LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Funny Cide left Churchill Downs at 8:15 Sunday morning, bound for Belmont Park, where he trained leading up to his victory in Saturday's Kentucky Derby, and where he will train leading up to his next start, the Preakness Stakes at Pimlico Race Course on May 17.

Funny Cide will face Peace Rules and several other Derby runners in the Preakness, but Empire Maker, the runner-up in the Derby, will likely not be among them. His trainer, Bobby Frankel, said the Derby favorite might wait for the Belmont Stakes, or even until Saratoga.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Start spreading the news.

Funny Cide, second to Empire Maker in the Wood Memorial three weeks earlier, turned the tables on the highly regarded favorite and struck a great blow for his home state by becoming the first New York-bred to ever win the on Saturday at Churchill Downs.

In addition to becoming the first New York-bred to win the race, Funny Cide also became the first gelding to win the Derby since Clyde Van Dusen in 1929. There had been 74 losing geldings since then.

With Derby wagering still ongoing at some locations at 7 p.m. Eastern on Friday, Ten Most Wanted was the early favorite and Empire Maker was fifth choice in the betting.

With approximately $400,000 in the pool, Ten Most Wanted was 9-2 and followed in the wagering by Buddy Gil, 5-1; Atswhatimtalknbout and Peace Rules, 6-1; and Empire Maker, 8-1.

Early Kentucky Derby wagering:

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Sir Cherokee, the longshot winner of the Arkansas Derby, was scratched from Saturday's Kentucky Derby on Friday morning with a small fracture in his right hind ankle. The injury will keep him out of the entire Triple Crown series.

An emotional trainer Michael Tomlinson announced the scratch during a morning press conference in the Churchill Downs backstretch recreation center.

"This is a very common injury," said Tomlinson, who trains Sir Cherokee for Domino Stud. "It's not career-threatening, but the timing of it is horrendous, as you all know."

STRENGTHS: Aside from having a different running style, Ten Most Wanted looks like a mirror image of War Emblem, the 2002 Derby winner. He won the Illinois Derby in a romp, and sharp works in recent weeks indicate he is peaking at Derby time.

The 110 Beyer Speed Figure he earned in winning the Illinois Derby is the co-second-highest figure posted by a Kentucky Derby entrant. Only favored Empire Maker has run faster. Empire Maker earned a 111 Beyer winning the Wood Memorial, and Funny Cide, the runner-up, received a 110 for his narrow loss in that race.

STRENGTHS: Trainer D. Wayne Lukas has won the Derby four times, two times with longshots (Thunder Gulch, 1995, and Charismatic, 1999). But, Ten Cents a Shine's odds will rightfully exceed the prices on those two winners, who actually won Derby preps.

The only track he has thrived at is Churchill Downs. In addition to winning his maiden and finishing a close second in the Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes at Churchill last November, he has put in some razor-sharp workouts at five furlongs since his Blue Grass debacle.

STRENGTHS: With 15 career starts, Supah Blitz is the most seasoned of the Derby entrants. He's also been fairly reliable throughout his career with 12 in-the-money finishes.

The Derby distance should be no problem for a son of Mecke, who won several stakes at 1 1/4 miles, including the Arlington Million and Super Derby. Mecke finished fifth in the 1995 Derby.

STRENGTHS: Scrimshaw has always been well regarded, but he didn't live up to his potential until he had throat surgery prior to his three-length win in the Grade 2 Lexington. Trainer D. Wayne Lukas has owned that race in recent years. He parlayed a 1999 Lexington win into a Kentucky Derby victory with Charismatic at $64.60. Proud Citizen won it in 2002, then used the race as a springboard to a second-place Kentucky Derby finish behind War Emblem as a 23-1 longshot. Expect improvement once again, as Lukas winds this one up for his best try on the first Saturday in May.

STRENGTHS: There are plenty of them. Not only does he have current form, but that form took him to victory in two of the key Derby preps: the Louisiana Derby and the Blue Grass. In each race he was quite impressive, pulling clear to win by more than two lengths in the Louisiana Derby and almost four in the Blue Grass. He has tactical speed, push-button acceleration, and heart - key ingredients for most any Derby win.

Strengths: While building a good foundation racing from July to December of his 2-year-old year, Outta Here placed twice in graded stakes before winning a maiden race at a mile at Santa Anita. In July, in only his second start, he beat favored Kafwain in the Hollywood Juvenile Championship before finishing two lengths behind him in the Grade 3 Best Pal.