Gabriel Saez

• Fox Hill Farm’s Havre de Grace tuned up for the Breeders’ Cup Classic with an easy 5f workout in 1:02 under jockey Gabriel Saez Monday. The clockers caught her in splits of 12 2/5, 24 3/5, 36 4/5, 49 1/5 and 1:02 before galloping out six furlongs in 1:15 3/5.

“It was very similar to the work before the Beldame that we had at Delaware Park,” trainer Larry Jones said. “(Jockey Gabriel Saez) thought the effort she put forth was about the same thing. It was probably one of the slower works we’ve had coming into Churchill Downs.

“Everybody criticized Hard Spun for his 57 (before the 2007 Kentucky Derby) so we didn’t do that today. She had a real good work at Keeneland. We’re not worried about fitness so much as we’re worried about handling the track. Watching the helmet cam with Gabe you could tell every time he called on her a little bit she gave him something.

“Everything was good. It probably wasn’t as fast as all these other horses have been working. That was a concern when we first saw the time, but it looks like, watching her now and what little water she drank, it’s more like a gallop than a work.”

“She never has (been a great work horse),” Jones continued. “She’s become a better work horse and maybe I should have thrown a target at her.

“At Keeneland I gave her a little something to run at but we made a point to be the first one around the track today. If we really needed to tighten her down, I would have sent something out there. I wanted to kind of see how she got over the track. She doesn’t do anymore than you ask her, so we’re okay.”

• Trainer Charles “Scooter” Dickey had only good things to report of Flat Out on Monday morning, one day after the Jockey Club Gold Cup winner zipped 4f in 46 3/5 at Churchill Downs.

He’s wanting to go back out there,” Dickey said. “He’s fine. The work didn’t take anything out of him.”

Flat Out walked the shedrow Monday morning. He is scheduled to return to the track and jog two miles Tuesday in the first set around 6:10 a.m.

The Preston Stables runner will be under regular exercise rider Otto Aguilar for the next few days, although jockey Alex Solis will be in the saddle Friday morning to get reacquainted before Saturday’s Breeders’ Cup Classic.

• Spendthrift Farm’s Mile hopeful Court Vision impressed his connections with a 5f workout over the turf course in 1:01 4/5 under regular rider Robby Albarado.

“He sure looked happy out there,” trainer Dale Romans said. “At this point we’re not going to change anything. We just wanted to keep him happy. We know he’s fit.”

Live Oak Plantation’s Brilliant Speed, who meets older horses for the first time in Saturday’s Emirates Airline Breeders’ Cup Turf, walked his Belmont Park shedrow Monday morning.  The Dynaformer colt will fly to Kentucky Tuesday afternoon.

“He should be in at Churchill by about 5 in the afternoon,” trainer Tom Albertrani said.  “His last two works have been his best ever.  It’s a tough assignment, but the colt is training well.  He’s maturing all the time and however he runs there’s going to be no disgrace.  I know he’s going to try.”

• Courageous Cat went to the turf course shortly after 9:45 Monday morning for a final breeze with exercise Rudolph Brisset. The 4f move was clocked in a leisurely 51 4/5 around the dogs.

“My rider was happy,” trainer Bill Mott said. “He said he gave him a little rein at the eighth pole and he was willing to go on, so he was happy.”

Courageous Cat finished second in the Mile in 2009.

• New York-bred Compliance Officer, who has gone unbeaten in five starts since claimed by current trainer Bruce Brown, is scheduled to fly to Kentucky Tuesday afternoon.

“He’s really in great shape,” Brown said.  “He deserves to take shot in a race like this.  If some of those older horses stub their toe a bit and we’re able to pull a good trip, he’s going to be right there.”

Jockey Alex Solis has the mount Saturday.

“Alex gets along with him great and breezes him for me all the time now,” Brown said.  “He really knows the horse and they get along well.  I don’t know if I’d be as game to do this if Alex wasn’t on the horse.”

• Trainer David Fawkes worked both of his Sentient Jet Breeders’ Cup Sprint contenders, Apriority and defending champion Big Drama, on Monday morning at Churchill Downs with jockey Jeffery Sanchez aboard each.

Big Drama, who won last year in gate-to-wire fashion, went out early while Apriority was sent to the track at 8:30 a.m.

