Horse odds: D’Funnybone

In late April as the excitement of Derby Day, draws nearer there are only a handful of stakes events remain, to whet the appetite of horse racing aficionados. One of these races is the Grade III, $150.000 Withers Stakes run over a 1 mile distance on dirt, at Aqueduct Race Course in New York. The Withers has become a classic graded stakes event and this field looks to be a major proving ground for the likes of an up and coming three year old colt named D’Funnybone who is coming off an impressive win in Grade II Swale Stakes March 20th at Gulfstream Park

Horse Betting odds: D’Funnybone

What: Horse Betting
When: Saturday, April 24th
Where: Ozone Park Queens NY at Aqueduct Race Track
Defending Champion: Thoroughbreds –Afleet Again,.Castaneda. D’Funnybone, Ibboyee, Most Happy Fella

The Storyline

The Withers Stakes is a historic race ran since 1874 and is named after famed horse breeder and former President of the New York Jockey Club David Withers 1821-1892. The Withers Stakes has lost some of it’s prestige over the last several years as the Kentucky Derby is less then two weeks away. Trainers are reluctant to run their charges to close to the main event and as many of the graded stakes winners having already ran in a series of Kentucky Derby Prep events. Trainers feel their horses cannot be turned around so quickly before the Derby. In this years edition of the Withers Stakes many had hoped for a showdown between D’Funnybone and Trappe Shot a 3 year old campaigner who won his last two starts by a combined 23 lengths would materialize. Sadly trainer Kieran McLaughlin was forced to scratch Trappe Shot from this race due to ankle injury. Trainer Rick Duttrow’s D’Funnybone is expected to have a return engagement with Swale Stakes runner up Ibboyee.

Withers Stakes Picks – The Favorite

D’Funnybone ridden by Edgar Prado in his last start on March 20th at the Swale Stakes at Gulfstream was a wire to wire winner and odds on favorite, 1-2 over Ibboyee who came from off the pace to try to muster a late charge but finished a strong second 1 length and ? from D’Funnybone.

Withers Stakes – The Second Tier

With Trappe Shot being exempted from this race, New York trainer Gary Contessa confirmed Castaneda will compete in The Withers. Castaneda a recent winner on the March 6th Fred Capossela Handicap. Also entered is Afleet Again. The son of Afleet Alex is 20-1 on the morning line odds is a middle of the pack horse who has shown some fight in him by virtue of his second place finish in the Whirlaway Stakes Feb 6th at Aqueduct he will ridden by Abel Mariano and be out of the gate from post position four. Rounding out the field is Most Happy Fella who set the early pace in the Wood Memorial but tired and placed out of the money. Eibar Coa will be in the irons and is mount will be at 12-1 in the morning line odds.

Withers Stakes Picks – The Longshots

If Castaneda is entered in this race he could provide a surprise as he makes his transition to route racing from six furlong sprints. Trainer Contessa is on record saying that he would like to see Castaneda take a try on seven furlong racing. Castaneda is coming into this race with a three race winning streak and if he gets a good trip could graduate with a big price.

Withers Stakes Prediction & Outlook

With trainer of D’Funnybone Rick Duttrow’s recent announcement that he has no plans to enter his charge into the Preakness. Many are speculating that he is preparing to look down the road to a possible matchup in the falls Breeders Cup with Eightyfiveinafifty as such a win in the Withers will enhance D’Funnybone’s reputation as a one turn runner.

Pick: D’Funnybone

For more sports betting articles, check out the BetOnline.com Free sports picks daily

This will require the use of sandpaper to rough up the rubber grips and steel wool to scrape the rust residue off the shafts. Those leather golf gloves have gotten downright crusty after the layoff, too.

Might Lorena Ochoa go from first lady of golf to first lady of her home country? (AP) But if Tiger Woods can return from a 144-day layoff and make some noise at the Masters, theres no reason Knockdown Shots, after a comparably lengthy, mysterious exile, cant likewise be revived and reincarnated.

No Buddhism is required, no platelets have been injected into this story, no Canadian quacks were indicted and no doors were slammed in the face of Highway Patrol troopers.

In other words, theres no real excuse for the slacking off. Nobody has been in hiding, doling out hush money, ducking paparazzi or busy comparing themselves to Ben Hogan, whose lone addiction was to packs of Chesterfield cigarettes, not packs of chesty bimbettes. No trees or fire hydrants were maimed in the making of this column.

Going forward, I promise to wear a rubber band around my wrist to remind me that my personal roots lie in writing smarmy smackdowns that seem to salve the souls of at least a few readers.

