Longview Drive, sixth in a division of the Grade 2 Southwest Stakes at Oaklawn Park on Feb. 20, is an intended starter in the $750,000 Santa Anita Derby on April 7, trainer Jerry Hollendorfer said.

Owned by Steve Beneto, Longview Drive is winless in three graded stakes since recording his second stakes win in the Charlie Palmer Futurity at Fresno last October. Longview Drive was third in the Grade 3 Delta Downs Jackpot Stakes last November and third in the Grade 3 Sham Stakes at Santa Anita in January.

Sunday’s Grade 3 Sunland Derby isn’t officially labeled a “Win and You’re In” race for the Kentucky Derby, but it might as well be. The winner’s share of the $800,000 purse is $400,000, which should easily guarantee him a place in the starting gate in Louisville. It’s easy to overlook, but the second finisher will receive a healthy $176,000 boost to his graded stakes earnings, which might be enough to make him a starter too.

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Reveron already has one derby victory on his r é sum é . A Calder-based 3-year-old prospect, Reveron will try for a second derby win here at Gulfstream Park next weekend as one of the outsiders in the $1 million Florida Derby.

Reveron, a son of Songandaprayer, launched his 3-year-old campaign with a game half-length decision over Casual Trick in the inaugural Gulfstream Park Derby. He has made just one start since, finishing a wide-running third after taking the lead in early stretch of Grade 3 Sam Davis at Tampa Bay Downs.

As the Kentucky Derby preps move to 1 1/8 miles, distance can become a stumbling block for many 3-year-olds. But the trainers of both Castaway and Daddy Nose Best welcome the distance of Sunday’s Grade 3, $800,000 Sunland Park Derby.

“I think Castaway will like the mile and an eighth,” Bob Baffert said.

“The distance definitely seems to suit Daddy Nose Best,” said Steve Asmussen.

He said it and nailed it on the nose.

“Eight hundred thousand isn’t what it used to be,” insisted Dustin Dix, Sunland Park director of racing operations and the man who put together the $800,000 Sunland Derby, to be run Sunday at Sunland Park.

As long as the prospective stakes fields hold together during the next week, Fair Grounds’s 2011-2012 race meeting is going out with a loud bang.

A field that might swell to 13, headed by Risen Star stakes runner-up Mark Valeski, is expected for the Grade 2, $1 million Louisiana Derby, the featured race on the Sunday, April 1 finale, while the $500,000 New Orleans Handicap could wind up with the deepest cast in the older-route-horse division so far this season.

Countdown to the Crown returns for a seventh season online as one of the most comprehensive handicapper’s scouting reports of the 3-year-old scene. Posted each Friday at DRF.com from Jan. 6 through the Belmont Stakes, Countdown keeps you apprised of the rising stars of the 3-year-old class from the maiden ranks through the Grade 1 stakes. You can access daily updates and interactive features at Countdowntothecrown.com as well.

Keeneland’s meet is still two weeks away, but horseplayers can get an early taste of the handicapping challenges presented at Keeneland with a look at Saturday’s Grade 3, $500,000 Vinery Racing Spiral Stakes at Turfway Park.

The Triple Crown season starts for real this weekend. How do I know? Follow the money.

On Saturday, at Turfway Park in northern Kentucky, the Vinery Racing Spiral Stakes offers a purse of $500,000. On Sunday, just down the road from El Paso and across the New Mexico state line, there will be $800,000 up for grabs in the Sunland Park Derby. Is this a great country or what?

FLORENCE, Ky. – Funny how one horse can do so much for one race. When Animal Kingdom won the Kentucky Derby last year, the Churchill Downs suite where the sponsors of the Vinery Racing Spiral Stakes were watching virtually exploded.

“It was a pretty wild time,” said Bob Elliston, the Turfway Park president who watched the Derby alongside Vinery principals Tom Simon and Tom Ludt.

[TURFWAY PARK: Get PPs and watch the Saturday card live]