When it comes to his 3-year-old colt General Quarters, owner Tom McCarthy makes sure its a hands-on operation.

I do everything, the 75-year-old McCarthy said. I train him, I groom him, I give him his bath. Whatever he needs, I do.

McCarthy hopes the personal TLC pays off Saturday when General Quarters competes in a field of 11 in the $300,000 Tampa Bay Derby. The colt has already found success at Tampa Bay Downs with an impressive performance in the Sam F. Davis stakes last month, holding off Sumo by 3 1/2 lengths.

Sumo and Musket Man, who ran third in the Sam F. Davis last month, will also be in the field. Hello Broadway was the morning-line favorite at 3-1 while General Quarters is 4-1.

Hello Broadway was second at the Hutcheson Stakes at Gulfstream Park in his last start.

James Lopez, who rode General Quarters in the Sam F. Davis, will be aboard again and leave from post 8. Elbar Coa has the mount for Hello Broadway, who leaves from the No. 4 post.

(James) seats the horse very nicely, McCarthy added. He has ridden him in all of his races so he knows the horse and he is right there every time I need him.

This has been a long and surprising trip for McCarthy since buying General Quarters for $20,000. He spotted the horse at a yearling sale but did not make a claiming offer at the time. Later, McCarthy spotted him in a racing form and made the purchase.

The Louisville native has never owned a Kentucky Derby contender and could be on the verge of having one if things go well over the next few weeks. General Quarters has been running smoothly and completed five furlongs in 1:01 in a workout last week.

If he runs well Saturday, the next stop likely will be the Blue Grass Stakes at Keeneland on April 11.

I hope he does well enough that I can go to the Blue Grass, McCarthy said. I have seen many, many Blue Grass races and I always wanted to win one. This is my opportunity to at least get a horse in and if he does will in the Blue Grass naturally I will go in the Derby.

Ruby Walsh rode his fifth winner of the Cheltenham Festival on Thursday when he took Big Bucks to victory in the World Hurdle.

The 6-1 third favorite stalked the pack throughout the 3-mile race before surging to the front at the last hurdle, when the 6-year-old overcame a heavy landing to stay ahead of Punchestowns and win by about two lengths.

This horse has a huge engine, its just getting it out of him at times, said Walsh, who has 22 career wins at Britains most prestigious hurdles meet. Its a cracking horse this.

The 7-2 second favorite Punchestowns finished second, with 25-1 shot Powerstation in third. Pre-race favorite Kasbah Bliss, last years runner-up with Christophe Pieux on board again, appeared well-placed throughout but could not find a late surge and finished fourth.

On Wednesday, Walsh become the first jockey in 10 years to win three races in a single day at Cheltenham. The 29-year-old Irishman is the most successful current rider at the festival, one ahead of Tony McCoy.

Madeo defeated Sky Cape by two lengths to win Thursdays $64,200 Kings Highway Purse at Santa Anita.

Ridden by Hall of Fame jockey Mike Smith, Madeo covered one mile on the turf in 1:34.22 and paid $8.80, $4.40 and $3.40.

Sky Cape, ridden by Smiths girlfriend Chantal Sutherland, returned $9 and $5.60. Safety Zone was another half-length back in third and paid $5.80 to show.

Madeo had been pulled up by Smith after taking a bad step in the San Fernando Stakes on Jan. 17.

We were so happy that Mike was aboard to pull him up and he was OK, trainer John Shirreffs said. We had vets go over him carefully at the barn and do X-rays. Everything looked good.

After competing in Grade 1 or Grade 2 races in his six previous starts, Thursdays allowance race was a decided drop down for Madeo, although he faced a talented field that included four horses with victories in Grade 1 or 2 races.

Mast Track, winner of the Hollywood Gold Cup in June, faded to sixth.

The victory, worth $37,800, increased Madeos career earnings to $385,715, with four wins in 11 starts for owners Jerry and Ann Moss.

The biggest fault with Pioneerof the Nile is that he has rendered Saturday’s $200,000 San Felipe Stakes at Santa Anita little more than an exhibition.

There were seven horses entered for the Grade 2 San Felipe Stakes on Wednesday, but at least two – He’s Really Big and New Bay – are likely to defect to Sunday’s Pasadena Stakes on turf, and two more were also candidates to be withdrawn as of Thursday morning: Feisty Suances and Kelly Leak.

The longshots Jeranimo and Shafted are expected to challenge Pioneerof the Nile, who is considered California’s leading hope for the Kentucky Derby.