Its been s at our intended target, there are bound to be some sprays and strays. But then, that explains the twisted appeal of the punchy Knockdown Shots, not to mention their original intent.

When its this windy, swing hard and aim low.

News item: In a surprising and potentially crippling blow to the LPGA fortunes, star player Lorena Ochoa will announce the details of her withdrawal from the game on Friday in Mexico City at age 28.

Knockdown shot: The figurative new world No. 1 is South Koreas little-known Jiyai Shin, who has all of three LPGA wins in her career. In fact, if you throw out the U.S. victory totals of fading Hall of Famer Karrie Webb, the eight players situated behind Ochoa in the womens world top 10 have a combined total of 33 career wins. Ochoa has 27. An astounding six of the 10 players have four LPGA wins or fewer. Thats not just a lack of marquee electricity, its a complete power outage.

• • •

News item: Returning from nearly five months off from professional play, world No. 1 Tiger Woods draws scathing criticism at the Maste after claiming he would clean up his deportment on the course.

Knockdown shot: Hey, the guy gave up circus-acrobat sex already. You expect him to stop cussing overnight, too?

• • •

News item: In a laugh-out-loud moment following his feel-good win at the Masters, a beaming Phil Mickelson is photographed at the drive-through window of an Augusta donut shop the following morning, his kids in the car, loading up on three dozen Krispy Kremes while adorned in his green jacket and Masters-logoed lid.

Knockdown shot: Remember how Lefty told us after winning that one of his daughters fractured an arm while roller-skating and had to be fitted for a splint late Saturday night? Maybe it was just a cover story. Maybe she broke it while reaching for that last maple bar.

• • •

News item: Veteran Brian Davis is rightly celebrated for calling a penalty on himself in a sudden-death playoff at Hilton Head, essentially sealing a victory for Jim Furyk. Davis search for his first U.S. victory continues.

Knockdown shot: Dont feel too badly for Davis, who finally played well after completely losing his putting stroke earlier in the year. How bad was it? Last month at Bay Hill, a Knockdown Shots operative spied Davis on the practice green getting putting tips from his wife, Julie. In the decidedly macho sports culture of today, thats almost as bad as dressing like Ian Poulter.

• • •

News item: A volcanic eruption in Iceland disrupts travel plans all over Europe, even raining down ash in the ancestral home of golf, Scotland.

Knockdown shot: Most of the fallout was taking place in the northern part of Scotland, not in the area where the British Open will be held this summer in St. Andrews. Besides, the Scottish golf fans are used to unpredictable, volcanic emissions, having followed Monty for all these years.

• • •

News item: The betting website Bodog.com posts a gambling line on the future of Woods marriage, said to be destined for divorce, according to magazine.

Knockdown shot: You can log bets on the financial size of the divorce settlement, whether Elin will root for the Europeans at the Ryder Cup and whether her next husband will be a professional musician (like, Richie Sambora or Tommy Lee?). I think theres even an over-under bet on how long it will take Woods to get over-under his next girlfriend.

• • •

News item: In a stunning reversal of one of his most annoying habits, Woods commits eight days early to play in the Quail Hollow Championship, to be held next week in Charlotte. Woods on Wednesday also committed early to playing in the Players Championship May 6-9.

Knockdown shot: Gee, Tiger, did that hurt? By giving tournaments a modest week of lead time, it allows officials to more properly market the event and prepare for his arrival. It also gave former porn star Joslyn James time to cement a booking at a local strip club, where she will be appearing while Woods is playing. Were not suggesting that James is capitalizing on Woods predicament, but Charlottes Downtown Cabaret is swapping out its chrome runway pole for a double-X graphite shaft.

• • •

News item: Network ratings data indicates that the demographic of Masters viewers skewed older than last year, with an average age of nearly 58 years, causing some to wonder why the broadcast didnt attract the anticipated younger audience interested in the salacious details of the Woods scandal. In fact, the younger age demos actually dropped compared to last year.

Knockdown shot: The problem was, the ratings analysis not only didnt explain why the younger viewers tuned out, it didnt solve the question of why more older viewers elected to watch. Based on feedback received at CBSSports.com, older and more conservative readers seemed the most upset by the Woods revelations, which leaves us with one conclusion: They must have tuned in to root him.

• • •

News item: World No. 23 Sergio Garcia switched from an overlap grip to the interlock in an experiment last week at Hilton Head but still missed the cut.

