Steve Haskin's Derby Report (3/11)--Cont.

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It's make or break time for most of the paticipants of Saturday's Florida Derby. Antagonists Booklet and Harlan's Holiday will face Nokoma, D'Coach, Blue Burner and a collection of allowance horses looking to make the next big leap, such as High Star, Personal Reward, and Puck, as well as Fountain of Youth flop Stephentown.

Sunday's Gotham Stakes looks like it will draw a diverse assortment of horses, with Saarland making his belated 3-year-old debut against Maryland invader Saratoga Blues and California shippers Mayakovsky and Medaglia D'Oro. Representing the locals will be the consistent My Man Ryan.

Other news

-- Two California horses heading East for the Lane's End Spiral Stakes are Azillion, runner-up to Sunday Break last time out, and Holdthehelm, who closed from 12th to finish 5th in the 6 1/2-furlong Baldwin Stakes on the turf.

-- As Take Charge Lady continues to destroy her opponents, as she did again in the Fair Grounds Oaks, the Arkansas Derby looms larger and larger. Kenny McPeek still is thinking Ashland Stakes, but don't think the temptation won't be there to try to knock off the boys at Oaklawn, especially considering she keeps running faster than Repent. McPeek has already said she will be nominated. If Harlan's Holiday runs big in the Florida Derby, however, then McPeek certainly would be loaded with two high-powered colts.

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