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.

Eurosilver was declared out of the May 1 Kentucky Derby after trainer Nick Zito said Friday that a lingering illness has become too much to overcome.

"The horse has just missed too much time," Zito said at Keeneland. "It's sad, but what are you going to do? You can't just work him a time or two and then put him in the Derby. That's not right."

Only four betting interests were being held at less than 10-1 after the first few hours of wagering into the third and final pool of the 2004 Kentucky Derby Future Wager, which opened its four-day run Thursday at noon Eastern.

As of 5:15 p.m., after $17,434 had been bet, Smarty Jones was the lukewarm 6-1 favorite in Derby Pool 3, followed by Lion Heart, Wimbledon, and the mutuel field, all at 9-1. Twelve more of the remaining 20 separately listed interests were holding at 25-1 or lower.

ARCADIA, Calif. - Jim McIngvale likes people to laugh at the commercials he makes for his Houston furniture store because people remember them. When he first got into the horse racing business eight years ago, people laughed at him, too. But not for the right reasons.

McIngvale sank considerable capital into his operation, then tried to micromanage the business, driving away or firing a series of trainers. Starting with Nick Zito, McIngvale went through trainers as quickly as the stock that flies out of his Gallery Furniture showroom.

WHO'S HOT

With no races of significance last weekend, there figured to be very little movement among the top 25 of Derby Watch from one week ago. The only addition is Minister Eric, who moves onto the list because of the defection of Gradepoint. Minister Eric, who was second in an allowance race on Saturday at Santa Anita, is best known for finishing second in last year's Breeders' Cup Juvenile to his Richard Mandella-trained stablemate, Action This Day. He is 40-1 on the future line set by Mike Watchmaker, Daily Racing Form's national handicapper.

WHO'S NOT

A bill allowing for the establishment of an account-wagering hub in Kentucky was sent to a Senate conference committee on Tuesday after failing in the House of Representatives.

The conference committee is expected to take up the bill during a final two-day legislative session April 12-13. The Kentucky Legislature recessed on Tuesday for a two-week break.

Madcap Escapade, an undefeated 3-year-old filly whose first career start was on Jan. 4, was among 15 horses nominated to the Triple Crown by the final deadline last Saturday, officials for the three-race series announced Tuesday.

Madcap Escapade, who is owned by Bruce Lunsford and trained by Frank Brothers, won her first start by 10 lengths and then easily took the Old Hat Stakes at Gulfstream on Feb. 14 and the Grade 2 Forward Gal Stakes on March 13. She has yet to run beyond seven furlongs.