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Steve Haskin's Kentucky Derby Top 20: March 26 Update

Steve Haskin, the award-winning turf writer and senior correspondent for The Blood-Horse, updates his top Kentucky Derby contenders weekly. 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. In 1999, he co-authored "Baffert: Dirt Road to the Derby" with trainer Bob Baffert and wrote the book, "Dr. Fager" for Eclipse Press' "Thoroughbred Legends" series in 2000.

Haskin's Derby Report (Cont.)

Continued from part 1

Haskin's Derby Report: A Valentine for Zito and a Shooting Star at Turfway

A monster runaway victory in Kentucky, a track record in Florida, a stirring two-horse battle in the deserts of Dubai, and a four-horse blanket finish in Arkansas. After Saturday's fast and furious action on the Derby trail, racing fans all over the country will be craving a fix during next weekend's lull before the major stakes frenzies of Apr. 7 and 14.

Express Tour Wins Duel With Street Cry in Derby Prep

Two Godolphin Racing stablemates engaged in a stirring stretch drive in the UAE Derby (UAE-III), with Express Tour defeating Street Cry by a narrow margin in the race that was part of the Dubai World Cup card at Nad al Sheba Racecourse Saturday.

Harty To Split Godolphin 2-Year-Olds This Year

When he left California in early January to spend the winter in Dubai, trainer Eoin Harty hinted he might split his stable when he returned in April. He confirmed that on Thursday.

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.

Steve Haskin's Derby Top 20 -- March 19

Steve Haskin, the award-winning turf writer and senior correspondent for The Blood-Horse, updates his top Kentucky Derby contenders weekly. 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. In 1999, he co-authored "Baffert: Dirt Road to the Derby" with trainer Bob Baffert and wrote the book, "Dr. Fager" for Eclipse Press'"Thoroughbred Legends" series in 2000.

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

Captain Steve, Aptitude Confirmed For Dubai World Cup

Representatives of 17 different countries totaling 80 international runners have confirmed their participation at the 2001 Dubai World Cup meeting at Nad Al Sheba on March 24. The $6-million group I Dubai World Cup, sponsored by Emirates and the opening leg of the 2001 Emirates World Series Racing Championships, is likely to attract 14 runners, including Captain Steve and Aptitude from the U.S.

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 Derby Report: Palmeiro, Newcomers Best of Derby-Bound Horses

The march to Louisville is beginning to look like Napoleon's retreat from Moscow, as the troops keep trudging along, battling the elements and making little headway toward their destination. The best you can say right now is that at least no one has been ambushed by Cossacks along the way.

Street Cry Takes First Step Toward Kentucky Derby

Godolphin Racing's Street Cry, one of the leading 2-year-olds in America last year, took his first step toward his return to Churchill Downs on the first Saturday in May by winning the $250,000 United Arab Emirates (UAE) Two Thousand Guineas at Nad al Sheba Race Course in Dubai on Thursday.

Haskin's Kentucky Derby Top 20--Week 6

Leading contenders for this year's Kentucky Derby.

Street Cry to Make 2001 Debut on Thursday

Street Cry has his first outing of the year on Thursday, March 1st but another leading Godolphin contender for the American Triple Crown races, Express Tour, needs more time and will have his seasonal debut delayed until the UAE Derby at Nad al Sheba on March 24th.

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

Field Odds-On Favorite in Derby Future Wager

The mutuel field, which includes all 3-year- olds other than those 23 individual horses, was a heavy favorite at the mid-point of first of three four-day pools in the 2001 Kentucky Derby Future Wager. At the close of Friday's second day of Pool 1, the mutuel field was an odds-on favorite at 4-5.

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

Haskin's Derby Report (Cont.)

Continued from part 1

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.

Steve Haskin's Derby Report: Expect a Big Blue Invasion

The cry of "Go, Big Blue" resounded throughout the New York area on Super Bowl Sunday. Although it was silenced following the New York Giants' defeat to the Baltimore Ravens, don't be surprised if it is resurrected by Gang Godolphin around the first Saturday in May. That's when Sheikh Mohammed al Maktoum and his faithful followers will invade Churchill Downs bearing gifts and exuding confidence. Boxloads of Godolphin jackets, shirts, and caps will turn Churchill Downs into a sea of blue. Over the past two years, three members of Maktoum's Marauders made it to the starting gate on Derby Day, their coats shining like burnished copper. But there really wasn't a Derby horse beneath those glistening exteriors.

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.

Street Cry

Street Cry

Haskin's First Kentucky Derby Report (Cont.)

Continued from part 1

Five Star Day Breezes; Other Cup Hopefuls Work

Breeders' Cup Sprint hopeful Five Star Day cleared a couple of major hurdles on Wednesday. The Beau Greely trainee was named as one of the 14 preferred entrants in the Sprint and he turned in a solid training move in his next-to-last work before the Breeders' Cup.

Flame Thrower, Street Cry Reprise Futurity Finish in Norfolk

Three weeks later and with an extra furlong to race, the results remain the same as Flame Thrower reprised his wire-to-wire performance from last month's Del Mar Futurity (gr. II) to win the one-mile $200,000 Norfolk Stakes (gr. II) by a neck over the late-charging Street Cry Saturday at Santa Anita. In the seven-furlong Futurity, Flame Thrower just lasted to best Street Cry by a head.

Flame Thrower, Street Cry Work Toward Norfolk

The likely favorites for Saturday's $200,000 Norfolk Stakes (gr. II) at Santa Anita put in works at the track on Monday. The one-mile race should help to sort out the West Coast contingent for the Breeders' Cup Juvenile (gr. I).