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Contenders Work Out as Louisiana Derby Field Takes Shape

A week ago the presence of Dollar Bill didn't scare anyone involved with bringing a top notch 3-year-old to the Louisiana Derby. And although highly touted Millennium Wind and Hero's Tribute are still on track for Sunday's grade II Kentucky Derby prep, the local flavor is simmering out.

Haskin's Kentucky Derby Top 20--March 6 Update

Ranked in preference order, with horse/ trainer/breeding

Click on horse's name to access Contender Page

Haskin's Kentucky Derby Top 20--Week 6

Leading contenders for this year's Kentucky Derby.

Monarchos, Hero's Tribute Work For Ward

Trainer John Ward, Jr. had his highly regarded 3-year-old Monarchos out for a five-furlong workout on Monday. With jockey Jorge Chavez in the saddle, Monarchos had a very easy trial and was clocked in 1:04 1/5 breezing. According to Ward, the colt is right on schedule for his next start, the $1 million Florida Derby (gr. I) to be run over 1 1/8 miles here on March 10.

Steve Haskin's Top 10 Derby Pedigrees

When a non-winners of two allowance race at Santa Anita and the Herat Stakes at Laurel are the two biggest races of the week, then it's time to step off the Derby trail, get out a blanket and some cheese and crackers, and take time to ponder where we've been and where we're heading. But in a year like this, not only do we not know where we're heading, we're really not quite sure where we've been. The only 2-year-olds within 10 pounds of the leader on the Experimental Free Handicap that we can sink our teeth into are Dollar Bill and Millennium Wind. For the sixth straight year, the Experimental topweight will be a non-entity in the Triple Crown.

Steve Haskin's Kentucky Derby Top 20--Week 5

Ranked in preference order, with horse/ trainer/breeding

Click on horse's name to access Contender Page

Haskin's Report: Hero's Tribute, Dollar Bill Are Impressive

Last year, the Fountain of Youth Stakes, despite being won convincingly by High Yield, was upstaged by an allowance race, won by a powerful, classy-looking colt named Fusaichi Pegasus. This year, the Fountain of Youth Stakes, despite being won convincingly by Songandaprayer, was upstaged by an allowance race, won by a powerful, classy-looking colt named Hero's Tribute. Also impressive this weekend was the professional-like performance of Dollar Bill, who did everything the right way in winning Sunday's Risen Star Stakes in his 3-year-old debut.

Hero's Tribute Upsets A P Valentine in Gulfstream Allowance

Under jockey Jorge Chavez, Hero's Tribute pressed the early pace set by Liberty Township and drew away to a four-length win over Dream Run in a seven-furlong allowance race Saturday at Gulfstream Park. 11-10 favorite A P Valentine finished another 2 1/2 lengths back in third.

Kentucky Derby Future Wager Analysis (Cont.)

Continued from part 1

Steve Haskin's Derby Top 20--Week 4

Ranked in preference order, with horse/ trainer/breeding

Steve Haskin's Derby Top 20: Week 3

Ranked in preference order, with horse/ trainer/breeding

Steve Haskin's Kentucky Derby Top 20: Week 2

A P Valentine continues to top Steve Haskin's list of top 20 Kentucky Derby contenders, with Talk Is Money the newest addition to the list.

A P Valentine Tops Haskin's Top Contenders List

Champagne Stakes winner A P Valentine, trained by two-time Kentucky Derby winner Nick Zito, tops Steve Haskin's first list of top 20 contenders for this year's Kentucky Derby and Triple Crown racxes. Haskin, The Blood-Horse magazine's senior correspondent and Triple Crown authority, will be updating the contenders list weekly between now and the Kentucky Derby.

Hero's Tribute

Hero's Tribute

Steve Haskin's First Derby Report: The Fever Begins

Has Derby fever begun its annual rose-colored rise up the old thermometer, or do you still have samurais and geisha girls on the brain? It seems like only yesterday that dusk was settling on Churchill Downs and we were all rejoicing over racing's newest hero. We all felt as if the messiah had finally been delivered in the form of an Adonis-like creature named Fusaichi Pegasus. Then it all disappeared into the murk of a misty Maryland afternoon, leaving us to start our search all over again.