LOUISVILLE, Ky. - There have been 28 unrestricted graded stakes races for 3-year-olds on the dirt in the United States so far this year. They have produced 25 different winners. Only three horses have been able to win two, and two of those horses are entered in Saturday's 130th at Churchill Downs.

But no one is running to the hills to flee Imperialism or Limehouse. No one's much running away from anyone. Come one, come all 20. A full field of 20 is entered in this year's Derby, which is acknowledged as the most competitive, wide-open Derby in years.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Despite two relatively uneventful schooling days, Friends Lake will be the first horse loaded into the starting gate for Saturday's Kentucky Derby, Churchill Downs starter Roger Nagel has informed trainer John Kimmel.

Horses are normally loaded into the gate in a specific order according to their post positions, with numbers 1 and 11 loaded first, 2 and 12 second, and so on. Being in post position 6, Friends Lake normally would have been loaded with the second half of the field.

- Pedigree Profiles By LAUREN STICH

ACTION THIS DAY

The theory of Dosage was popularized in this country in the early 1980's by Leon Rasmussen and Steve Roman. They contended that a horse's potential at various distances could be mathematically determined by the presence in his pedigree of certain influential stallions, dubbed chefs-de-race.

Those stallions, such as Northern Dancer, Mr. Prospector, and Stage Door Johnny, have been classified into categories based on the performance of their offspring. Roman periodically adds new sires to the list and reclassifies others.

NEW YORK - Had things gone according to plan, Robert LaPenta would be watching Saturday's Kentucky Derby from his old Connecticut home. Instead, a twist of fate has him in a Churchill Downs box seat as the owner of the likely favorite, The Cliff's Edge.

MIDWAY, Ky. - About 34,000 Thoroughbred foals are born every year in North America. Given the long odds, most breeders would consider it a dream come true to have one Kentucky Derby starter in a lifetime. Two in the same year? Nearly impossible.

NEW YORK - Is everyone just whining about what an impossible Kentucky Derby this is to handicap? Isn't the world's most famous race supposed to be a skullbusting puzzle?

It's always tough, thanks to a full field, the volatility of 3-year-olds in the spring, and the new challenge of 1 1/4 miles. This Derby, though, really is different and more difficult than ever, for two specific reasons.

WASHINGTON - When the final round of Kentucky Derby prep races was contested April 10, no 3-year-old had yet emerged as the leader of his generation. Racing fans watched intently for clues to the identity of the eventual Derby winner.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - John Servis has spent a lifetime preparing for the Kentucky Derby. And now, at age 45, he finally has made it. Servis will send out his first Derby starter on Saturday with Smarty Jones, who will try to become the first unbeaten horse to win the Derby since Seattle Slew in 1977.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Thursday was the final chance to watch the Kentucky Derby entrants train and the first opportunity to get a look at Tapit, who shipped in from Maryland on Wednesday afternoon. It was a busy morning, with many trainers bringing their horses to the starting gate and paddock for some last-minute schooling and one, Pro Prado, even working three furlongs in 36.60 seconds.

Based on morning workouts the past nine days, the following are some final impressions of the 20 3-year-olds who make up this year's Kentucky Derby field.