Knockdown shot: This guy was ranked No. 2 in the world entering the 2009 season, or a mere 15 months ago, and his best finish since then is fourth. At this point, he maybe ought to go back to that endlessly fidgety, nervous and annoying grip he was using at Bethpage Black a few years ago, when he almost won a U.S. Open. At age 30 and diving in the rankings, people are starting to wonder whether his grip is all hes lost.

• • •

News item: One week after shooing 80-76 at the Masters to miss the cut, Furyk wins the Hilton Head event for this third victory in a world-rankings eligible event since December.

Knockdown shot: His 36-hole total at the Masters, relative to par, was his worst as a tour player since he shot 73-80 at the 2002 U.S. Open. By the way, he won the U.S. Open the following year. Fittingly, Furyk missed the cut at Hilton Head in 2009, proving that anybody who bets on a golf tournament doesnt know much about cents and sensibility.

• • •

News item: Amputee Ken Green returns to the Champions Tour this week in a team event in Savannah, his first tournament since losing a leg in a horrific car accident last year that claimed the lives of his brother and girlfriend. Worse, Greens son died while attending college earlier this year.

Knockdown shot: If you thought karma owed Phil Mickelson a green jacket, then Green has an entire wardrobe coming. Nobody other than Woods has suffered through a worse year, with the difference being Woods brought it on himself.

• • •

News item: The PGA Tour Wives Association, which is involved in several charitable and laudable projects, has announced an ambitious new program to help curb illiteracy.

Knock getting Anthony Kim to read, for the first time, a book that doesnt have pictures or a drawing of a cartoon superhero.

• • •

News item: In a move that tournament director Craig Smith first began considering last year, the Texas Open will provide pickup trucks to players in lieu of courtesy cars when the event is staged next month in San Antonio.

Knockdown shot: Its an attempt to add a uniquely Tejas touch, like gun racks or whizzing on the Alamo. In a recent NTSB study, black boxes were installed in pickups trucks and it was learned that in 49 states, the final words uttered before a majority of traffic accidents were, “Oh, god, no.” In 90 percent of Texas truck crashes, however, the last words recorded were, “Hey, hold my beer and watch this.”

• • •

News item: Tournament director of the Wegmans LPGA event says that Ochoas husband, AeroMexico CEO Andres Conesa, has his sights set on public office. “Her husband has national leadership aspirations and apparently shares her passion for wanting to improve life for everyone in their country,” Wegmans tournament director Linda Hampton told the Rochester Democrat and Chronicle.

Knockdown shot: Wow, can you envision the classy and conscientious Ochoa as first lady of Mexico? I surely can. Now that would be a game-changing position worth leaving her perch as world No. 1, wouldnt it?

D. Wayne Lukas: “Dublin is Charismatic.”

Assistant trainer to Lukas: “Dublin is charismatic but he’s not Charismatic.”

Lukas: “Wrong banana breath, Dublin is both Charismatic and charismatic because he is a grinder just like the winner of the 1999 Kentucky Derby winner.”

Sorry for the attempted take on Abbott and Costello’s famous Who’s on First routine but there could be some meat to this theory about the current Lukas Derby hopeful and here’s why.

Charismatic took a long time to figure it out and connections gave up on him putting him in a claimer but the runner was put up in his third race of his sophomore campaign, posted his career best Beyer figure in the race right before the Derby and took his grinding style all the way to the pinnacle not only winning that first Saturday in May at 31-1 but coming within a length and a half of winning the Triple Crown.

He eventually was out gamed in the lane in the Belmont Stakes by Lemon Drop Kid.

Okay, Dublin has never been in a claimer but he did post his career best Beyer figure in his final Derby prep when putting up a 97 digit running third in the Arkansas Derby but most importantly, he has the same running style as Charismatic.

Mine That Bird proved last year there are no tried and true angles about winning the Kentucky Derby, as he was not in the same area code of the leaders last year before blowing up the tote.

In Charismatic’s success, he pretty much just grinded out the splits, went along at his own pace and generally just put in a sustained run to nail Menifee on the wire at Churchill.

Dublin has a very similar ‘put in the work’; ‘cut out the same kind of splits every time’ style that just may be rewarded in a couple of weeks.

He’s consistent, usually makes his mark in the lane every time and he has been agile enough to overcome bad trips.

Horses and people too, are creatures of habit. Before the 1986 Kentucky Derby D. Wayne worked his charge Badger Land fast at Churchill with 2 consecutive best of the morning bullet drills before he ran decently but was not up to the class of Ferdinand in the Derby.