If Pioneerof the Nile’s wins in the Grade 1 CashCall Futurity at Hollywood Park in December and the Grade 2 Robert Lewis Stakes here in February did not do enough to impress rival horsemen, or bettors, there is always trainer Bob Baffert.

“He looks cherry,” Baffert said.

Owned by Zayat Stables, Pioneerof the Nile has earned his status by displaying an impressive stretch run that suggests he should thrive at longer distances as the year progresses.

The San Felipe is run over 1 1/16 miles, and is the final major prep for the $750,000 Santa Anita Derby on April 4. In the Santa Anita Derby, Pioneerof the Nile will face The Pamplemousse, who has two graded stakes wins this year.

“We need a race for him, and we need to get him going for the big showdown,” Baffert said of a meeting with The Pamplemousse.

Through the winter, Baffert said that Pioneerof the Nile has “matured.”

“He’s quieter and getting smarter,” Baffert said. “At Hollywood, he got hot going to the gate. Now, he seems like he handles it pretty well.”

Baffert tested Pioneerof the Nile’s coolness when the Empire Maker colt was schooled during the Santa Anita Handicap program last Saturday. The day drew a crowd of more than 31,000.

“He handled the crowd,” Baffert said.

In his two recent wins, Pioneerof the Nile has chased a modest pace and closed from three or four lengths behind the leaders to reach the front in the final furlong. He won the CashCall Futurity by a nose and the Robert Lewis by a half-length.

The form of both races has held up. I Want Revenge, second in the CashCall and third in the Lewis, was an emphatic winner of the Grade 3 Gotham Stakes at Aqueduct last weekend, and is considered the leading contender for the Wood Memorial there on April 4. Papa Clem, the runner-up in the Lewis, will start in Saturday’s Louisiana Derby at Fair Grounds.

There is nothing of that caliber in the San Felipe field, among the expected scratches or the horses likely to run.

Trainer Rafael Becerra said that He’s Really Big will skip the San Felipe. Kelly Leak is more likely for the WinStar Derby or Santa Anita Derby, trainer Mike Machowsky said.

“I’m probably not running,” Machowsky said.

New Bay has been entered for Sunday’s Pasadena Stakes. Trainer Richard Mandella considers New Bay to be a promising 3-year-old but is not as committed to the Santa Anita Derby preps as some trainers.

“I’ve entered back for Sunday, and that race might be easier to bring him along,” Mandella said. “I’d run Saturday if Baffert scratched. I’d do it for him, if I could.”

Feisty Suances was “50-50″ for the San Felipe on Thursday, according to trainer Darrell Vienna.

A win by Jeranimo or Shafted would be a shock.

Jeranimo is making his stakes debut after finishing second in an allowance race on Feb. 26 in his third start.

“Obviously we lack on the seasoning scale, but he keeps moving forward,” trainer Mike Pender said.

Shafted, trained by Mark Casse, was eighth in the Robert Lewis Stakes after winning an allowance race over 1 1/16 miles here on Jan. 2.

They pose a threat to Pioneerof the Nile in the sense that they will be lined up alongside of him in the starting gate. Baffert, for one, is already focusing on the future.

“This is when it’s starting to heat up,” Baffert said. “It’s fun to be in this position.”

March 9, 1990 Sweet Sharon wins the second of her two consecutive Overbid finals in 1:53,3, lowering her own stakes record by four-fifths of a second, at the Meadowlands Racetrack in New Jersey.

March 10, 1996 Market Report wins the Cam Fella final at Woodbine Racetrack in Toronto.

March 11, 1995 Riyadh wins a leg of the Levy Memorial Series in 1:52.4 at Yonkers Raceway in New York.

March 12, 1982 Cam Fella wins the New Faces final in 1:58 at the Meadowlands.

March 13, 1996 Passionate Kisses wins the Jersey Girls final in 1:54.2 at the Meadowlands.

March 14, 1981 Hall of Fame pacer On The Road Again is born.

March 15, 1987 Tom Swift drives two horses that finish in dead heats for wins at Batavia Downs in New York.

Friesan Fire, a leading contender for the Kentucky Derby, was installed Monday as the early favorite for the Louisiana Derby at the Fair Grounds.

Coming into the $600,000 race Saturday with victories in the Risen Star and the Lecomte Sakes, Friesan Fire was the top choice at 5-2 and drew the No. 9 post in a field of 10 3-year-olds. The colt, trained by Larry Jones, will be ridden by Gabriel Saez.

