'Revenge' most impressive.

Photo: EquiSport Photos/M. Wooley

Okay, down to the wire!
Most impressive performances... I Want Revenge in the Wood, Friesan Fire in the Louisianna Derby, Quality Road in the Florida Derby. They are the TOP 3.
Best trade... Dunkirk in, Mafaaz out.
Best story... General Quarters, the one horse stable of Thomas McCarthy.
Biggest move... Papa Clem winning the Arkansas Derby over the ill fated Old Fashioned.
Could be for real... Musket Man wins the Illinois Derby on the heals of the Tampa Bay Derby.
Comeback trail... Square Eddie. We'll see Saturday in the Lexington.
Needed 4 horses to come up with 20... Charitable Man, Giant Oak, Jeranimo, Flying Private.


Horse Sire Trainer Owner Jockey
1 I WANT REVENGE Stephen Got Even Jeff Mullins IEAH, Lanzman Racing Joe Talamo
2 FRIESAN FIRE AP Indy Larry Jones Vinery & Fox Hill Gabriel Saez
3 QUALITY ROAD Elusive Quality James Jerkins Edward Evans John Velazquez
4 DUNKIRK Unbridled's Song Todd Pletcher Magnier, Tabor, Smith Garrett Gomez
5 DESERT PARTY Street Cry Saeed bin Suroor Godolphin Racing Frankie Dettori
6 PIONEEROF THE NILE Empire Maker Bob Baffert Zayat Stables Garrett Gomez
7 PAPA CLEM Smart Strike Bo Hirsh Gary Stute Rafael Bejarano
8 CHOCOLATE CANDY Candy Ride Jerry Hollendorfer Jenny Craig Mike Smith
9 GENERAL QUARTERS Sky Mesa Mark Miller Thomas McCarthy Julien Leparoux
10 HOLD ME BACK Giant's Causeway Bill Mott WinStar Farm Kent Desormeaux
11 MUSKET MAN Yonaguska Derek Ryan Eric Fein, Vic Carlson Daniel Centeno
12 WIN WILLY Monarchos McLean Robertson Jer-Mar Stable M.C. Berry
13 REGAL RANSOM Distorted Humor Saeed bin Suroor Godolphin Racing Alan Garcia
14 SQUARE EDDIE Smart Strike Doug O'Neill Paul Reddam Edgar Prado
15 MR HOT STUFF Tiznow Eoin Harty WinStar Farm Corey Nakatani
16 WEST SIDE BERNIE Bernstein Kelly Breen Lori & Goerge Hall Edgar Prado
17 CHARITABLE MAN Lemon Drop Kid Kiaran McLaughlin W. K. Warren Jr Undecided
18 GIANT OAK Giant's Causeway Chris Block Virginia Tarra Trust E. Razo
19 JERANIMO Congaree B.J. Wright M. Pender B. Blanc
20 FLYING PRIVATE Fusaichi Pegasus D. Wayne Lukas Grand Slam Farm Israel Ocampo

I Want Revenge takes rematch with Imperial Council in Wood

Photo: EquiSport Photos/Sue K.

Alright, we are getting into the stretch the next 2 weeks.
My thoughts...purely for recreational value!
In the the Wood, replay of the Gotham, 'I Want Revenge' over Imperial Council'
In the Santa Anita Derby, the 'Mousse' is loose over 'Pioneer'.
The Arkansas Derby should see 'Old Fashioned' reestablish himself as a Top 5 contender, and 'Papa Clem' move up a couple notches.
The Bluegrass Stakes is left with the bottom feeders of the Top 20, now that Friesan Fire is training up to the Derby. All of the Big Boys want to go on dirt. I'll take 'Terrain' by a nose over 'Hold Me Back' who may get held back.
Next update, Tax Day.

1 I WANT REVENGE Stephen Got Even Jeff Mullins IEAH, Lanzman Racing Joe Talamo 4/4 AQ Wood Memorial (G1)
2 FRIESAN FIRE AP Indy Larry Jones Vinery & Fox Hill Gabriel Saez 5/2 CD Ky. Derby
3 QUALITY ROAD Elusive Quality James Jerkins Edward Evans John Velazquez 5/2 CD Ky. Derby
4 THE PAMPLEMOUSSE Kafwain Julio Canani Bienstock & Winner Stable, A. Solis II Alex Solis 4/4 SA Santa Anita Derby
5 OLD FASHIONED Unbridled's Song Larry Jones Rick Porter Ramon Dominguez 4/11 OP Arkansas Derby
6 PIONEEROF THE NILE Empire Maker Bob Baffert Zayat Stables Garrett Gomez 4/4 SA Santa Anita Derby
7 IMPERIAL COUNCIL Empire Maker Shug McGaughey Sequoia Racing Rajiv Maragh 4/4 AQ Wood Memorial (G1)
8 DUNKIRK Unbridled's Song Todd Pletcher Magnier, Tabor, Smith Garrett Gomez 5/2 CD Ky. Derby
9 DESERT PARTY Street Cry Saeed bin Suroor Godolphin Racing Frankie Dettori 5/2 CD Ky. Derby
10 WIN WILLY Monarchos McLean Robertson Jer-Mar Stable M. Berry 4/11 OP Arkansas Derby
11 CHOCOLATE CANDY Candy Ride Jerry Hollendorfer Jenny Craig Rafael Bejarano 4/4 SA Santa Anita Derby
12 PAPA CLEM Smart Strike Bo Hirsh Gary Stute Rafael Bejarano 4/11 OP Arkansas Derby
13 REGAL RANSOM Distorted Humor Saeed bin Suroor Godolphin Racing Alan Garcia 5/2 CD Ky. Derby
14 HOLD ME BACK Giant's Causeway Bill Mott WinStar Farm Kent Desormeaux 4/11 KEE Bluegrass S. (G1)
15 TERRAIN Sky Mesa Albert Stall Adele Dilschneider Jamie Theriot 4/11 Bluegrass S. (G1) or Lex.
16 MAFAAZ Medicean John Gosden Shadwell Stables Richard Hills 4/11 KEE Bluegrass S. (G1)
17 MUSKET MAN Yonaguska Derek Ryan Eric Fein, Vic Carlson Daniel Centeno 4/4 Illinois Derby or Wood M.
18 SQUARE EDDIE Smart Strike Doug O'Neill Paul Reddam Rafael Bejarano back in training
19 GENERAL QUARTERS Sky Mesa Mark Miller Thomas McCarthy James Lopez 4/11 KEE Bluegrass S. (G1)
20 PATENA Seeking the Gold Rick Dutrow IEAH, Sikura Robby Albarado 4/11 KEE Bluegrass S. (G1)

