Brother Derek and Bob and John, a pair of leading candidates for Saturday's Grade I Hollywood Futurity, each worked five furlongs at Santa Anita on Sunday.Brother Derek, winner of the Norfolk Stakes (gr. II) and fourth-place finisher in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile (gr. I), was timed in 1:00 under jockey Alex Solis. Bob and John, a controversial disqualification for interference following an apparent six-length victory in the Real Quiet Stakes Nov. 26, was clocked in 1:01 3/5 under exercise rider Dana Barnes."He did it in a gallop," said Dan Hendricks, trainer of Brother Derek. "He was aggressive. He's on tilt and ready to go. Alex said he is stronger and more mature than he was going into the Breeders' Cup."Hendricks will send the California-bred son of Benchmark across town the morning of the race. "He's a cool dude," said Hendricks. "He doesn't need to school."I think I've got the Cal-bred 2-year-old championship wrapped up," added Hendricks. "If I win this, I've got the best two-turn 2-year-old in the country." The Norfolk was run around two turns at Santa Anita. The Breeders' Cup was run around one turn at Belmont Park.Bob and John, named for Stonerside Stable owner Bob McNair and racing manager John Adger, seeks to give trainer Bob Baffert a fourth Futurity victory, equaling the record set by D. Wayne Lukas. Baffert won with Real Quiet in 1997, Captain Steve in 1999, and Point Given in 2000.
A field of at least five is probable for the Futurity: Brother Derek (Solis), Bob and John (Victor Espinoza), Your Tent Or Mine (Patrick Valenzuela), A.P. Warrior (Garrett Gomez), and Bashert.
