Rock Hard Ten moved up one notch to 23 in graded earnings after trainer John T. Toscano Jr. told Churchill Downs officials that Lane's End Stakes (gr. II) winner Sinister G would not be shipped to Louisville, Ky. for the Derby. Sinister G had missed training time due to a cough.With the increased possibility that Rock Hard Ten would make the Derby Orman said the colt would work at Churchill Downs on Monday of Derby week. Rock Hard Ten is owned by Mercedes Stable and his breeder, Madeleine Paulson.
Trainer Jason Orman scratched Rock Hard Ten out of the Derby Trial Stakes (gr. III) in favor of taking a chance on the Kris S. colt drawing in to the May 1 Kentucky Derby.The Santa Anita Derby (gr. I) runner-up was installed as the 3-5 morning line favorite for the Derby Trial, which will have five other runners.Whether Orman should run in the Derby Trial had been a question all week. Rock Hard Ten has $90,000 in graded stakes earnings, which will be used to determine which horses actually run in the Derby that is limited to 20-horses. As of Saturday morning, Rock Hard Ten ranked 24th on the graded earnings list.