Ryan's for Real springs a Bill Hartack Memorial Handicap surprise, taking the early lead and never looking back, as tough luck Fairbanks fought him around the turn but fell short again as he finishes second...

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Breaking news - War Pass is out of the Derby and on the shelf indefinetely with an ankle fracture...

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In the Bed o' Roses Handicap, Rite Moment continues her recent roll in aqueduct, pressing the pace throughout then drawing off before holding off Lady Marlboro. Golden Dawn closed to third but faded back coming home...

Behindatthebar stormed home with a powerful move to just catch front runner Samba Rooster and win the Lexington Stakes.

Longshot Big Glen came with a strong move but was boxed in down the stretch and lost his momentum, finishing fourth. None of the other favorites, Tomcito, Atoned, Racecar Rhapsody, were factors...

Derby Impact - Nothing except that all those that ran and were on the outside looking in still are.  Behindatthebar might end up sneaking in, but don't expect a repeat performance.

Golden Velvet stalked front running Tessa Blue the whole way, then put her away after a stretch battle to win in the Sixty Sails Handicap...

Foxysox edges Black Mamba and I Can Too in the Santa Barbara Handicap, taking the lead midstretch then barely them off in the end.  Immortelle was scratched...

And Stoneside was a big upset winner in the Sam Simeon Handicap...

(updated 4/20)

Sterwins, the longest shot in the field, came roaring from last place to shock in the Ben Ali Stakes, winning going away.  Odds-on favorite Go Between rallied to finish second.

And wrapping up the weekend, Big Booster finally breaks through as he switches to turf and wins his first graded stakes when he easily wins the San Juan Capistrano. Defending race winner On The Acorn was third...

(updated 4/22)

In Puerto Rico yesterday, Gallant Ruler took the lead from the start and held of a tough challenge from favorite Dazzling Dr. Cevin to bring home the Clasico Jose de Diego.

Keenland’s Gr-IIIT Appalachian Stakes (3yo f, 8f) on Wednesday kicks off this week’s action, which will continue on Friday, still in Keenland, with the Gr-III Doubledogdare Stakes (4&up, f/m, 8.5f).  Saturday will see six more graded stakes, led by the Gr-II Lexington Stakes (3yo, 8.5f), Aqueduct’s Gr-IIT Bed o' Roses Breeders Cup Handicap (3&up, f/m, 7f), Hawthorne’s Gr-III’s Bill Hartack Memorial (&up, 9f) and Sixty Sails Handicaps (3&up, f/m, 9f) and concluding with Santa Anita’s Gr-IIT Santa Barbara (4yo+, f/m, 10f) and Gr-IIIT San Simeon Handicaps (4yo+, 6.5f).  Sunday action will feature the Gr-III Ben Ali Stakes (4yo+, 9f) in Keenland and the Gr-IIT San Juan Capistrano Invitational Handicap (4yo+,  14f) in Santa Anita.

Now kicking things off in the Appalachian, Miss Grillo Stakes winner Namaste's Wish will be making her ’08 debut and looks like the one to beat, but expect a tough challenge from UK import Sweepstake, Gr-III placed overseas and was a big winner of the Bedanken Stakes last out.

(updated 4/16)

The ‘weenkend’ action again kicks of on Friday and in Keenland with the Doubledogdare Stakes.  The big favorite here should be Gr-I winner Panty Raid, making her ’08 debut and 2-2 for at this race track.  She will be hard to beat, even though she is giving 6 lbs to the rest of the field.

The feature event this weekend is Saturday’s Lexington Stakes, which is the final chance for Derby hopefuls to earn graded earning.  The quartet of horses to watch are Rushaway Stakes winner Big Glen, San Miguel Stakes winner Salute the Sarge, Peruvian invader Tomcito, fourth in the Florida Derby in his US debut, and Atoned, last out fourth in the Illinois Derby.  The only Lexington winner to go on and win the Derby was Charismatic in 1999.

Moving east to Aqueduct, we have the Bed o' Roses Handicap, in which the resurgent Lady Dawn, winner of 3 of 4 since switching barns last year including the Barbara Ritchie Handicap last out, will clash with Distaff Breeders Cup Handicap winner Rite Moment, who is 4 of 5 this year.  But they must watchout for Sabin ‘Cap winner Lady Marlboro.

The action then goes to Hawthorne and we start with the Bill Hartack Memorial Handicap, where a small but evenly matched field meets up.  Multiple graded-stakes placed Fairbanks will be the likely favorite, looking for his first victory in a while, but watch out for front-running Good and Lucky to take a step up in class and perhaps steal the race.

The Sixty Sails cast will be led by stakes winners Tessa Blue and Golden Velvet, most recently second and third in the Rampart Handicap.  But off to derail the might be Gr-III winner Cryptoquip, the only starter to have won at this distance so far.

Gr-I winner Double Trouble, last time out a third in the Santa Maria, figures to be the one to beat in the Santa Barbara, as we land in Santa Anita for the last two stakes of the day.  Yet she should face a stiff challenge from Brazilian import Immortelle, who just missed out winning the Santa Ana Handicap last out in her second US race, as well as recent allowance winner Foxy Melody.

Surprise Hollywood Turf Express winner Unsual Suspect looks to take his second graded turf sprint in a row in the San Simeon, and will be challenged by stakes placed Council Member and Soul City Slew.

(updated 4/18)

Sunday, the Ben Ali Stakes in Keenland is looking like a showdown between Gulfstream Park Handicap winner Sir Whimsey and Sunshine Millions Classic victor, Go Between, second last time in the Santa Anita Derby.

The final weekend race will be the San Juan Capistrano Invitational Handicap, led by defending champion On the Acorn, looking to rebound from an off the board finish in the San Luis Rey, Shamdinan, a Gr-I winner in Europe but unplaced last out, and consistent Big Booster, still looking for his first stakes win though.

Puerto Rico’s Gr-I Clásico José de Diego (4yo+, imported, 8.5f) will be contested Monday. 

Gr-I winners Storm Allied and Dazzling Dr. Cevin are the top choices from a small field of six.