Bob Hill
Staff writer
Tracksideview.com

It was hard to beat the Grade 2 Swale for excitement in this past weekend’s stakes races for 3-year-olds even though the race has little or no impact on the Kentucky Derby field.  This Ones for Phil and Big Drama battled the entire length of the stretch of the seven-furlong sprint with Big Drama edging clear to cross the finish line a half-length in front.  The stewards, however, deemed that Big Drama had bumped This Ones for Phil and the official order was reversed.  Big Drama has the graded earnings to make the Kentucky Derby field, but his connections seemed to have all but ruled out that possibility.

If Quality Road was not already near the top of your Derby list, his impressive win in the Grade 1 Florida Derby should put him there now.  His fractions in his record-setting 1 1/8 mile trip were 23.69, 23.34, 23.63, 24.62, and 12.44 as he stopped the clock at 1:47.72.  As Dunkirk was rallying five wide it was interesting to see jockey John Velazquez aboard Quality Road looking to see where his competition was.  As Dunkirk drew close on the outside Johnny V. asked Quality Road for more, and the son of Elusive Quality responded.  Remember that Smarty Jones won the first two legs of the Triple Crown, and he too is a son of Elusive Quality.  With Strawberry Road as his dam sire, I really like Quality Road’s pedigree.

Dunkirk certainly needs to make no apologies for his run in the Florida Derby.  On a track that favored speed all day, he may have fallen just slightly too far off the pace early in the race.  After opening the first quarter mile in 24.89 seconds, his other splits were 23.44, 23.03, 24.12, and 12.59.  He can only get better.  The connections now will have to wait and cross fingers that his $150,000 stakes winnings make the cut list for the Derby field.  Theregoesjojo was a well-beaten third and is not likely to make the Derby field.

I truly never know what to make of the Dubai races for 3-year-olds.  Regal Ransom and Desert Party beat the remaining field by 10 lengths.  Both have the graded earnings to make the Kentucky Derby field, and at this point Godolphin is undecided. 

Kelly Leak had a terrific pay day in the $800,000 Sunland Derby, winning the first place purse of $200,000 and an additional $100,000 bonus for having previous graded earnings.  Mythical Power finished second in his first start against winners, and Scorewithcater rounded out the trifecta.  Kelly Leak, who began his career as one of the top horses in California, now has run quite well in his two tries on dirt – one a sprint and Sunday’s route at a distance of 1 1/8 mile.  It will be interesting to see if his connections keep him on the West Coast where he will have to run on synthetics or grass.

This Saturday will offer us the Grade 1 Santa Anita Derby and Wood Memorial, as well as the Grade 2 Illinois Derby.  With less than five weeks to go until the Kentucky Derby, the picture is beginning to take shape with the emergence of the top horses in each region of the country.