the favorite every year since Churchill first began offering parimutuel futures in 1999 in pools conducted at this time of year.

ARCADIA, Calif. – In a thrilling rematch of their Los Alamitos Futurity duel in December, Dortmund again outbattled Firing Line, again prevailing by the length of his giant head, this time in the Grade 3, $150,000 Robert Lewis Stakes on Saturday at Santa Anita.

 There were five 3-year-olds in the race, but for the final three furlongs of the 1 1/16-mile race, it was a match race between two of the West Coast’s leading contenders for the Kentucky Derby.

OZONE PARK, N.Y. -  After a disastrous start, Far From Over more than lived up to his name, rallying from last to win Saturday’s Grade 3, $250,000 Withers Stakes at Aqueduct and give trainer Todd Pletcher another 3-year-old on the Kentucky Derby trail.

After stumbling badly leaving the gate under Manuel Franco, Far From Over - making just his second career start - trailed throughout and was 10 lengths back after three-quarters of a mile of the 1 1/16-mile race.

“I wanted a refund after the start,” Pletcher, who watched the race at Gulfstream Park, said with a laugh.

Southern California-based jockey Joe Talamo will ride War Story in the Grade 3, $300,000 Southwest Stakes at Oaklawn on Feb. 16, the horse’s co-owner, Ron Paolucci, said Thursday. War Story will enter the race off a runner-up finish in the Grade 3 Lecomte at his base of Fair Grounds.

Talamo takes over from James Graham in a move Paolucci said was his call and no reflection on Graham, who was aboard for the horse’s maiden win and the Lecomte.

Firing Line
Line of David – Sister Girl Blues, by Hold for Gold
(Bred in Kentucky by Clearsky Farms; $240,000 purchase by Ben McElroy, agent, at 2014 Keeneland April 2-year-olds in training sale)

ARCADIA, Calif. – Months after their first meeting, the rivalry is renewed Saturday at Santa Anita. And this race happens 90 minutes before California Chrome and Shared Belief run in the San Antonio.

Dortmund and Firing Line were separated by Dortmund’s big head when one-two at the end of the Grade 1 Los Alamitos Futurity in December, and they square off again in the Grade 3, $150,000 Robert B. Lewis Stakes for 3-year-olds.

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – For a guy headed to the dentist’s office Thursday morning, John Terranova certainly sounded excited.

And for good reason. In El Kabeir, Terranova trains one of the top 3-year-olds in North America, one who looks to take the next step toward the Kentucky Derby when he heads a field of seven entered in Saturday’s Grade 3, $250,000 Withers Stakes at Aqueduct.

ARCADIA, Calif. – The matchup is almost too good to be true.

The champions California Chrome, voted 2014 Horse of the Year, and Shared Belief, the outstanding 2-year-old male of 2013, meet for the second time in Saturday’s $500,000 San Antonio Stakes at Santa Anita. It is an encounter that everyone from casual racing fans to diehard enthusiasts will embrace.

“It’s going to be fun,” said Art Sherman, who trains California Chrome. “I want a fair shake for both of us at the head of the stretch with no excuses.”

War Story, the runner-up in the Grade 3 Lecomte Stakes, likely will make his next start in the Grade 3, $300,000 Southwest Stakes at Oaklawn Park, co-owner Ron Paolucci said Wednesday.

“We’re 90 percent sure he’ll run in that spot,” said Paolucci, who races the horse with Christopher Dunn.

The Southwest is on Monday, Feb. 16, and the timing of the race works well for War Story, said Paolucci. The other option is to await the Grade 2, $400,000 Risen Star at the horse’s base of Fair Grounds on Feb. 21.

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