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Sadler Pair to Run in Hollywood Stakes

Trainer John Sadler confirmed Friday that he planned to run track record-holder Hombre Rapido in the $200,000 Los Angeles Times Handicap (gr. III) and Palmeiro in the $150,000 Mervyn LeRoy Handicap (gr. II), both on May 10 at Hollywood Park.

Palmeiro Wins; Pick Six Carryover at Hollywood Park

A day after Texas Ranger Rafael Palmeiro homered for the second straight game, Palmeiro snapped a six-race losing streak Wednesday, winning the $55,000 feature race at Hollywood Park by two lengths over Mysterious Cat. Palmeiro's victory followed a series of longshot winners on Wednesday's Hollywood Park card, resulting in a pick six carryover of $102,812 heading into Thursday's program.

Irisheyesareflying Wins Berkeley Handicap

Irisheyesareflying earned his second career graded stakes win Saturday in the $100,000 Berkeley Handicap (gr. III) at Golden Gate Fields.

Irisheyesareflying Heads Berkeley Field

Irisheyesareflying heads the field for the $100,000 Berkeley Handicap (gr. III) Saturday at Golden Gate Fields. A hefty roster of 11 is slated to face the starter for the one-mile contest over the main track.

Scorpion 'Blows Out' in Strub Workout

D. Wayne Lukas-trained Scorpion blew out three furlongs in :35 over a Santa Anita track rated "good" Wednesday morning in preparation for Saturday's $400,000 Strub Stakes (gr. II).

Off the Triple Crown Trail -- Jamaican Rum, Startac, Arctic Boy, and Palmeiro Regroup

The connections of horses now off the Triple Crown trail have begun to plan new courses for their respective horses, with Palmeiro entered to run Monday against older horses in a Hollywood Park allowance race. Trainer John Sadler hopes to use the 1 1/16-mile race as a prep for the $150,000 Affirmed Handicap.

Steve Haskin's April 9 Derby Report: Point Given Nears Perfection

It's rare to see perfection in a young colt prepping for the Kentucky Derby, but that's just about what we saw from Point Given in the Santa Anita Derby. Frankly, we can't think of anything left for this colt to prove. Taking every factor into consideration, other than soundness, we've got a horse who has the right trainer; the right jockey; the right pedigree; is a dual qualifier; is not only bigger and stronger than his opponents, but is also quicker and faster; can come from the clouds, lay in mid-pack, or stalk the leaders; can handle dry and wet tracks; and has already shown he likes Churchill Downs.

Point Given Romps in Santa Anita Derby

The Thoroughbred Corp.'s homebred Point Given tracked pacesetter Crafty C.T. through the early going, went by the leader approaching the second turn, and pulled clear in the stretch to an impressive 5 1/2-length victory in Saturday's $750,000 Santa Anita Derby (gr. I). On a track listed as muddy, Point Given completed the 1 1/8 miles in 1:47.77 under jockey Gary Stevens.

Haskin's Derby Top 20 (Cont.)

Continued from part 1

Three Santa Anita Derby Probables Work at Santa Anita

Turf Paradise Derby winner Startac, two-time grade II stakes runner-up Palmeiro, and San Felipe Stakes (gr. II) runner-up I Love Silver each worked at Santa Anita Sunday morning. All three are listed by the track as probable for Saturday's Santa Anita Derby (gr. I).

Santa Anita Derby Update: Cal-Bred Cherokee Kim May Go

Cherokee Kim, winner of a 1 1/8-mile maiden special weight on turf March 10, is a possible starter in the $750,000 Santa Anita Derby on April 7. Probables for the race, with jockeys, are: Point Given, Gary Stevens; Crafty C.T., Eddie Delahoussaye; Palmeiro, Kent Desormeaux; Scorpion, Victor Espinoza; Startac, Alex Solis; I Love Silver, Laffit Pincay Jr., and Cherokee Kim, no rider. Possibles include: Early Flyer, Macabe, and So Urgent.

Haskin's Derby Top 20: March 26 Update (Cont.)

Continued from part 1

Top Derby Pedigrees Updated

Steve Haskin, the award-winning turf writer and senior correspondent for The Blood-Horse, analyzes the top pedigrees for this year's Kentucky Derby candidates. During his 29 years with the Daily Racing Form, Haskin became known for his insightful coverage of the Triple Crown races. Haskin won the Red Smith Award for Kentucky Derby writing in 1997, 1999, and 2000 and received the David Woods Award for best Preakness story in 1997.

Haskin's Derby Top 20 -- March 19 (Cont.)

Continued from part 1

Ranked in preference order, with horse/ trainer/breeding

Click on horse's name to access Contender Page

Haskin's Kentucky Derby Top Contenders--March 12 Update

Ranked in preference order, with horse/ trainer/breeding

Click on horse's name to access Contender Page

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

Crafty C.T. Wins San Rafael by Four Lengths

C.T. Grether Inc.'s Crafty C.T. set the early pace and drew away in the stretch, winning the $200,000 San Rafael Stakes (gr. II) by four lengths over Palmeiro on a fast track at Santa Anita on Saturday. Under jockey Eddie Delahoussaye, Crafty C.T. completed the one-mile race for 3-year-olds in 1:35.79.

Palmeiro Works Toward San Rafael

Santa Catalina Stakes runner-up Palmeiro worked four furlongs in :47.60 over Santa Anita's main track Wednesday in preparation for Saturday's grade II San Rafael Stakes for 3-year-olds going one mile. Probable starters in the race, with jockeys, are: Palmeiro, Kent Desormeaux; Swordfish, David Flores; Victory Roar, Gary Stevens; Crafty C.T., Eddie Delahoussaye; Early Flyer, Chris McCarron; Media Mogul, Alex Solis and Wild And Wise, Victor Espinoza.

Haskin's Kentucky Derby Top 20--Week 6

Leading contenders for this year's Kentucky Derby.

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

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.

Palmeiro

Palmeiro

Seven 3-Year-Olds to Contest Santa Catalina

Turnberry Isle will be looking to recapture his European form when he faces off against Millennium Wind in the grade III, $100,000 Santa Catalina Stakes Sunday. The Santa Catalina is the first major prep race for aspiring 3-year-olds on the road leading into the $750,000 Santa Anita Derby. Turnberry Isle and Millennium Wind will break alongside each other as they have drawn post positions No. 5 and No. 6 respectively.