Patena was the second choice at 7-2, followed by Giant Oak at 4-1. Among other top challengers are Risen Star runner-up Flying Pegasus and Papa Clem, which finished second in the Robert B. Lewis Stakes at Santa Anita last month.

Jones said hed rather see Friesan Fire start closer to the inside, but added that his jockey didnt seem to mind.

Gabriel seems happy with it and hes the one thats got to ride him, so Ill let him figure it out, Jones said. This is a good field of horses. I think who ever wins it definitely is going to come out of here and be a major player in the (Kentucky) Derby.

Jones, who plans to make this year his last as a trainer for a public stable, may have two major players in the Kentucky Derby on May 2. The other is Old Fashioned, which is training and racing at Oaklawn Park and won the Southwest Stakes there by 3 1/4 lengths last month.

What a way to go out, Jones said. Its definitely still mind-boggling to me. I dont know how we got so lucky, but Im glad we did.

Despite numerous successes during about three decades as a trainer, Jones gained new levels of notoriety last spring as the trainer of 2008 Kentucky Derby runner-up Eight Belles. The filly had to be euthanized when she broke down moments after crossing the finish line behind Big Brown.

Big Browns trainer, Richard Dutrow Jr., is overseeing Patenas conditioning for the stable IEAH, which bought the colt after Robby Albarado rode it to a second-place finish in the Lecomte. Albarado also will ride Patena out of the third post in the Louisiana Derby.

Giant Oak, which drew the sixth post, finished fifth in the Risen Star after running into traffic trouble in the colts debut as a 3-year-old. In its last race as a 2-year-old, Giant Oak was second by a neck in the Kentucky Jockey Club at Churchill Downs, which was more of the performance jockey James Graham expects in the Louisiana Derby.

He got into a lot of trouble the last day, but if everything works out the way I think it should, the way I think it can, he can beat these other horses, Graham said. Hes a good horse. Hes coming into himself and they better be ready.

The rest of the Louisiana Derby field includes Free Country, Nowhere To Hide, Soul Warrior, Terrain and Uno Mas.

Sportsfancy rallied through the stretch to win the $50,000 first leg of the Overbid Series for open pacing mares in 1:49,4 on Friday night at the Meadowlands.

Sportsfancy ($29.60, $8.00, $5.40) and driver Brian Sears tracked 1-2 favorite Martha Maxine as she pressured the pacesetter Chancey Lady. Chancey Lady folded at the head of the stretch, and a weary Martha Maxine could not hold off the late charge of Sportsfancy.

Sportsfancy has won 33 of 63 career starts and $686,773. Owned by Larry Baron and trained by Josh Green, the 5-year-old mare is 3-for-6 this season.

The Overbid Series continues with a second leg next Friday.

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Gotta Have Her wins at Santa Anita

Gotta Have Her won Fridays $61,200 Faraway Eyes Purse by 1 1/2 lengths at Santa Anita.

Ridden by Tyler Baze, Gotta Have Her ran 6 1/2 furlongs on the turf in 1:13.35 and paid $4.60, $3 and $2.40 as the 13-10 favorite in the field of eight. Reba Is Tops returned $8.60 and $5.80, while Porto Marmay was another three-quarters of a length back in third and paid $4.80 to show.

The victory, worth $36,000, increased Gotta Have Hers career earnings to $336,023, with five wins 17 starts, including the second in a row on Santa Anitas turf course.

Garrett Gomez rode four winners on the card to extend his lead in the jockeys standings to 66 wins, 13 ahead of Rafael Bejarano.

Colonel John, winner of last years Santa Anita Derby and Travers Stakes, figures to go off as the favorite in the $1 million Santa Anita Handicap.

The fact hes listed at just 9-2 says something about the field for Saturdays 72nd running of the Big Cap.

More than half of the 14 horses slated to go to post appear to be legitimate contenders to win the 1-mile test over the synthetic track at Santa Anita.

There are eight horses that can actually win the race, said Garret Gomez, wholl be aboard Colonel John. Its wide open, and its going to come down to who gets the best trip and who handles the race track best.

Eoin Harty, Colonel Johns trainer, agreed.

Its a very deep field, a very contentious race, Harty said.

Also on the Santa Anita card is the $300,000 Santa Anita Oaks, where a fifth consecutive Grade I victory could vault filly Stardom Bound into the picture for the Santa Anita Derby and Kentucky Derby.

