Derby Hopefuls Will Be Busy Today

One New York guy is running his Kentucky Derby horse in New York, and because of that, another New York guy is keeping his horse in Kentucky today.

In the biggest day of the year for Kentucky Derby hopefuls, Unbridled’s Song is the 2-5 favorite in the $500,000 Wood Memorial, while Diligence, once a candidate for the Wood, will run with a stablemate in the $700,000 Blue Grass Stakes at Keeneland, where he’s the 2-1 favorite.

“I live in New York, and the New York people deserve to see him run here,” said Ernie Paragallo, owner of Unbridled’s Song, the future-book favorite for the Kentucky Derby on May 4. Although Unbridled’s Song spent his 2-year-old season in New York, the Wood will mark his first start at Aqueduct. Unbridled’s Song won last year’s Breeders’ Cup Juvenile at Belmont Park, then wintered this year in Florida, where he won the Florida Derby by almost six lengths at Gulfstream Park.

George Steinbrenner, owner of the Yankees, bred and races Diligence, but he told trainer Nick Zito that he preferred to run his colt in the Blue Grass. For different owners, Zito will also saddle Louis Quatorze, an 8-1 shot, in the Blue Grass.

There’s a third important prep for the Kentucky Derby today--the $500,000 Arkansas Derby at Oaklawn Park. Grindstone, winner of the Louisiana Derby, is the 9-5 favorite, but he will have to overcome the outside post position in a 12-horse field.

“I think it says something about Grindstone that Jerry Bailey is sticking with him when he could have ridden either of Zito’s horses at Keeneland,” trainer Wayne Lukas said.

Zito has picked up two of the best California-based jockeys--Eddie Delahoussaye for Diligence and Chris McCarron for Louis Quatorze--and they’ll be riding those horses for the first time.

McCarron, who won the Santa Anita Derby with Cavonnier, hasn’t made up his mind about his Kentucky Derby mount. McCarron and Zito teamed to win the Derby with Go For Gin in 1994.

Bob Baffert, Cavonnier’s trainer, has another Derby prospect in Semoran, who’s 8-1 in the Blue Grass. Semoran won the Remington Park Derby, but that was an ungraded race. If more than 20 horses want to run in the Kentucky Derby, the field will be determined by earnings in graded races, and Semoran needs to pick up some today.

While Grindstone runs in Arkansas, Lukas’ Editor’s Note will run in the Blue Grass. Editor’s Note, the 5-2 second choice, was second behind Unbridled’s Song in the Florida Derby and will be ridden again by Gary Stevens.

Lukas has indicated that Prince Of Thieves, who bled while running fifth in the Santa Anita Derby, will get one more Kentucky Derby prep, in the $175,000 Lexington Stakes on April 21 at Keeneland, where Roar and Afleetaffair are also expected to run.

Today’s fields, in post-position order:

Wood Memorial--Romano Gucci, Unbridled’s Song, Secreto De Estado, Harrowman, Feather Box, In Contention.

Blue Grass--Louis Quatorze, Ensign Ray, Diligence, Draw, Skip Away, Semoran, Editor’s Note.

Arkansas Derby--Jewelled Road, Calexus, Pugnacious, Blow Out, Black Tie Dinner, Zanferrier, Zarb’s Magic, Halo Sunshine, Bunker Hill Road, Dynapopper, Beefchopper, Grindstone.

Horse Racing Notes

Twice The Vice, second to Serena’s Song at Santa Anita in February, found a sloppy track to her liking at Oaklawn Park on Friday and won the $500,000 Apple Blossom Handicap with Chris McCarron as the champion filly finished third. Twice The Vice, carrying 117 pounds, seven fewer than Serena’s Song, paid $8 at Oaklawn, running 1 1/16 miles in 1:41 3/5. . . . At Keeneland, Tejano Run, second to Thunder Gulch in last year’s Kentucky Derby, ran on grass for the first time and beat favored Sandpit by a neck in the $113,900 Fort Harrod Stakes.