Lukas had Dublin out for his drill on April 19th and again, the bullet was locked and loaded.

Dublin posted a best of the morning :59.13 drill under mile encouragement.

How good was the work? The second best drill at that distance was posted by Ventana, a Grade 2 winner that has earned over $250K so far in his career.

Dublin will be a price in May and he just may be worth a huge look.

RANDOM THOUGHTS

If you like anybody besides the top 3 horses, Eskendereya, Lookin at Lucky or Sidney’s Candy come Derby Day, you will get paid.

With the pace likely to be very hot and heavy, a rank outside just may come rolling from the clouds but there are a couple of quotes from John Sadler’s assistant trainer Larry Benavidez that must be heard.

Quoted on Horse Racing Nation website Benavidez was besides himself about the April 17 drill from Sidney’s Candy.

“It gave me some goose bumps. I had (Bob) Baffert up there with me at the finish line and I could tell that he was interested. That work was phenomenal.”

For the record Candy was clocked in :59.80 and galloped out 7 furlongs in 1: 27.40.

“When he broke his maiden, he was off the pace. He’s not really a speed horse. He can rate: he shuts it down pretty easily. He’s a smart horse and actually kind of acts like an older horse. Today was helpful in that being prepared for the Derby he can lay second or third. He passed with flying colors today.”

As for Benavidez, he is the man behind the scenes who is highly respected and does a lot of the day-to-day hands-on stuff for Sadler.

Stay tuned.

For you horse racing betting fans, here’s the updated list, in order of preference, with each horse’s trainer and jockey.

Kentucky Derby odds: the current Top-12 contenders

WHO: The Top-12 Kentucky Derby Contenders
WHAT: The Kentucky Derby
WHERE: Churchill Downs
WHEN: Saturday, May 1st – 2010

Today, we’ll be reviewing the Top-12 Derby contenders. We’ll update this list weekly until the field is solidified. Here’s the list, in order of preference, with their previous ranking in parentheses.

1. Eskendereya (Todd Pletcher, trainer; John Velazquez, jockey):

Todd Pletcher is still trying to break through at the Derby and Eskendereya may be his best shot to date. Eskendereya took the Fountain of Youth and Wood Memorial, so expectations will be high – currently among the favorites for sports betting.

2. Lookin At Lucky (Bob Baffert, Garrett Gomez):

It’s not a Kentucky Derby unless Bob Baffert has a horse involved and this year, he’ll have a really good chance at a fifth Kentucky Derby win with Lookin At Lucky. At 9-2, the horse betting community obviously buys into Lookin At Lucky. Also ran Churchill (5 furlongs) in 1:01.20 recently, which gives you a taste.

3. Sidney’s Candy (John Sadler, Joe Talamo):

Keep an eye on Sidney’s Candy, especially after wins with Sam Vicente, San Felipe and Santa Anita Derby. Blazed 5 furlongs at Churchill Downs recently in a time of 59.80.

4. Ice Box (Nick Zito, Jose Lezcano):

Ice Box is your Florida Derby winner (by a nose) and worked in 4 furlongs at Churchill Downs in a time of 48.40 recently. Nick Zito has a couple of Kentucky Derby wins under his belt already so a third isn’t so much of a long shot.

5. Mission Impazible (Pletcher, Rajiv Maragh):

Todd Pletcher could have as many as six Derby contestants so he’s really eyeing that first win. Next on the contender’s list is Mission Impazible, who won the Louisiana Derby. This horse made up more than two lengths down the stretch and is the song of Unbridled Song.

6. Awesome Act (Jeremy Noseda, Julien Leparoux):

Awesome Act was the Gotham winner and is one of the longer shots at the Derby. His trainer is stuck in Europe due to the volcanic ash, so we’ll see how that affects him.

7. Line of David (Sadler, Jon Court):

Line of David is your Arkansas Derby winner and has now won three straight races. The question is whether this is a one-hit wonder. This is the son of Lion Heart and is the second Sadler entry for the Derby.

8. Super Saver (Pletcher, Calvin Borel):

Super Saver is another Pletcher entry and we’ll see if this horse has enough to do it. More of a bridesmaid than the bride recently, which isn’t always a great sign, but Super Saver has the right running style to win the Kentucky Derby

9. American Lion (Eoin Harty, David Flores):

American Lion opened some eyes at the Illinois Derby and that’s really when he came on the map. This is a front-running colt and is a popular sleeper pick as the Run for the Roses approaches.