“Big Drama turned in a nice breeze in 49 (49 3/5) and I have no complaints. Everything is good with him,” Fawkes said.

Apriority breezed 4f in 50 2/5.

• Trainer Al Stall Jr. sent his two Breeders’ Cup contenders Cease and Animal Spirits through their final pre-race works Monday morning with Animal Spirits working 4f in 49 1/5 on the main track for the Juvenile Turf and Cease going the same distance in 51 4/5 for the Marathon.

Although it was entry day, Stall did not plan to be at the draw. He was scheduled to pay a visit to Claiborne Farm and last year’s big Breeders’ Cup Classic winner Blame.

“I have a group of good old friends from Louisiana that I’m taking out there,” Stall reported. “It’s supposed to be great weather and Claiborne looks pretty fine on a sunny day.”

• The Kiaran McLaughlin-trained Rattlesnake Bridge galloped at Belmont Park Monday.  He is scheduled on a Kentucky-bound flight that departs from New York Tuesday.

“The Classic is obviously a tough spot,” McLaughlin said.  “But we feel he’s going to get a serious pace and he’ll make a serious run.  I’m confident we haven’t seen the best of this colt yet.”

Godolphin Racing’s Alpha, runner-up to Union Rags in Belmont’s Champagne this month, was scheduled to van from Belmont Park to Churchill Downs Monday afternoon.

“He’ll get in at 5 tomorrow morning and walk right into his stall,” McLaughlin said.  “He couldn’t be doing any better.”

Cheyenne Stable’s Miss Netta, who was third in Belmont Park’s Frizette this month, was scheduled to van from Belmont Park to Churchill Downs Monday afternoon.  Miss Netta galloped at Belmont Park prior to her departure.

“I was happy she finished third in the Frizette,” McLaughlin said.  “She had an unlucky, terrible trip.  She’s worked great a couple of times since.”

Mill House’s Trappe Shot, who has never started at a mile in his 11-race career, galloped Monday at Belmont Park.  He is scheduled to fly to Kentucky Tuesday.  Jockey John Velazquez has the mount on Saturday.

“We think the mile is a great distance for him,” McLaughlin said.  “And given the race shape, with The Factor and Shackleford setting a fast pace, that’s a big plus.  (John Velazquez) should be able to stalk without having to get into him early.”

It’s Tricky, winner of Belmont’s Acorn and Saratoga’s Coaching Club American Oaks this year, was scheduled to depart Belmont Park on a van bound for Churchill Downs Monday afternoon.

“She’s fine once she ships,” McLaughlin said.  “Rather than get on a van, get on a plane, then get on a van with her, all she has to do is walk onto the van and she’ll be at Churchill by 5 in the morning.  She can just walk right into her stall.”

Before the renovation break Monday, four of Steve Asmussen’s Breeders’ Cup hopefuls worked a half-mile, and the trainer was pleased with all of their moves.

• George Bolton and Stonestreet Stables’ My Miss Aurelia, the morning-line favorite for the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies, breezed 4f in 49 3/5.

“It was a nice half mile,” Asmussen said. “She got over the track well and was nice and relaxed. We’re keeping her happy.”

Winchell Thoroughbred LLC’s Sentient Jet Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Sprint contender Seeker breezed 4f in 50 2/5.

“He went well,” Asmussen said. “The work went nice and smooth. I feel very good about where’s he’s at.”

Winchell Thoroughbred LLC’s Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile entrant Tapizar breezed 4f in 49 3/5.

“He worked a nice half-mile,” Asmussen said. “He’s proven he likes this racetrack in the past.”

Stonestreet Stable LLC’s Wilburn breezed 4f in 49 4/5.

“It was an easy half-mile for Wilburn,” Asmussen said. “I was very happy with all four of them (Monday Breeders’ Cup workers). They all handle the track well, and I’m very comfortable with where they’re at.”

• The 2011 Belmont Stakes winner Ruler On Ice jogged 1m over the Churchill Downs track Monday morning after arriving by van from Monmouth Park late Sunday night.

Trainer Kelly Breen was not planning to attend the Breeders’ Cup post position draw Monday afternoon.

“I didn’t attend the Belmont draw and it turned out OK,” Breen said. “I don’t want to change things now.”

