Weekend Wrap

Now that we have four Kentucky Derby prep races in the books, the picture for the Derby has gotten a little more cluttered.

No horse was overly impressive but will be curious to see if the Sunland Park Derby first three finishers (Endorsement, Conveyance and Tempted to Tapit) move forward. That race had the fastest time of all the prep races and remember that race produced last year's Derby winner - Mine That Bird (right).

But finishing in the top two in your last prep race before the Derby has been crucial. Since 1988, only five horses finished worse then second in their final race and went on to win the Derby. Those five are (1990 - Unbridled, 3rd Blue Grass; 1993 - Sea Hero, unplaced in Blue Grass; 1995 - Thunder Gulch, 4th Blue Grass; 2005 - Giacomo, 3rd Santa Anita Derby; 2009 - Mine That Bird, 4th Sunland Park Derby.)

Since there hasn't been a dominant 3-year-old this year, it looks like more than 20 will want to start in the Derby. If that holds true, then it will come down to which horses have enough Graded Stakes earnings to get into the Top 20.

After the four races this weekend, there are some bigger names that would be excluded. Among those that are on the "outside looking in" with their position on the list:

24 - Pleasant Prince, winner of the Florida Derby

25 - Tempted to Tapit, 3rd in the Sunland Park Derby

27 - Connemara, 3rd in the Lane's End

28 - Northern Giant, 2nd in the Lane's End

32 - Drosselmeyer - 3rd in the Louisiana Derby

There are still a handful of races to go but the money situation will hold the key for which 20 horses we see on the first Saturday in May.

Photo courtesy of Eclipse Sportswire

Unimpressive Saturday

As we wind our way through the final Kentucky Derby preps, you hope that a horse jumps up and shows that he is a star on the rise.

After watching the big 3-year-old races on Saturday, you have to feel let down by what transpired.

The day kicked off with the $2,000,000 UAE Derby in Dubai and the best performance in that race by a sophomore was a third place finish by Mendip. That colt, who was 3-for-3 coming into that heat, is owned by racing powerhouse Godolphin who has yet to win a Kentucky Derby but wants to win one in the worst way. Not sure if he will make the trip to Louisville but it's a good guess that he will.

The next race on the slate was the Lane's End at Turfway Park. This race has not produced a major Derby contender in some years so there was no great hope that one would emerge and the race lived down to those expectations.

Dean's Kitten, (left) owned by Ken and Sarah Ramsey and trained by Mike Maker, took the $500,000 event but his time was very slow over the "artificial dirt" and the field was not very good. The beaten favorite, Connemara, finished an unimpressive third but you should expect to see him in the Derby.

But there was hope in the final race of the day with the $750,000 Louisiana Derby. There appeared to be some horses with a bright future but once again, we were let down. The only bright spot was for trainer Todd Pletcher who added yet another horse to his growing stable for the "Run for the Roses" as Mission Impazible (right) wore down pacesetter A Little Warm in the stretch for an impressive three-quarters of a length win. Pletcher's other entrant in the race, Discreetly Mine, ran fourth.

Pletcher has eight horses that could run in the Derby and five are safely inside the Top 20 list of Graded Stakes earnings (Rule, Mission Impazible, Discreetly Mine, Interactif and Aikenite).

The horse with perhaps the biggest upside and talent in the Louisiana Derby, Drosselmeyer, ran a closing third but now may not be able to get into the Derby as he only has $94,500 in Graded Stakes earnings. It's likely he'll need another $100,000 or so to get in and he is doubtful to run again.

One can only hope that Sunday's $800,000 Sunland Park Derby, which produced 2009 Kentucky Derby winner Mine That Bird, will have a winner with a little more flash that we saw on Saturday.

Photos courtesy of Eclipse Sportswire

Money Talks

With "crunch time" about to start on the Road to the Kentucky Derby, most owners and trainers are focused on getting enough money to qualify for the 20 spots to start in the Derby. And, in the midst of the NCAA Tournament, those horses who are on the earnings "bubble," will have plenty of chances to punch their ticket for the "Run for the Roses."

For those who don't know or aren't sure how it works, if more than 20 want to run in the Kentucky Derby, then Churchill Downs turns to a list of earnings in Graded Stakes Races. (Graded Stakes Races are considered the highest levels of racing). The top 20 money earners in those graded stakes are given priority. It's almost analogous to NASCAR in its points system for those Top 12 drivers who qualify for the Sprint Cup Chase.

Over the next four weekends, there are multiple opportunities for horses to vault their way into the Top 20 and lock up a spot. This weekend alone there are four races with substantial money on the line which will all but guarantee the winners entry into the Derby. (See below for list of races.)

Since there hasn't been a dominant three-year-old this year, you can be pretty sure that we'll see a capacity field of 20 in the Kentucky Derby.

What's even more crucial about this weekend's races are just two of the 37 three-year-olds that are running are inside the Top 25 on the official earnings list. (Those two horses are the Todd Pletcher-trained Discreetly Mine (#9, above) and the unbeaten Conveyance. (#15))

All four of this weekend's events are wide open which means we are likely to see a few new names in the Top 20. But if you are worried about some of the biggest and best trainers in the country not being amongst the Top 20, you have nothing to fear.

Such prominent names as Bob Baffert, Richard Dutrow, D. Wayne Lukas and Nick Zito, all Derby winning trainers, should have at least one horse in the starting gate on the first Saturday in May. And Pletcher, the best trainer never to win a Derby, should have at least three entrants into the Derby.

It will be a great weekend of racing and if you haven't watched any races leading up to the Derby, it's a good time as any to tune in.

SATURDAY

$2,000,000 UAE Derby - Post Time: 10:40 a.m. (ET)

$750,000 Louisiana Derby - Post Time: 5:48 (ET) (Live on USA Network)

$500,000 Lane's End - Post Time: 5:12 p.m. (ET) (Live on USA Network)

SUNDAY

$850,000 Sunland Park Derby - Post Time -7:45 p.m. (ET) (Live on NTRA.com)

(Photo courtesy of Eclipse Sportswire)

I'm Back.....

For some odd reason, I took a break from writing about a sport that I love dearly. And for that, I apologize to myself and everyone who was reading my prose.

There are a core group of us who truly enjoy writing about a sport that is in our blood. I certainly tip my cap to those who bring you stories, insight and commentary on a regular basis for nothing more than the enjoyment and the occasional recognition from some fans.

Now that Derby is around a month away, I plan on joining that group of "full time" writers who love to talk about the wonderful word of Thoroughbred Racing which include Molly Jo Rosen, Brian Zipse, Alex Brown, Brock Sheridan, Teresa Genaro and many, many others (sorry for those I didn't mention).

So without any more delay, it's time to get fired up about the Kentucky Derby and start writing about the Greatest Two Minutes (or so) in Sports.