In the Big Cap, Einstein and Matto Mondo are considered among Colonel Johns top challengers.

Einstein, wholl be ridden by Julien Leparoux, is a son of 1985 Kentucky Derby champion Spend a Buck and has won three Grade I races on turf, most recently the Turf Classic at Churchill Downs last May 3.

Einstein went on to win the Grade II Clark Handicap at Churchill Downs on Nov. 28 and was third in the Grade I Donn Handicap at Gulfstream Park on Jan. 31.

Although Einstein has never raced on a synthetic track, trainer Helen Pitts said he adapted well during training.

Hes really settled in nicely. Hes handled the track fine, and seems to be going good, Pitts said. Hes only ever trained on it while hes been here, and maybe four other days in Chicago (Arlington Park), in his life.

I think he likes it. Running on synthetic is a whole new angle, but we hope its a good angle.

Pitts said she was surprised that, since Einstein was racing on synthetic for the first time, that he was made the 121-pound highweight. Colonel John was assigned 119.

Richard Mandella, who saddled Big Cap champions Siphon (1997), Malek (1998) and Rock Hard (2005), will send out Matto Mondo. The Chilean-bred has raced 1 miles only once and that was on turf in his homeland.

Mandella doesnt believe the distance will be a problem.

He hasnt had much experience at a mile and a quarter, but hes got enough experience in recent races, and if hes ever going to do it, hes going to do it now, I think, Mandella said. Its the Santa Anita Handicap. Weve got to give it a try.

Rafael Bejarano will ride Matto Mondo, who will carry 116 pounds.

A relative long shot who could spring a surprise is English-bred Dansant, who has won five times and finished second once in eight outings on synthetic surfaces.

Hes arguably the best all-weather horse in England, or in Europe, said Dansant trainer Gerard Butler, who came over from England for the race.

Butler said he and the horses owners considered running Dansant in Dubai later this month, but that the horse hadnt seemed to like the track when he raced there last year.

We decided the next best place to go would be back on a synthetic surface, and the Big Cap was a logical choice, Butler said.

Dansant will carry 116 and be ridden by Tyler Baze.

The field: Matto Mondo; Cowboy Cal, John Velazquez, 120; Heroi Do Bafra, Michael Baze, 111; Monba, Edgar Prado, 114; Colonel John; Magnum, Joel Rosario, 116; Blue Exit, Robby Albarado, 115; Einstein; Dansant; Cause, Jon Court, 110; Court Vision, Ramon Dominguez, 119; Zambezi Sun, Victor Espinoza, 116; Champs Elysees, Jose Valdivia Jr., 118; Stream Cat, Alex Solis, 114.

Oaklawn Park announced increases in its purses Friday, citing a season-long increase in attendance and wagering.

Oaklawn president Charles J. Cella said numbers have been surprisingly good during the first 27 days of the 2009 meet. Beginning with Fridays card, Oaklawn raised overnight claiming purses by at least $300. Maiden special weight race purses will climb by $1,000 to $35,000.

Attendance halfway through the season was at 279,189 this year, compared to 269,797 last yeara 3 percent increase. On-track handle is also up 3 percent and off-track wagering is up 6 percent.

Oaklawns season runs until April 11, the date of the $1 million Arkansas Derby.

Nicanor is heading back to the track.

The full brother of 2006 Kentucky Derby champion Barbaro has been entered in a $40,000 maiden race over seven furlongs at Gulfstream Park on Saturday, his first outing since getting slightly injured in his career debut five weeks ago.

Nicanor finished 10th in a 12-horse field on Jan. 28, after cutting himself with a misstep just out of the starting gate. Trainer Michael Matz said the horse would need a bit of time to heal, and co-owner Gretchen Jackson indicated that Nicanor wouldnt be rushed back for another race.

Nicanor returned to training Feb. 16, and after a particularly sharp work over four furlongs at the Palm Meadows training center Tuesday, Matz and the Jacksons picked Saturdays spot as the right one for a return.

Barbaro won the Holy Bull at Gulfstream three years ago before going on to win the Kentucky Derby by 6 1/2 lengths. He then shattered three bones in his right hind leg in the opening strides of the Preakness, defied the odds by surviving eight months and enduring close to two dozen operations, but ultimately succumbed to complications and was euthanized in January 2007.

Nicanor is the first full brother of Barbaro to race.

Edgar Prado, who rode Barbaro and was aboard Nicanor for the debut last month, will not ride him Saturday. Jose Lezcano will be in the irons instead.