Wed night (Thurs A.M.) Derby Stuff

- Ah good, Mike Welsch of the Racing Form has joined the party at Churchill and files this report on Consolidator’s work today (it wasn't a move that should alter any pre-conceived opinions) and on the favorite:

Bellamy Road was the first of Zito's quartet to hit the track at 6:15 a.m. and he made a particularly strong first impression with a vigorous one and one quarter mile gallop under regular exercise rider Carlos Correa. Bellamy Road may be a bit short on experience but he certainly looks the part of a horse who is currently the leading candidate to win this year's Derby. [Daily Racing Form]

- Wayne Lukas is unbowed:

"The only thing I can go on is that they're both doing so well here. You know me, I've won the Derby with $30 and $40 horses. The horse that's really doing super is Going Wild. I know if you tried to sell that to someone, you wouldn't get very far. I just have to call on 25 years of doing this, my experience, and knowing more than someone who's not here. I go on that." [Daily Racing Form]

He is still just a bit scary, isn’t he? But Going Wild? No, he can’t sell that to me. He also had another dig at the Keeneland surface: “A race at Keeneland generally stresses a horse."

Consolidator causes stress for me; I loved his win in the San Felipe - but can you really just throw out the Blue Grass, as Lukas insists? I read this today in Matt Graves' column in the Albany Times-Union:

History tells us to also insist upon a good race in the final prep, albeit not necessarily a winning effort. Sea Hero (1993) and Thunder Gulch (1995) were both off the board in the Blue Grass before their Derby wins. Every winner since has been first or second in its final prep race.

Thunder Gulch was trained by Lukas. I think Consolidator still bears watching.

- There was a horse making his debut at the Meadowlands tonight named Pansexual - by The Panderosa, out of Outin The Open.