Friesan Fire lights the Trail!

Pioneerof the Nile training at Keeneland on Polytrack 9.30.2008 Photo: EquiSport Photos/Matt Wooley

Okay Kids, A little shake up on the Derby Trail this week.
Friesan Fire looked brilliant. Perhaps the best prep race if the year. And it was on dirt!
Old Fashioned faltered in the Rebel. Will rematch Win Willy in the Arkansas Derby.
Florida Derby coming up big this year, just as it did for Big Brown last year. Quality Road leads a strong field that includes mystery horse Dunkirk, Kenny McPeek's Theregoesjojo and Beethoven who needs to pick it up a notch.
This week's Lane's End Cup favors West Side Bernie, with Edgar Prado flying in for the mount, up against Bittel Road and Garrett Gomez.
Attached is my "Top 20 or so Derby Contenders and Connections". This list along with $2.00 will get you a cup of coffee at Starbucks. Small.
Next update, April Fools Day.
"The Word" - Derby 2009 Contenders March 16, 2009 www.equisportphotos.com
Horse Sire Trainer Owner Jockey Next
1 FRIESAN FIRE AP Indy Larry Jones Vinery & Fox Hill Gabriel Saez 4/11 Blgrass or 5/2 Ky. Derby
2 THE PAMPLEMOUSSE Kafwain Julio Canani Bienstock & Winner Stable, A. Solis II Alex Solis 4/4 SA Santa Anita Derby
3 I WANT REVENGE Stephen Got Even Jeff Mullins Lanzman Racing Joe Talamo 4/4 AQ Wood Memorial (G1)
4 QUALITY ROAD Elusive Quality James Jerkins Edward Evans John Velazquez 3/28 GP Florida Derby
5 OLD FASHIONED Unbridled's Song Larry Jones Rick Porter Ramon Dominguez 4/11 OP Arkansas Derby
6 IMPERIAL COUNCIL Empire Maker Shug McGaughey Sequoia Racing Rajiv Maragh 4/4 AQ Wood Memorial (G1)
7 PIONEEROF THE NILE Empire Maker Bob Baffert Zayat Stables Garrett Gomez 4/4 SA Santa Anita Derby
8 DUNKIRK Unbridled's Song Todd Pletcher Magnier, Tabor, Smith Garrett Gomez 3/28 GP Florida Derby
9 PAPA CLEM Smart Strike Bo Hirsh Gary Stute Rafael Bejarano 4/4 HAW Illinois Derby
10 WIN WILLY Monarchos McLean Robertson Jer-Mar Stable M. Berry 4/11 OP Arkansas Derby
11 THEREGOESJOJO Brahms Kenny McPeek Samotowka, Delfiner, Drall, Magdalena Kent Desormeaux 3/28 GP Florida Derby
12 CHOCOLATE CANDY Candy Ride Jerry Hollendorfer Jenny Craig Rafael Bejarano 4/4 SA Santa Anita Derby
13 MUSKET MAN Yonaguska Derek Ryan Eric Fein, Vic Carlson Daniel Centeno 4/4 Illinois Derby or Wood M.
14 WEST SIDE BERNIE Bernstein Kelly Breen Lori & Goerge Hall Edgar Prado 3/21 TP Lane's End
15 DESERT PARTY Street Cry Saeed bin Suroor Godolphin Racing Frankie Dettori 3/28 NAS UAE Derby
16 BEETHOVEN Sky Mesa John Ward John Oxley Calvin Borel 3/28 GP Florida Derby
17 TERRAIN Sky Mesa Albert Stall Jr Albert Stall Jamie Theriot 4/11 Bluegrass S. (G1) or Lex.
18 CAPT. CANDYMAN CAN Candy Ride Ian Wilkes Jos. Rauch, David Zell Julien Leparoux
19 GENERAL QUARTERS Sky Mesa Mark Miller Thomas McCarthy James Lopez 4/11 KEE Bluegrass S. (G1)
20 VINEYARD HAVEN Lido Palace Saeed bin Suroor Godolphin Racing Edgar Prado 3/28 NAS UAE Derby
21 BITTEL ROAD Stormy Atlantic Todd Pletcher Scatuorchio & Iracane Garrett Gomez 3/21 TP Lane's End