With few standouts to emerge on the Kentucky Derby trail, a field of nine will be headed to Saturday's $500,000 Illinois Derby (gr. II) Hawthorne Park to see if they are the next to jump up and make a splash in the 3-year-old division.
Favored in the 1 1/8-mile race is Kansas City Boy, who is still looking for his first stakes win for trainer Kenny McPeek. The 7-2 morning-line favorite, the son of Boston Harbor will be ridden by Chris Emigh.
The morning-line second choice at 4-1 is Patrick Byrne-trained Magna Graduate, who has faced many of the top 3-year-olds in the country with some success. The son of Honor Grades won the John Battaglia Memorial before finishing fourth in the Lane's End Stakes (gr. II) at Turfway Park. He will be ridden by Eddie Razo Jr.
Field for the $500,000 Illinois Derby, grade II, 1 1/8 miles:
1--Greeley's Galaxy, Kent J. Desormeaux, 122, 9-2
2--Monarch Lane, Christopher P. DeCarlo, 122, 6-1
3--Magna Graduate, Eusebio Razo, Jr., 122, 4-1
4--Rikman, Heberto Castillo, Jr., 122, 5-1
5--Unbridled Energy, Shaun Bridgmohan, 122, 6-1
6--Medigating, Larry Melancon, 122, 12-1
7--Win Me Over, Larry J. Sterling, Jr., 122, 20-1
8--Daddy Joe, Norberto Arroyo, Jr., 122, 10-1
9--Kansas City Boy, Christopher A. Emigh, 122, 7-2
