Brother Derek Finds Favor From Post No. 18

By Robyn Norwood

May 4, 2006 12 AM PT

Times Staff Writer

LOUISVILLE, Ky. —

Wednesday morning at the racing office at Churchill Downs, trainer Dan Hendricks felt the “first real hiccup” of his preparations for Brother Derek to run in Saturday’s Kentucky Derby.

As lots were drawn to determine the order in which trainers would select post positions later in the day, Hendricks learned he would be fifth from last.

“In my selfish way, when I heard we’d be picking 16th, I thought that was the end of the world,” he said. “I was scared we’d end up in the 1, 2, 3, or 4 hole, or in the 20 hole.”

Instead he was able to choose post position No. 18 -- in the auxiliary gate but not quite at the very outside of the full 20-horse field for the 132nd Kentucky Derby.

It was not a great draw, but acceptable enough that Brother Derek was installed as the 3-1 favorite by Mike Battaglia, who has been making the morning line for the Derby since 1975.

“I am surprised we weren’t made co-favorites with Barbaro,” Hendricks said. “He’s an undefeated horse and very impressive. I thought my horse and Barbaro should share top billing.”

Barbaro, the Florida Derby winner trained by former Olympic equestrian Michael Matz and ridden by Edgar Prado, will break from post position No. 8, and is the co-second choice with Lawyer Ron, the Arkansas Derby winner, at 4-1.

Lawyer Ron, in an unusual situation, is for sale even as the Derby approaches.

Ron Bamberger, the attorney for whom the colt is named, was negotiating with bidders in his role as executor of the estate of James T. Hines Jr., who drowned in his indoor pool in February.

However, Bamberger said a condition of any sale would be that the horse wear Hines’ blue-and-white silks in the Derby.

“No matter what happens, he’ll be wearing Jim’s silks. I’m not negotiating that,” he said.

It is a Derby notable for some of the familiar faces who are missing: trainers Wayne Lukas and Nick Zito and recently retired jockeys Gary Stevens, Pat Day and Jerry Bailey.

Yet most agree it is an exceptional group of 3-year-olds.

“I’ve never seen such a deep 10 horses. Ten solid horses,” said trainer Bob Baffert, who will start three horses in his bid for a fourth Derby victory.

It is also a race notable for the number of speed horses entered.

Two of them, Baffert’s Sinister Minister, the runaway winner of the Blue Grass Stakes, and Todd Pletcher’s Keyed Entry, will start side by side inside at post positions No. 4 and No. 3.

Perhaps it will be a year for a wire-to-wire winner such as War Emblem in 2002.

Or, with plenty of speedsters inside and Lawyer Ron and Brother Derek paired outside at No. 17 and No. 18, some believe there might be an opening for a horse to come from behind after the others tire, the way 50-1 long shot Giacomo did last year.

Trainer John Shirreffs, who won with Giacomo in his first Derby, is back with A.P. Warrior and will break from post No. 10.

“We got No. 10 with Giacomo last year and it worked out very well,” he said.

Baffert’s other entries are Point Determined, owned by the Robert and Beverly Lewis Trust after the death of Bob Lewis in February, and Bob And John, owned by Houston Texan owner Bob McNair and named for McNair and his racing manager, John Adger.

All three of Baffert’s colts are 12-1 behind 10-1 fourth choice Sweetnorthernsaint -- ridden by Kent Desormeaux, the only two-time Derby winner in the race.

Hendricks said his distress over not getting a better draw dissipated quickly.

“I was kind of upset, but by the time I got back to the barn and thought about it, I was fine,” he said.

With Alex Solis up, Brother Derek, winner of the Santa Anita Derby, will be trying to become the first California-bred to win the Derby since Decidedly in 1962.

“We should be able to follow Lawyer Ron,” Hendricks said, adding that with Brother Derek’s “high cruising speed, Alex should be able to set him up wherever he wants to be. If it rains, the outside post will benefit us even more.

“I can’t be complaining. It’s the Kentucky Derby. The greatest race in the world, and here I am with one of the favorites. How can I be upset?”

(BEGIN TEXT OF INFOBOX)

Kentucky Derby draw

Lineup for Saturday’s Kentucky Derby (3 p.m.; TV: 2 p.m., Ch. 4) and morning odds:

Draw; Horse; Trainer; Jockey; Odds

1; Jazil; Kiaran McLaughlin; Fernando Jara; 30-1

2; Steppenwolfer; Dan Peitz; Robby Albarado; 30-1

3; Keyed Entry; Todd Pletcher; Patrick Valenzuela; 30-1

4; Sinister Minister; Bob Baffert; Victor Espinoza; 12-1

5; Point Determined; Bob Baffert; Rafael Bejarano; 12-1

6; Showing Up; Barclay Tagg; Cornelio Velasquez; 20-1

7; Bob And John; Bob Baffert; Garrett Gomez; 12-1