• Turf Sprint entrant Great Attack had his final major workout Monday breezing 5f in 1:02 4/5 over the turf course with jockey Jeffery Sanchez aboard.

“It was beautiful,” trainer Wesley Ward said of the workout. “I’m very happy with it.”

Kenneth & Sarah Ramsey’s 2yo filly Stephanie’s Kitten was entered in the Juvenile Fillies Turf instead of the Juvenile Fillies on Monday morning. According to trainer Wayne Catalano, the decision was a “no brainer”.

“Her pedigree is turf all the way,” Catalano explained. “She’s run on the turf and Polytrack, and her numbers (speed figures) are good on those surfaces. If it had been a question between turf and Poly, it would have been a tough call, but since it was turf or dirt, it wasn’t a tough call at all.”

• Tom Amoss was confident Monday morning following an easy 4f workout by Sum of the Parts as he moved a step closer to Friday’s Juvenile Sprint.

“He worked a nice half in 49 3/5,” the Churchill Downs-based trainer said. “He did it well in hand.”

And that made Amoss especially happy, as he said that he’s been trying to dial down the aggressiveness normally shown by the son of 2004 Sprint winner Speightstown.

• Trainer Mark Casse’s Breeders’ Cup prospects were reduced by half Monday when the Sovereign Award winner said that neither Spirited Miss nor Sky High Lady will be in the gate on Friday.

Sky High Lady was being pointed to the Juvenile Fillies and Spirited Miss was a contender for the Juvenile Fillies Turf.

“Last week after Spirited Miss’s work (on October 24 when she breezed 5f in 1:01 2/5 at Churchill Downs), we scoped her and she was full of mucus. We scoped her again yesterday and she’s not better,” he said.

“The other filly (Sky High Lady who ran at Churchill Sunday) isn’t going to run.”

• Trainer Donnie Von Hemel commented as to why McNeil Stables and Cheyenne Stables’ Caleb’s Posse was entered in the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile rather than the Breeders’ Cup Sprint.

“The tough part about our decision was that his best races have come at seven furlongs, and they wouldn’t let us run in the Filly & Mare Sprint (7f),” Von Hemel said of his colt with a chuckle. “If it had been a two-turn mile, we would have almost surely gone in the Sprint.”

At Churchill Downs, 1m dirt races are run around one turn. The 3yo son of Posse has won at distances spanning from 6f to 1 1/16 m.

“It was a tough decision. After pre-entries come out, you try and handicap the races and figure out how both races might set up. In the end, the owners and I thought the mile was the best spot for us.”

• Creative Cause, a leading contender for the Juvenile Saturday, galloped 1 ½ m on Cushion Track at Hollywood Park Monday in his final exercise in California before being flown to Kentucky Tuesday morning.

Also putting in their last drills before joining Creative Cause on the Tex Sutton charter from Ontario Airport were Tanda in the Filly & Mare Sprint, Camp Victory in the Turf Sprint and Tres Borrachos in the Dirt Mile. The flight is scheduled to leave Ontario at 5 a.m. Pacific time.

“He looked good to me,” said trainer Mike Harrington after Creative Cause galloped under regular exercise rider John Cisneros. “He seemed full of himself. He’s happy and healthy, and that’s all you can ask for at this point. He’s ready.”

Graded stakes winners Tanda and Camp Victory each galloped 1m on the main track, according to Phil D’Amato, assistant to trainer Mike Mitchell.

“All systems are go,” D’Amato said. “They’re ready. We’ve been pointing for these races for a long time.”

Tres Borrachos exercised on the training track, jogging once around and galloping around twice, according to Martel Castaneda, assistant to trainer Marty Jones.

“He’s been doing great,” Castaneda said. “He won’t be battling for the lead like he did in his last race (the Goodwood). He’ll run the way he did when he won the San Diego.”

Harrington and Mitchell caught flights to Louisville Monday, while Jones is scheduled to fly east on Wednesday.

• Arrivals: Tex Sutton Air Forwarding charter flights carrying contenders for this weekend’s Breeders’ Cup World Championships at Churchill Downs arrived into Louisville from New York on Saturday and California on Sunday.

Another flight Monday morning originating in New York was to bring runners trained by Nick Zito with a stop in Baltimore to pick up others stabled in the mid-Atlantic trained by Michael Matz, Graham Motion and Anthony Dutrow.

