Mr. and Mrs. Bertram Firestone's Grand Reserve, to be ridden by Jerry Bailey, and Shadwell Stable's Tadreeb, with Jose Velez Jr. aboard, are the horses to beat in a field of 11 3-year-olds entered in Saturday's $200,000 Calder Derby (gr. IIIT) at 1 1/8 miles on turf.The Calder Derby is one of several stakes worth $1.6 million on an outstanding "Festival of the Sun" program at Calder Race Course. Grand Reserve is a homebred son of Eclipse champion turf horse Theatrical trained by Bill Mott. He won the Subordination Stakes at Belmont last out Sept. 23 after breaking his maiden at Saratoga. In his only previous start last winter, he finished third in his career debut over the Calder course.Tadreeb also is a son of Theatrical and finished a close-up third in the Subordination behind Grand Reserve for trainer Mark Hennig, who won last year's Calder Derby with Eddington. Mott, who trained Theatrical, won the 2003 Calder Derby with Stroll.The leading local contenders in the Calder Derby are Ione and Herb Elkins' Dream On Dream On and Top Line Racing and Alex and Joanne Lieblong's Lord Robyn, who have taken turns leading the local 3-year-old turf division after each has won stakes there this year.Mott also has the likely favorite for the $200,000 Calder Oaks in Live Oak Plantation's grade I-placed My Typhoon. Bailey is scheduled to ride as she faces 11 rival 3-year-old fillies in the 1 1/8 miles turf test.My Typhoon is an Irish-bred daughter of the remarkable freshman sire Giant's Causeway out of Urban Sea, a mare who won the 1993 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe (F-I). My Typhoon won the Virginia Oaks at Colonial Downs in July, lost a head decision in the Lake Placid Handicap (gr. IIT) at Saratoga in August, and finished third last out to Luas Line in the Garden City Breeders' Cup (gr. IT) at Belmont Park Sept. 10.My Typhoon faces a formidable Calder home team defender in Barbara Vivian and Dominic Vittese's Aclassysassylassy, very impressive last out winning the Judy's Red Shoes Stakes by three lengths over the course with regular rider Manny Aguilar in the saddle.A diminutive roan/gray filly by Wild Event, Aclassysassylassy was a $43,000 OBS April 2-year-old sales purchase and went on to sweep the three filly divisions of the Florida Stallion Stakes last year for trainer Dave Vivian, earning $500,000. The Judy's Red Shoes was only her second start this year, having spent a couple of months on an Ocala farm after a dull effort sprinting in April.B.B. Best Returns to Competition in Spend a Buck
Bea Oxenberg and Laurie Plesa's 3-year-old B.B. Best shared the spotlight on Festival day last year, winning the In Reality Division of the FSS for trainer Eddie Plesa Jr. He went on to be a major player in the 3-year-old division early this year, finishing third in the Florida Derby (gr. I) at Gulfstream Park April 2.B.B. Best made only one start since, finishing sixth of seven as the favorite in Aqueduct's Withers (gr. III) April 30. He returns to competition Saturday as the probable favorite in the $100,000 Spend A Buck Handicap (gr. III), a 1 1/16 miles event for 3-year-olds and up.Jerry Bailey rides B.B. Best as the son of Yes It's True takes on older horses for the first time. Lewis Family Stable's 5-year-old gelding Whos Crying Now, with leading Calder rider Eddie Castro aboard, will get plenty of play after a game victory last out in the Ambehaving overnight stakes for trainer Manny Tortora.$200,000 Calder Oaks (Race 6, 3:04 p.m.), 3-year-old fillies, 1 1/8 miles (turf)
PP. Horse, Weight, Jockey
1. Quiero Ganar (KY), 115, Cecilio Penalba
2. Fast Lisa (FL), 117, Eduardo Nunez
3. Aclassysassylassy (FL), 122, Manuel Aguilar
4. Ragtime Hope (KY), 115, Sebastian Madrid
5. Leona's Knight (FL), 119, Jose Alberto Rivera, II
6. My Typhoon (IRE), 122, Jerry Bailey
7. Dansetta Light (FL), 119, Eddie Castro
8. Tiger Belle (FL), 117, Manoel Cruz
9. Bobcat Greeley (KY), 115, Julio Garcia
10. Conveyor's Angel (FL), 117, Jon Court
11. Crafty Judy (KY), 115, Kristi Chapman
12. Capturethepresent (FL), 115, Daniel Coa$200,000 Calder Derby (Race 9, 4:30 pm.), 3-year-olds, 1 1/8 miles (turf)
PP. Horse, Weight, Jockey
1. Hal's Image (FL), 119, Jose Alberto Rivera, II
2. Dream On Dream On (FL), 117, Juan C. Leyva
3. Dazzling Dr. Cevin (FL), 115, Julio A. Garcia
4. Gold Success (FL), 115, Jon K. Court
5. Scalator (KY), 117, Julio A. Garcia
6. Tadreeb (KY), 117, Jose A. Velez, Jr.
7. Looks Good Junic (FL), 115, Manuel Aguilar
8. Amateur Ambush (FL), 115, Eduardo O. Nunez
9. Talented Prince (FL), 115, Manoel R. Cruz
10. Grand Reserve (VA), 117, Jerry D. Bailey
11. Lord Robyn (FL), 119, Eddie Castro$100,000 Spend a Buck Handicap (gr. III, Race 12, 6:01 p.m.), 3 & up, 1 1/16 miles
PP. Horse, Weight, Jockey
1. Hal's Image (FL), 114, Eduardo O. Nunez
2. Chino Charlie (FL), 111, Allen Maragh
3. Whos Crying Now (FL), 119, Eddie Castro
4. Lawbook (FL), 118, Manuel Aguilar
5. B. B. Best (FL), 114, Jerry D. Bailey
6. Apalachian Thunder (FL), 118, Manoel R. Cruz
7. Supervisor (FL), 115, Aurelio Toribio, Jr.
8. Dazzling Dr. Cevin (FL), 114, Julio A. Garcia