Horse racing newsletter: Some great performances on the Derby trail

HOCKEY DAD well placed behind the leader in the two path, drew alongside on the far turn, headed rival near the quarter pole, dueled through the lane and drew clear to prove best while in hand nearing the wire. BIG TALKER settled in the two path, angled in entering the far turn, saved ground into the lane, tipped out and rallied for the place. DISCRETIONARY DAY sped to the front from inside, responded when challenged around the far turn, dueled with HOCKEY DAD down the stretch, yielded in the final sixteenth and lost the place. SEATTLE BOLD was off a bit slow to begin and got bumped from outside, stalked the pace along the inside, angled three wide around the far turn and lacked a serious bid. CLUB CAL broke inward at the start, traveled outside a rival then three deep approaching the quarter pole and weakened. CROSSWORD broke in and bumped SEATTLE BOLD at the start, stalked the lone leader outside a rival, started to weaken between rivals at the quarter pole and faded.

SYNTHESIS tipped outside the speed and rated behind the leader early, drew alongside on the backstretch, dueled with MONGOLIAN WIND to mid-stretch, put away that rival and held well over the runner-up. PUBILIUS SYRUS went two to three wide around the first turn, chased between foes nearing the seven-sixteenths, traveled three to four wide around the final bend, rallied outside the top pair but was not enough. MONGOLIAN WIND cleared and angled in early, dueled for the lead from inside to mid-stretch and yielded in the final sixteenth. SELF TAUGHT went three then two wide around the first turn, raced inside rivals to the second bend, angled in around the far turn then came a bit off the rail into the drive and lacked further response. KENZOU'S RHYTHM entered the first turn four wide then moved in a path while outside a rival, chased three deep at the seven-sixteenths, came four wide into the lane and had little left.

THAT'S AMARE rated behind the leader early from inside, saved ground into the lane, roused upper stretch, put a nose a head in front at the eighth pole and drew clear under strong handling. IRISH AURA sped clear and crossed over to the inside, showed the way in the two path exiting the turn, lost command with a furlong to go, flattened in the final sixteenth but saved the place. CRAZY SPEIGHTY reserved early along the inside, cut the corner into the stretch, finished well up the rail and missed the place. KALON settled early, raced two wide into the turn, three wide leaving the bend, moved out four wide in upper stretch, showed a mild response from outside and missed the place and show. SHELL SHOCK up close early outside the leader, asked two wide around the turn and weakened.

CONTAGION hit the gate at the start to come away a bit awkwardly, unhurried in the early stages, angled out on the second turn, reeled in the leader at the eighth pole and won going away. IMPRESSION went three wide into the first turn then moved into the two path, remained two wide to the stretch, churned on through the final furlong and gained the place. STUDLY PERFECTION away quickly from inside, set all the pace to the stretch, held rapidly diminishing lead with a furlong to go and weakened to third. FLIP THE COIN JAN angled in on the first turn, moved into range up the backstretch, lost ground around the final bend, angled out from behind rivals at the top of the lane and lacked further response. SIX POINT RACK raced off the pace, stayed off the rail to the stretch and proved no menace. BLAME IT ON KITTY lagged well behind early and never got involved.

MALIBU MISTRESS pressed the pacesetter from inside, dueled around the turn, cleared foe in upper stretch then met the challenge from that same rival in the closing moments and held on. MUCHA WOMAN off alertly in the beginning, set the pace outside of MALIBU MISTRESS, dueled three wide around the turn, lost contact nearing the eighth pole then came back in deep stretch and just missed. RUTHIES RACER chased the top pair four wide through the turn and finished evenly. RIGHTEOUSLY chased along the inside to the lane and never produced a bid. EXCHANGE VOWS trailed the field up the backstretch, went two wide around the turn, came out in the stretch and never threatened.

HUBRIS sped clear along the inside, showed the way to the far turn, roused at the quarter pole and drew off in the stretch. EL JOY was closest in pursuit early in the two path, remained two wide to the stretch and bested the rest. PAPALE went three wide around the first turn, tracked outside or two wide and gained the show. GOT CURLY in range through the early stages, bumped with rival at the three-eighths, entered the stretch two wide, angled out and bumped rival again at the eighth pole and could not find the needed late kick. WILLY THE COBBLER bumped leaving the gate, settled off the pace, bumped with rival at the three-eighths pole, bumped with that same rival again at the eighth pole and flattened out. MAHAAMEL (IRE) sat off the pace, raced in the two path to the drive, drifted to the rail in the stretch and finished evenly. MOUNT PELLIAR raced at the back of the field along the inside, angled three wide around the far turn and lacked a rally. COMPELLUS shifted out and bumped rival at the start, raced in mid-pack near the inside then two wide into the lane and weakened. SPACE ODESSEY off slow to begin, went three wide into the first turn while outside rivals, moved down to the two path and was never a factor. SOULONG stalked the pace from inside, lost ground around the far turn and faded.

DIVA'S FINALE up close outside the pacesetter, asked around the turn, drew alongside at the eighth pole and proved best. HANDR'SDREAM set the pace and crossed over to the inside, led clear into the stretch, challenged with a furlong to go and could not match the winner late. COASTAL KING leaned back and came away last, settled off the pace, saved ground around the turn, steered out in the stretch and finished a clear third. BIG DISCOUNT bumped at the start, saved ground into the stretch and proved no menace. WHISKEY VISION stumbled a bit and bumped with BIG DISCOUNT at the start, chased between foes then three wide around the bend and never rallied. MY ONLY MISSION bumped leaving the gate, raced three deep up the backstretch, went four wide into the turn, angled down to the two path around the bend and came up empty. PHILLY CHEESE bumped with inside rival at the start, chased two wide to the turn, dropped back around the bend and faded.

ROCK YOUR WORLD stalked behind the leader in the two path, coaxed along near the quarter pole, bid three deep in the lane and kicked clear. CATHKIN PEAK (IRE) pulled early along the rail, settled into a stalking position, saved ground into the stretch, tipped out at the three-sixteenths, bid between rivals and got outkicked by the winner. RED FLAG settled off the pace, raced in the two path then came three wide into the stretch and was along for the show. COMMANDER KHAI sprinted to the front and angled to the inside, remained unchallenged to the stretch, led clear to the furlong grounds and flattened in the late stages. HARLAN ESTATE hit the gate and broke out, was unhurried in the early going, saved ground trailing the field and could not rally.

MALAKAI MOXIE broke and bumped rival leaving the gate, got brushed by another rival soon after, chased the leader then went up to vied for command between rivals, cleared into the stretch, inched away then lasted over the late charge from the runner-up. THREEARCHBAYMAFIA bumped laving the gate then lost his path and checked soon after, raced in the two path through the turn, angled out into the stretch, rallied late but could not get by. ZORICH raced outside a rival near the back of the field early on, took the turn five five wide, traveled widest in the stretch and finished well to earn the show honors. ESKIMO ROSES away quickest from the gate, cleared early then vied outside a pair of rivals into and around the bend and flattened to a minor award in the stretch. BIRD chased outside a rival well off the rail, went five wide into the turn, four wide entering the stretch and never produced a bid. BRAZILIAN SUMMER tracked off the inside, angled in on the turn, saved ground to the stretch and showed a mild response along the inside. DAPPER went four wide into the turn, angled down to the two path then back out three wide entering the stretch and passed tired rivals. HALLOWED GIFT chased off the rail, entered the turn four wide, steered down to the two path around the bend and weakened in the lane. FORT MCHENRY broke in then lugged out early and brushed rival, went up to vie for the lead from inside with a pair of rivals, battled through the turn then gave way in the stretch.