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Road to Louisville Filled With Potholes© Greg Melikov
Mar 5, 2004
It hasn't been a rosy road to the Kentucky Derby for most of the touted, early contenders.
For example, Read the Footnotes, who recorded the fastest Beyer of 113 while winning the Fountain of Youth Stakes at Gulfstream Park, finished fourth in the Florida Derby to Friends Lake, who received a 92 speed figure.
Imperilism, who took the San Rafael while whipping Lion Heart, finished behind Castledale in the Santa Anita Derby. The winner's 106 Beyer was three points higher than the runner-up's best effort. Wimbledon, who won the Louisiana Derby at Fair Grounds with a 101 speed rating, was a dismal fifth.
Several other 3-year-olds have the opportunity to make amends on Saturday in three final preps before the big one in Louisville. The most competitive contest appears to be the Blue Grass Stakes.
The field will feature four talented runners, including two who disappointed in their outing: Lion Heart, who posted a 104 Beyer at Santa Anita, and Birdstone, fifth in Turfway Park's Lane's End Stakes, who has never recorded a triple-digit speed figure in a route.
Also at Keeneland will be Preachinatthebar, who posted a 101 speed figure winning the San Felipe at Santa Anita, and Limehouse, victorious in the Tampa Bay Derby with a 99 rating.
The likely Wood Memorial field at Aqueduct will include Sinister G, who captured the Lane's End; Value Plus, runner-up in the Florida Derby; Swingforthefences, second in the Tampa Bay Derby; Action This Day, seventh in the San Felipe; and Master David, who nursed injuries following his triumph in the Sham, the only triple-digit Beyer holder with 100.
The Arkansas Derby at Oaklawn will include undefeated Smarty Jones, who posted a 106 speed figure while registering taking the Rebel Stakes in his fifth victory, The Cliff's Edge, third in the Florida Derby with a 100 Beyer; and Borrego, runner-up in the Louisiana Derby with a 98 rating.
On April 17, the Lexington Stakes at Keeneland will feature Saratoga County, winner of the Gotham Stakes, with a 94 speed figure; and maybe Eddington, third in the contest at Aqueduct, whose highest rating is 101.
These sophomores are headed to Churchill Downs:
Pollard's Vision, a convincing winner last Saturday's Illinois Derby at Hawthorne, with a 106 Beyer.
Read the Footnotes and Friends Lake, both trying to break the 48-year losing streak of horsing skipping April preps since Needles captured the Kentucky Derby.
These horses aren't:
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The copyright of the article Road to Louisville Filled With Potholes in Horse Racing is owned by Greg Melikov. Permission to republish Road to Louisville Filled With Potholes in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.
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