Haskin's 2002 Derby Preview (Cont.)

Also pointing for the Kentucky Jockey Club is Ellis Park Juvenile winner Request for Parole, who made a big run around the far turn in the Iroquois before settling for second behind Harlan's Holiday. Thunder Days and Holy Run are other probables.

Several to watch

A horse in Canada to keep an eye on is Changeintheweather, who broke his maiden by 10 lengths before winning the Grey Breeders' Cup by four. The son of Gone West, trained by Dave Bell, has good middle-distance speed on top and tons of classic and staying blood on the bottom.

Godolphin has five potential Derby horses who made some sort of impact in America this year. They are the promising maiden winner and $5.3 million yearling purchase King's Consul, Norfolk winner Essence of Dubai, Norfolk runner-up Ibn Al Haitham, Cowdin winner Sunray Spirit, and Janadel, fourth in the Iroquois.

Nick Zito sent out a pair of maiden winners at Churchill Downs in November. First it was High Star, by Private Terms, owned by Buckram Oak Farm, who scored by a length going seven furlongs. Then, on Nov. 11, Governor Hickel, a son of Gulch, owned by Mary Lou Whitney, broke his maiden at one-mile by 3 1/4 lengths.

Bob Baffert sent out one of his Mike Pegram ham sandwiches to break his maiden when Danthebluegrassman scored a game half-length victory going 1 1/16 miles at Hollywood Park Nov. 11. The son of Pioneering cost $85,000 at the Fasig-Tipton Ky. July yearling sale. Baffert's highly touted Six G's finished fourth in the five-horse field. Another promising Baffert colt, Clay Time, finished third the same day in a six-furlong maiden race behind Cottonwood Cowboy.

Watch out for Steve Asmussen in next year's Triple Crown. Asmussen, who always seems to send out live horses, captured maiden races at Churchill Downs on Nov. 11 with Stormy Forever, a son of the Storm Cat stallion Storm Boot who won second time out by 1 1/4 lengths; and Far Away Bell, by Distant View, who won first out by 3 1/4 lengths. On Nov. 7, Asmussen sent out the Captain Bodgit colt Windward Passage to break his maiden by 2 lengths, going 1 1/16 miles in 1:45 2/5.

The same day, Frank Brothers saddled Robe, a son of Pulpit to break his maiden wire-to-wire by 3 1/2 lengths in 1:44 2/5. One note of interest, Robe is inbred 4x4 on the dam side to the great stamina influence Round Table. That is something you don't see too often. So, watch out for this Claiborne Farm colt when the distances stretch out.

If you're looking for potential dosage spoiler next year, it could well be Sky Terrace, a son of Skywalker who is undefeated in two sprints in Kentucky. The colt has shown his versatility with a good closing kick in his first start and good early speed in his second. Although his DI is 4.60, he has several excellent stamina influences on his dam side from His Majesty and Quadrangle. Trained by Vickie Foley, he turned in a sharp 6 furlong work in 1:12 4/5 for his possible start in the Kentucky Jockey Club. Could be a good one.

Another New York-based colt who looks to be an exciting prospect is Iron Deputy, a son of Silver Deputy, trained by Jimmy Jerkens, who finished second by a head in a maiden race, then won by 2 3/4 lengths in 1:10 4/5 on Oct. 24 under Richard Migliore.

Haskin's Derby Preview--Part 2: Stars in the making