Rock Hard Ten Between Purse and a Hard Place

Rock Hard Ten may have missed winning the Santa Anita Derby by only a head, but the talented colt could still be forced out of running in the Kentucky Derby on May 1.

Rock Hard Ten’s owners, Ernie Moody, Maria Mercedes Vila and Madeleine Paulson, probably would like to run in the Derby, but their horse may not have enough career graded purse earnings to get in. When more than 20 horses want to run, Churchill invokes the money rule to determine the field.

With different horses winning almost every prep, a capacity field is probable. Rock Hard Ten, who interfered with Imperialism inside the 16th pole, was disqualified from second to third, which resulted in his share of the $750,000 purse shrinking from $150,000 to $90,000. Rock Hard Ten had won his two previous starts, but neither had been in stakes company.

“We probably won’t have enough money to run in the Derby,” said Jason Orman, who trains Rock Hard Ten. “If we have enough money, we’ll consider going, I guess. But we’re not going to [run in another race before the Derby] just to get there. We’ll probably go and train him [at Churchill] and see how he trains over the track. I’ll talk to the owners and find out more.”

The last time the Derby money rule was a factor was in 2002, when 20 horses entered three days before the race and three others wanted to run. The threshold for eligibility was about $100,000. It turned out that there were two scratches after entry day and only 18 ran. The others were out of luck. Unlike many races, there is no also-eligible list for the Derby. Twenty horses haven’t run in a single Derby since 1984, but four times since then 20 had been entered before scratches had reduced the size of the field.

If Rock Hard Ten were to run in the Derby, the historical deck would be stacked against him. Since 1900, only one horse -- the filly Regret in 1915 -- has won the Derby off just three lifetime starts.

Also, Rock Hard Ten didn’t run as a 2-year-old, which brings up the name of Apollo, who in 1882 became the only horse to win the race after not running the year before.

Riding Rock Hard Ten for the first time, David Flores said: “He ran a great race, and I think that’s going to move him up a lot. He feels like a quality horse, and he’s going to get better.”

The Santa Anita stewards suspended Flores for five days, starting next Friday, for his ride on Rock Hard Ten. Flores’ foul claim against Castledale, the 30-1 upset winner, was disallowed.

Castledale, based on his owners’ post-race comments, is headed for the Kentucky Derby, although Jeff Mullins, his trainer, said Sunday that the official decision would be a couple days off. Other horses who ran Saturday who are Louisville-bound include Imperialism, second after the disqualification, and Wimbledon, the second betting choice who was fifth. It was unclear whether St Averil, the favorite who ran sixth in the seven-horse field, would run in the Derby.

Quintons Gold Rush, who was the leader with an eighth of a mile to run before finishing fourth, is going to Kentucky, but to run in the Lexington Stakes at Keeneland on April 17. The colt is being transferred by his co-owner, Satish Sanan, from Mike Mitchell to trainer Steve Asmussen, who is stabled in Kentucky. The Derby has not been ruled out.

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Etoile Montante won the $112,800 Las Cienegas Handicap, giving trainer Bobby Frankel his third straight win in the stake. Frankel’s first two winners were Rolly Polly and Heat Haze.... The favorite, Royally Chosen, finished last as Hope Rises won the $85,725 Santa Lucia Handicap.

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Triple Crown Ratings

Tribune Co. ratings for 3-year-olds leading up to the Triple Crown races: the Kentucky Derby, Preakness and Belmont:

*--* N. Horse Trainer Jockey St W P S Last Race Next Race 1 Friends John Richard 5 3 0 1 Florida Derby Kentucky Lake Kimmel Miglior (1st) Derby e 2 The Nick Shane 7 3 2 1 Florida Derby Wood Cliff’s Zito Sellers (3rd) Memorial Edge 3 Smarty John Stewart 5 5 0 0 Rebel Stakes Arkansas Jones Servis Elliott (1st) Derby 4 Master Bobby Alex 6 2 3 1 Sham Stakes Wood David Franke Solis (1st) Memorial l 5 Read the Rick Jerry 6 5 0 0 Florida Derby Kentucky Footnotes Violet Bailey (4th) Derby te 6 Kristi Victor 15 5 4 1 Santa Anita Kentucky Imperialism n Espinoz Derby (2nd) Derby Mulhal a l 7 Eddington Mark Edgar 5 2 2 1 Gotham Stakes Wood Hennig Prado (3rd) Memorial 8 Value Plus Todd John 6 2 2 0 Florida Derby Wood Pletch Velasqu (2nd) Memorial er ez 9 Castledale Jeff Jose 10 3 4 1 Santa Anita Kentucky Mullin Valdivi Derby (1st) Derby s a 10 Birdstone Nick Jose 5 3 0 0 Lane’s End Blue Zito Castell (5th) Grass ano Stakes

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Triple Crown panel: Bill Christine, Los Angeles Times; Dave Joseph, South Florida Sun-Sentinel; Tom Keyser, Baltimore Sun; Neil Milbert, Chicago Tribune; Paul Moran, Newsday.