The field was made the betting favorite at 9-5 in the first pool of the Kentucky Derby Future Wager. Next was Zito's duo of Eurosilver at 11-1 and Birdstone at 12-1.
Story
Hot and Not
Hot
Read the Footnotes: Since he's by the super fast Smoke Glacken, he still must prove he can get a mile and a quarter, but he sure looks the real deal on the racetrack. He may not have been that tight in the Fountain of Youth, but he dug down deep and got the best of Second of June in a ferocious stretch battle. That sort of fighting spirit will continue to serve him well.
Rick Violette Jr: A good trainer who has never had a shot with a serious Kentucky Derby contender, he may have two. Two races before Read the Footnotes won the Fountain of Youth, the Violette-trained Swingforthefences made a statement with an impressive allowance win.
Todd Pletcher: With what seems like 100 or so well-bred 3-year-olds at his disposal, it figures that Pletcher would come up with a contender or two. He has. He had a big day Saturday at Gulfstream with his 3-year-olds, winning the Hutcheson with Limehouse, an allowance with Value Plus and a maiden special weight with Forest Danger.
Gradepoint: Is an exceptionally well-bred horse who seems to be improving by leaps and bounds. Did everything right when winning the Risen Star. Can only get better.
Birdstone: Didn't prove a thing by beating a vastly inferior group of rivals in a Gulfstream allowance Saturday, but he did what he was supposed to do in a comfortable victory.
Not
Silver Wagon and Sir Oscar: Maybe they needed the race, maybe they didn't get the best trip...it doesn't matter. Both were badly beaten in the Fountain of Youth and their only real excuse was that they don't belong with the big boys.
Second of June: After a fine performance in the Fountain of Youth, he became the first major casualty of prep season, suffering a condylar fracture of the cannon bone in Saturday's race. He's off the Triple Crown trail.
Halfbridled: Her 3-year-old debut was put on hold by trainer Dick Mandella, who planned to run her Sunday in the Las Virgenes at Santa Anita, but decided she would benefit from some extra time. Mandella says it's no big deal. He's probably right.
Tapit: Due to some shin problems, he's behind schedule. With an extra cautious trainer in Michael Dickinson, he's not going to make the Derby unless everything goes perfectly from here.
http://espn.go.com/horse/2004/0216/1736479.html
