Harlan's Holiday Lukewarm Favorite for Derby; Johannesburg to Break From Rail

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Reflecting the large field size and overall balance of the competitors, Churchill Downs handicapper Mike Battaglia made Toyota Blue Grass Stakes and Florida Derby winner Harlan's Holiday the lukewarm 9-2 favorite for Saturday's Kentucky Derby.

"This is going to be a very contentious field," Battaglia said. "With 20 betting interests, one horse isn't going to be bet down by a lot of support."

Ken McPeek, trainer of Harlan's Holiday, said he left the decision on post position to jockey Edgar Prado. The Ohio-bred will break from gate 14, the final spot in the first of two starting gates used for the Derby.

"He wanted to have that opening on his outside. Whatever makes him comfortable, makes us comfortable," McPeek said. "Most of the speed is on the inside of us. Edgar was thrilled."

Johannesburg, the champion 2-year-old colt of 2001, will break from the rail in Saturday's 128th Kentucky Derby. Irish agent Demi O'Byrne, representing owners Michael Tabor and Mrs. John Magnier and trainer Aidan O'Brien, selected the inside post position when he got the opportunity to select the post.

Under the two-tiered post position draw format, the first draw is to determine the order in which a horse's connections can make their selection of a post position. Johannesburg had the 17th draw among the 20 horses entered.

Gary Stevens will ride the Breeders' Cup Juvenile (gr. I) winner.

"There's a certain way Aidan wants him ridden, and that's part of our strategy," said Stevens. "We've got be somewhere. If it's meant to be, it's meant to be."

The post positions for the Derby (with trainer, jockey, morning line odds) are:

1--Johannesburg, Aidan O'Brien, Gary Stevens, 6-1
2--Wild Horses, Todd Pletcher, Rene Douglas, 50-1
3--Perfect Drift, Murray Johnson, Eddie Delahoussaye, 15-1
4--Lusty Latin, Jeff Mullins, Glenn Corbett, 30-1
5--War Emblem, Bob Baffert, Victor Espinoza, 20-1
6--Ocean Sound, James Cassidy, Alex Solis, 50-1
7--Request For Parole, Steve Margolis, Robby Albarado, 20-1
8--Essence Of Dubai, Saeed bin Suroor, David Flores, 15-1
9--Medaglia d'Oro, Robert Frankel, Laffit Pincay, Jr, 6-1
10--Buddha, H. James Bond, Pat Day, 5-1
11--Private Emblem, Steve Asmussen, Donnie Meche, 20-1
12--Castle Gandolfo, Aidan O'Brien, Jerry Bailey, 20-1
13--Proud Citizen, Wayne Lukas, Mike Smith, 30-1
14--Harlan's Holiday, Ken McPeek, Edgar Prado, 9-2
15--Came Home, Paco Gonzalez, Chris McCarron, 5-1
16--Saarland, Shug McGaughey, John Velazquez, 15-1
17--Danthebluegrassman, Bob Baffert, Kent Desormeaux, 50-1
18--It'sallinthechase, Wilson Brown, Eddie Martin, Jr., 50-1
19--Easy Grades, Ted H. West, Jorge Chavez, 20-1
20--Blue Burner, Bill Mott, Corey Nakatani, 30-1

There was a major surprise when Mike Pegram's Danthebluegrassman was one of 24 horses entered for the Derby. Trained by Bob Baffert, the son of Pioneering has won three of eight career starts, with three second-place finishes.

As a result of Danthebluegrassman's entry into the fray, Windward Passage was apparently excluded from the starting field that is limited to 20 horses. The starting field is determined on the basis of earnings in graded stakes races. Danthebluegrassman has $108,750 in such earnings.

Pegram said he and Baffert decided to enter Danthebluegrassman after the colt worked out Tuesday. "The horse worked great, he keeps getting better," Pegram said. "Bob said, 'What about entering this horse.' I said you're the boss, I'm just along for the ride. When your horse is ready to run, you enter."

Danthebluegrassman was an early Triple Crown aspirant after back-to-back wins in the Gold Rush Stakes and Golden Gate Derby (gr. III). In his most recent effort, the colt finished last of eight in the Santa Anita Derby victory of Came Home.

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