TRIPLE CROWN RATINGS

REMARKS: The field for Saturday’s 112th running of the Kentucky Derby has grown to a possible 19 starters, one fewer than the maximum allowed by Churchill Downs.

Monday, trainers of Royal Doulton, Mr. Classic and Ensign Rhythm indicated that they would be shipping their 3-year-olds to Louisville for the Derby.

Royal Doulton, trained by Johnny Campo, winner of the 1981 Derby with Pleasant Colony, beat only one horse in the Jim Beam Stakes at Latonia and finished ahead of just two horses in the Garden State Stakes. Last Friday, however, Royal Doulton galloped to a four-length victory in a 1 1/8-mile allowance race at Aqueduct.

Second in that race was Mr. Classic, who is durable if not distinguished. Mr. Classic has started 25 times, which would make him the field’s busiest horse if he runs in the Derby. Mr. Classic has won only 1 of 10 starts this year.

Ensign Rhythm would be the third horse in the Derby to have a new trainer. Tenth in his last start, the Budweiser-Tampa Bay Derby at Tampa Bay Downs March 15, Ensign Rhythm is now under the care of Joe Ordino.

Leo Azpurura, the previous trainer, wasn’t enthusiastic about Ensign Rhythm’s chances in the Derby, a feeling Eddie Gregson had about Icy Groom, who will be saddled by Sam Ramer Saturday.

Groovy, another Derby starter, is now being trained by Howard Crowell, who recently replaced Petro Peters.

If more than 20 horses are entered Thursday, Churchill Downs will have to invoke the Derby money rule, which gives preference to horses with the most money earned in graded races. In that case, Fobby Forbes, the winner of the Garden State Stakes, would not be able to run. Although Fobby Forbes has earned $263,470, none of the money has come from graded races.

Mike Battaglia, the oddsmaker at Churchill Downs, indicated that he would make Snow Chief a 6-5 favorite in the Derby, followed by Badger Land at 2-1 and Broad Brush at 6-1.

Snow Chief arrived at Churchill Downs Monday, on a plane that also brought Vernon Castle, the California Derby winner.

Snow Chief worked a flashy :58 2/5 for five furlongs at Santa Anita before he left California.

“Based on his record, I can’t find any holes in Snow Chief,” said Lenny Hale, a member of The Times’ panel of experts. “The only thing against him is that based on dosage, he has no shot.”

The Dosage Index, which is published in the Daily Racing Form, is a complicated rating of horses based on their pedigrees. No Derby winner since 1929 has had an index of 4.00 or higher, and Snow Chief’s rating is 5.00.

As of Monday, the field for the Derby consisted of The Times’ top 10, plus Groovy, Wheatly Hall, Pillaster, Mogambo, Zabaleta, Icy Groom, Royal Doulton, Mr. Classic and Ensign Rhythm.

Career Horse S 1 2 3 Earnings 1.Snow Chief 13 9 2 1 $1,719,040 2.Badger Land 12 5 2 0 502,125 3.Broad Brush 9 7 1 0 565,443 4.Bold Arrangement 11 5 2 2 106,269 5.Vernon Castle 3 2 1 0 171,015 6.Ferdinand 9 2 2 3 340,900 7.Fobby Forbes 8 4 4 0 263,470 8.Wise Times 9 3 1 1 111,658 9.Bachelor Beau 9 3 4 1 293,387 10.Rampage 8 4 2 0 340,086