Two more Tex Sutton flights are scheduled for Tuesday. The first originates in California with a full load, including as many as 10 trained by Bob Baffert, and the second due in late afternoon from New York, including trainer Kiaran McLaughlin’s contingent and Gio Ponti for trainer Christophe Clement.

Nineteen of the Europeans arrived on two flights on Saturday, October 29.

The first flight contained four runners, the Roger Varian-trained pair of Nahrain, who will contest the Emirates Airlines Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf and Farraaj for the Juvenile Turf. Also on board were the John Gosden-trained Questing and the David Lanigan-trained Meeznah.

A further 15 arrived on the Saturday evening Breeders’ Cup charter including France’s first lady Goldikova ahead of her historic bid of a four-timer in the TVG Breeders’ Cup Mile.

The Europeans yet to arrive are the eight Aidan O’Brien colts, including the Breeders’ Cup Classic contender So You Think, who are due to arrive at 6.30 p.m. on Tuesday.  The O’Brien shipment had been reduced by one, with news that Learn will not be aboard the flight.

The only Europeans that appeared on the track Monday were Questing and Meeznah.

Meeznah went a couple of circuits at a walk and trot with her pony to get used to the surroundings before heading back to the barn.

An early arrival at Churchill Downs is trainer Alan McCabe, who will be saddling his first Breeders’ Cup runner when Caspar Netscher contests the Juvenile Turf.

“I am very pleased with everything. The horse is in good shape and I am happy with the ground at Churchill Downs, which is good to firm good in places.” McCabe said.

Complete list of Monday Workouts

Churchill Downs: Animal Spirits – 4f in 49 1/5; Apriority – 4f in 50 2/5; Big Drama – 4f in 49 3/5; Candrea – 4f in 48 4/5; Cease – 4f in 51 4/5; Golden Mystery 4f in 47 2/5; My Miss Aurelia – 4f in 49 3/5; Seeker – 4f in 50 2/5; Sum of the Parts – 4f in 49 3/5; Tapizar – 4f in 49 3/5; Wilburn – 4f in 49 4/5; Courageous Cat – 4f turf in 51 4/5; Customer Base – 4f turf in 49 3/5; Shkspeare Shaliyah – 4f turf in 51; Court Vision – 5f turf in 1:01 4/5; Great Attack – 5f turf in 1:02 4/5; Havre de Grace – 5f in 1:02.

Churchill Downs Training Center: Hansen – 4f in 48 3/5.

Santa Anita: Prayer for Relief – 4f in 46 2/5; The Factor – 6f in 1:10 1/5.

Heiligbrodt Racing Stable’s Four Gifts overhauled favored Just Jenda to win the $113,300 Eight Belles (Grade III) for 3-year-old fillies by three lengths on Saturday afternoon at Churchill Downs.

The race was formerly known as the La Troienne but changed this year to honor Eight Belles, the ill-fated runner-up to Big Brown in the 2008 Kentucky Derby who suffered a fatal injury a quarter-mile past the finish of that race.

Ridden by Shaun Bridgmohan, Four Gifts gave the Heiligbrodt Stable and trainer Steve Asmussen their second victory in the race with the other score coming in 2002 with Cashier’s Dream.

Auspicious, another Asmussen trainee, and Lady Laughter led the field of eight down the backside through the first quarter-mile in :23.34 with Just Jenda and Four Gifts sitting in a stalking position.

Lady Laughter disposed of Auspicious leaving the backstretch, but was soon challenged by Just Jenda, who swooped to the lead turning for home with Four Gifts right behind. Bridgmohan swung Four Gifts out at the eighth pole and drew clear for her fourth victory in nine starts.

Four Gifts, a Kentucky-bred daughter of Even the Score out of the Service Stripe mare Agiftfromservice, covered the 7 ½ furlongs on a “sloppy” main track in 1:30.94. The victory was worth $68,139 and increased Four Gifts’ earnings to $483,168.

Four Gifts returned payoffs of $9.60, $4.20 and $3. Just Jenda, owned by Cindy Jones and trained by her husband Larry Jones who trained Eight Belles, paid $3.40 and $2.80 under Gabriel Saez. The Jones-trained Warrior Maid took third another two lengths back under John Velazquez and paid $5 to show.

