WHO'S HOT

LEXINGTON, Ky. - Amid the flood of dreams and excitement leading to the 130th Kentucky Derby on May 1, trainer Barclay Tagg has arrived at Keeneland with a few ounces of realism. Although Tagg will run Bride's Best Boy on Saturday in the final major race of the Derby prep season, the Coolmore Lexington Stakes, he is resisting the impulses that have helped make this the largest and most inscrutable pack of Derby candidates in many years.

LEXINGTON, Ky. - Three days before the Toyota Blue Grass Stakes, a weary Nick Zito stood outside his barn at Keeneland Race Course, eyes downcast, and said, "I can't wait for May 2."

By Saturday night, though, Zito again had May 1 circled on his calendar. The victory by The Cliff's Edge in the Blue Grass ended a miserable spring for Zito and put him on course for the 130th Kentucky Derby on May 1 at Churchill Downs.

"It's very, very humbling," Zito said Saturday night back at his barn. "I just hope we have three more good weeks."

While Kentucky Derby hopefuls battled in important prep races on three separate fronts Saturday, Florida Derby winner Friends Lake remained at his winter home at Payson Park where he worked five furlongs in 1:04.60 Saturday morning.

Trainer John Kimmel decided to train Friends Lake into the Kentucky Derby following his March 13 victory in the $1 million Florida Derby, and thus far is pleased at the way his colt has responded.

LEXINGTON, Ky. - If Birdstone runs in the Kentucky Derby, it will be without another prep race. Trainer Nick Zito said Birdstone, who was scratched from Saturday's Toyota Blue Grass Stakes because of a high white blood cell count, would head straight into the May 1 Kentucky Derby.

LEXINGTON, Ky. - Last fall, four of the highest-ranked 2-year-olds in the country were kept out of the Breeders' Cup Juvenile. In most cases, the desire to point for the Kentucky Derby six months later, and the failure of previous Breeders' Cup Juvenile winners to capture the Derby, was cited as the reason.

FAIR HILL, Md. - Rick Violette smacked a ground ball up the middle. An infield single was all he could hope for as he dashed down the first-base line. He beat the throw.

As he stood on first base, proud of himself, he was heckled.

Hall of Fame trainer Frank Whiteley, Violette's boss at the time, was not impressed.

"You're cheating me, boy," Whiteley yelled from the sidelines.

"What?" was all Violette could muster.

"You got this much energy at 7:30 at night - you aren't putting out enough for me."

WHO'S HOT

Castledale, the upset winner of the Santa Anita Derby, and Pollard's Vision, who captured the Illinois Derby, are the latest members of the top 25 of Derby Watch. Castledale is 20-1 on the future line set by Mike Watchmaker, Daily Racing Form's national handicapper. Pollard's Vision is 25-1. Rock Hard Ten, who was 20-1 a week ago, was lowered to 12-1 by Watchmaker, but his Derby status is precarious, since he has only $90,000 in graded stakes earnings.

WHO'S NOT

ARCADIA, Calif. - The inconsistent outcome of this spring's stakes for 3-year-olds has resulted in scores of runners whose owners are desirous of running in the Kentucky Derby on May 1, but many are likely to not get in because of insufficient earnings in graded stakes.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Racing fans across America remained decidedly undecided about the top contenders for the May 1 Kentucky Derby when settling once again on the mutuel field as the favorite in the third and final pool in the Kentucky Derby Future Wager.

The field, or the 24th and "all others" option, closed as the 6-1 choice in Pool 3, which closed Sunday after the customary four-day run. Smarty Jones is the 10-1 second choice, followed by Master David (12-1), Eddington (13-1), and Rock Hard Ten (14-1). Twelve more horses closed at 25-1 or lower.