EIGHT BELLES QUOTES

SHAUN BRIDGMOHAN (rider of winner Four Gifts) – “I had a phenomenal trip. She settle really nice behind. She did everything I wanted her to do. The speed set up very good. I was able to watch the horse (Just Jenda) that I wanted to watch and got her on the outside of me. I just got her in the right spot that I though she needed to be, and the rest was up to her and she did it. She ran a really nice race for me.

“At the top of the stretch, I even thought about splitting (Just Jenda), and then Gabe (Saez) went to the right and drifted in a bit. So I had to alter course. Once I got on the outside of her, she just accelerated went on about her business along pretty nice.”

STEVE ASMUSSEN (trainer of winner Four Gifts) -- “I think the distance is the key with her. She’s been a very special filly, seven-eighths to a mile. I think the prep for the Fair Grounds Oaks, she ran a good race, but it put it in your head that that might have been a step too far because she made a great punch and then just backed up the last sixteenth.

“I think the off track and the company in the Fair Grounds Oaks definitely solidified what we need to do with her. I thought this was an ideal spot for her timing-wise as well as all the experience she had backing into it.

“The major targets for her going forward are the Acorn and the Test.”

GABRIEL SAEZ (rider of second-place finisher Just Jenda) – “That winner -- she was tracking me. I knew she was there, but we couldn’t stop her. My filly handled the track well and she ran hard. We just had to settle for second today.”

JOHN VELAZQUEZ (rider of third-place finisher Warrior Maid) – “Perfect trip; good run from my filly. Can’t ask for much more than that. She tried hard.”

Joseph Sutton’s Valtrus collared Faithope in deep stretch to win Tuesday’s $52,700 allowance feature over the Matt Winn Turf Course by three-quarters of a length.

Ridden by Kent Desormeaux for trainer Eddie Kenneally, Valtrus returned mutuels of $5.40, $3.60 and $3.40. Faithope, ridden by Gabriel Saez, returned $10.60 and $6.40 and finished three-quarters of a length ahead of pacesetter Crowned General who returned $4.80 to show under Robby Albarado.

Valtrus, a 5-year-old Kentucky-bred son of Lemon Drop Kid out of the Valiant Nature mare Miss Valiant, was fourth turning for home and rallied four-wide under Desormeaux to make his winning bid. Valtrus covered the mile over a turf course rated as “good” in 1:36.50.

The victory, the fifth in 19 starts and second over the Matt Winn Turf Course, was worth $32,105 and increased Valtrus’ career earnings to $172,310.

Trainer Larry Jones will be a busy man on Saturday as he send his pair of major contenders for the 135th running of the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (Grade I) into important prep races in two states.

Jones’ representative in the 96th running of the $600,000 Louisiana Derby (GII) at Fair Grounds is Friesan Fire, a chestnut son of A.P. Indy who is going for a sweep of the New Orleans’ track’s three major races for 3-year-olds.  Friesan Fire notched earlier wins in the Lecomte (GIII) and the Risen Star (GIII) and is the 5-2 morning line favorite to add the Louisiana Derby to his collection of Fair Grounds triumphs.

Gabriel Saez, who rode the ill-fated runner-up Eight Belles for Jones in last year’s Kentucky Derby, will be aboard Friesan Fire as the colt breaks from the outside post in a field of nine 3-year-olds.  Nowhere to Hide, who was entered in the race and drew the outside post, was also entered in Saturday’s Tampa Bay Derby (GIII) and will scratch from the Louisiana Derby to run in the race at Tampa Bay Downs.

The strong group of opponents for Jones’ star includes Lecomte runner-up Patena, the second choice at 7-2; Giant Oak (4-1), runner-up in the Kentucky Jockey Club (GII) at Churchill Downs but a troubled fifth in the Risen Star; Flying Pegasus (8-1), runner-up in the Risen Star; and California invader Papa Clem (8-1), runner-up to leading West Coast Derby contender Pioneerof the Nile in the Robert B. Lewis Stakes (GII) at Santa Anita.

“This is a good field of horses,” said Jones, a native of Hopkinsville, Ky. who also trained 2007 Kentucky Derby runner-up Hard Spun.  “I think who ever wins it definitely is going to come out of here and be a major player in the (Kentucky) Derby.”

Patena raced over synthetic racing surfaces last year in Canada, but rallied impressively to finish second to Friesan Fire in his debut on conventional dirt in the one-mile Lecomte.  He was purchased after that race by a partnership headed by IEAH Stables, the owner of 2008 Kentucky Derby winner Big Brown, and transferred to the care of trainer Rick Dutrow, who guided Big Brown to last year’s win at Churchill Downs.

Robby Albarado, a six-time leading rider at Fair Grounds and winner of the Louisiana Derby in 1998, will be in the saddle aboard Patena.

The field for the 1 1/16-mile Louisiana Derby from the rail out (with jockey) includes Free Country (Kent Desormeaux), Soul Warrior (Shaun Bridgmohan), Patena (Albarado), Terrain (Julien Leparoux), Flying Pegasus (John Velazquez), Giant Oak (James Graham), Uno Mas (Brian Hernandez, Jr.), Papa Clem (Rafael Bejarano), and Friesan Fire (Saez).

The Louisiana Derby is scheduled as the ninth of 12 races on Saturday’s card.

UNBEATEN OLD FASHIONED HEADS REBEL – Fox Hill Farm’s Old Fashioned, the narrow favorite after the opening day of betting in Pool 2 of Churchill Downs’ 2009 Kentucky Derby Future Wager, looms as a heavy favorite to keep his perfect record intact as he faces eight rivals in Saturday’s $300,000 Rebel Stakes (GIII) at Oaklawn Park in Hot Springs, Ark.

The Larry Jones-trained son of Unbridled’s Song will have regular rider Ramon Dominguez in the saddle as he breaks from the rail post in a nine-horse field in the 1 1/16-mile prep for the Arkansas Derby (GII), the track’s major prep for the Kentucky Derby.

Old Fashioned notched a 3 ¾-length victory over Rebel rival Silver City in Oaklawn’s Southwest (GIII), which was the first start for Jones’ colt since a romp in the Remsen (GII) in November at New York’s Aqueduct.

Silver City’s runner-up finish in the Southwest came in his stakes debut and his first race at a two-turn distance.  He is back for another try and will have Jon Court in the saddle.

Other notables in Saturday’s field include Wise Kid, a rapidly improving colt who is coming off an impressive victory in a 1 1/16-mile allowance race at Oaklawn, and Captain Cherokee, a half-brother to sprint champion Midnight Lute trained by Steve Asmussen.

WEST/PIONEEROF THE NILE FAVORED IN SAN FELIPE – Zayat Stables’ Pioneerof the Nile, the leader of the California-based Kentucky Derby contenders, goes for his third consecutive stakes victory when he faces six rivals in Saturday’s 72nd running of the $200,000 San Felipe (GII) over the synthetic Cushion Track at Santa Anita.

The son of 2003 Kentucky Derby runner-up Empire Maker has scored late-running wins in the CashCall Futurity (GI) at Hollywood Park and the Robert B. Lewis (GII) at Santa Anita in his last two starts.  The 1 1/16-mile San Felipe is Pioneerof the Nile’s final prep for the $750,000 Santa Anita Derby (GI) on April 4.

Trainer Bob Baffert is seeking his fourth Kentucky Derby victory with Pioneerof the Nile.  Baffert’s last win in the “Run for the Roses” came in 2002 with War Emblem.  A fourth Derby win would tie him with D. Wayne Lukas for second on the all-time win list for the classic at Churchill Downs.  Jockey Garrett Gomez is seeking his first Kentucky Derby victory.

The opposition on Saturday includes Shafted, who seeks redemption after finishing a disappointing eighth in the Robert B. Lewis for trainer Mark Casse.  Shafted, a son of 2003 “Horse of the Year” Mineshaft, had scored an impressive allowance win prior to that outing.

Among the horses Pioneerof the Nile defeated in the Robert B. Lewis was I Want Revenge, who finished third and then traveled to New York to notch an 8 ½-length victory in last week’s Gotham (GIII) at Aqueduct in his first race on conventional dirt.

SOUTHEAST/GENERAL QUARTERS MEETS HELLO BROADWAY IN TAMPA BAY DERBY – Former claiming horse General Quarters will attempt to prove that an impressive win in last month’s Sam F. Davis Stakes (GIII) was not a fluke when he faces the highly-regarded Hello Broadway and nine other rivals in Saturday’s $300,000 Tampa Bay Derby (GIII) at Tampa Bay Downs.

General Quarters was claimed out of his career debut at Churchill Downs for $20,000 by owner-trainer Tom McCarthy, a retired high school principal from Louisville, Ky.  The son of Sky Mesa gave McCarthy his first Kentucky Derby hopeful when he romped to his 3 ½-length win in the Sam F. Davis.

“I envision he’ll run a good race,” said McCarthy, who has turned the duty of training General Quarters over to Mark Miller at Tampa Bay.  “Whether or not he wins I don’t know, but he looks like he’s as good as anything in here and he has (three) good races over the track.”

James Lopez will ride General Quarters, who will break from post eight.

The favorite in the race could turn out to be Elizabeth Valando’s Hello Broadway, the runner-up in the Hutcheson (GII) at Gulfstream Park for trainer Barclay Tagg, who saddled Sackatoga Stable’s Funny Cide to win the 2003 Kentucky Derby.  Other contenders include Holy Bull (GIII) runner-up Bear’s Rocket; Warrior’s Reward, runner-up to the unbeaten Dunkirk in a Gulfstream Park allowance; Sumo and Nowhere to Hide.

EUROPE/OVERFLOW FIELD ENTERED IN FIRST KENTUCKY DERBY CHALLENGE AT KEMPTON, WINNER GETS GUARANTEED SPOT AT CHURCHILL DOWNS  – A “who’s who” roster of the top trainers in Britain and Ireland is represented by 23 horses under consideration for Wednesday’s inaugural $115,000 Kentucky Derby Challenge Stakes at Kempton Park near London.

Trainers Jim Bolger, John Gosden, Richard Hannon, Mark Johnston, Aidan O’Brien and Dermot Weld each have 3-year-olds aimed at Europe’s 1 1/8-mile clockwise race over Polytrack.

In an unprecedented reward, the winner will earn an automatic starting spot in the Kentucky Derby 135 field and a $100,000 bonus if the horse runs in America’s greatest race.

Triple Crown nominees under consideration (with trainers) for the race are Born to Be King (O’Brien); Close Alliance (Gosden); Duc de Savoie (Weld); Gitano Hernando-GB (Marco Botti); Grand Admiral (O’Brien); Mafaaz-GB (Gosden); and Spring of Fame (Michael Magnusson).

The others are Agente Parmigiano-IRE (Gerald Butler); Akhenaten-GB (Mick Channon); Crackdown-IRE (Johnston); Deposer-IRE (John Best); Haashed (Johnston); Keeptheboatafloat (Karl Burke); Markyg (Burke); Mastery-GB (Johnston); Nashmiah-IRE (Clive Brittain); Redwood-GB (Barry Hills); Saint Arch (Johnston); Shampagne-GB (Paul Cole); Sohcahtoa-IRE (Richard Hannon); Talking Hands-GB (Sylvester Kirk); Vocalised (Bolger); and Weald Park (Hannon).

A maximum of 14 horses will be permitted to start. Final entries and post positions will be determined Monday.  All but Akhenaten, Keeptheboatafloat, Markyg and Spring of Fame would be making their first start of the year.

Eleven of the 23 under consideration have already recorded a victory over a synthetic racing surface (Akhenaten, Close Alliance, Gitano Hernando, Grand Admiral, Haashed, Mafaaz, Markyg, Saint Arch, Shampagne; Spring of Fame; and Talking Hands) and Deposer-IRE was fourth over Keeneland’s Polytrack in the Grade I Lane’s End Breeders’ Futurity last fall behind runaway winner and stablemate Square Eddie.

Wednesday’s Kentucky Derby Challenge Stakes will be scheduled as Kempton’s third race at approximately 3:50 p.m. EDT. Mark Johnson, the colorful Englishman who was named Churchill Downs’ new track commentator in mid-January, will describe the action.

The entire six-race card from Kempton Park will be simulcast at select wagering outlets nationwide, including Trackside at Churchill Downs. First post is 2:50 p.m. EDT. Saftote (Phumelela) in South Africa serves as the international tote hub for British racing, commingling wagers back into the host track pools of the UK Tote.