Honorable Mention

10. Stately Victor

Stately Victor won the Blue Grass Stakes, which is where the son of Ghostzapper established himself among the contenders in the Kentucky Derby field. He’s a long shot, but he was a long shot at the Blue Grass Stakes too and this could be a pattern. See: Dust Commander (1970).

Keep an eye on: Conveyance, Dean’s Kitten, Dublin, Endorsement, Stately Victor.

11. Endorsement:

Consider this an endorsement for Endorsement. This horse is the son of Distorted Humor, who has sired a number of Derby winners/contenders such as Funny Cide. Also won the Sunland Derby in a breeze.

12. Rule:

Pletcher has a ton of entries in the Derby this year and here is another one. Rule is more of a pace-setter so we’ll see if that will work. He’ll probably have the lead at some point but the question is whether that will come at the end or not.

This wraps up our Derby Dozen ranking for the 136th Run for the Roses. Stay tuned to the Free pick horse racing betting section to help zero in on your selections for the first Saturday in May.

Augusta Chronicle

Heres a change-up on the firs who is the No. 1 player in golf at the moment?

ELLING: Now theres a topical question worth dissecting. Glad I get to go first, because I would have to agree with the self-assessment of a certain star who has been at the top of his game in the majors for some time now. No, not Woods or Mickelson. Last week, Lee Westwood, who has finished third or better in the last three major championships and is the reigning European Tour money leader, said what many were already thinking. “Im playing the best golf of anyone,” he said. “Its hard to argue for anyone else. If you are [at the top], you might as well say it. It builds confidence he isnt winning much. For all the headlines in the majors, he has two victories in two years and has never won a Grand Slam event. But who else is there? Woods has barely played, Mickelson was a walking zombie before winning the Masters, while Steve Stricker has cooled off after a strong start. Those are Nos. 1-2-3 in the current official rankings, while Westwood technically stands fourth. If golf is really all about the majors, then Westwood is the most consistent at the moment, his victory total notwithstanding. By the way, in magazines weekly Sagarin ratings, where recent performance is greatly accentuated, Westwood is fifth behind Woods, Furyk, Lefty and Stricker. So this is clearly a subjective call on our behalf.

MICHAUX: There are plenty of ways to look at it. Furyk has won twice in the last month, but whiffed badly at the Masters. Ernie Els won back-to-back in March, then turned to Jell-O again at Augusta. Mickelson sleep-walked through the first three months of the season, then went off on the weekend to win a third green jacket. And your boy Westwood has been a model of bridesmaid consistency in three straight majors. Take that foursome plus Tiger Woods and its 2000 all over again. But in my book, that “official” world ranking still has it right. TW might have looked pretty awful at times at Augusta, but I saw nothing that would justify a demotion. Despite hitting it sideways after a five-month layoff and dealing with a world of hurt he brought upon himself, the guy finished fourth. Given the same circumstances, I dont think any of those other guys could have beaten Charles Coody that week. Considering the considerable room for improvement as the rust and distrust wear off with practice and participation, I believe everyone else on this list might be in trouble at the next few majors. I expect Westwood wont back down from the challenge, and Mickelsons game has elevated in the last year every time he gets in the mix with Woods. But to think any of them could lay claim to No. 1 is as silly now as it was 10 years ago.

Veteran Brian Davis, who made a memorable birdie on the 72nd to force a playoff Sunday at Hilton Head, was zapped with a two-shot penalty in sudden death after unwittingly hitting a so-called loose impediment during his backswing while in a greenside hazard. It was unintentional and he gained no advantage. If you could modify one golf rule, what would it be?

ELLING: Rules are all about ensuring a level playing field for every competitor. Cheating, by definition, is about seeking an unfair advantage, usually by intentional means. So, what advantage did Brian Davis receive while unwittingly whacking his ball out of the seaside sand, nicking a dead bit of beach flotsam in the process? Zero, thats what. It was such a lame violation that the PGA Tour rules official who was stationed 20 feet away didnt notice it, and had to call his brethren on the walkie-talkie (what, no Verizon phone?) to verify that a penalty had occurred. Had the rotting reed that Davis nicked with his takeaway been rooted and alive, no penalty would have been assessed. Reed-iculous. But if there were one rule I could erase forever, it would be penalizing guys for filing incorrect scorecards. Players have enough on their minds with millions of dollars at stake, yet are expected to keep score both for themselves and a playing partner, all while there are roving scorers with wireless electronic devices keeping track. Moreover, if I made the rules, a players score would become inviolate and official at the end of the day. No more overnight penalty situations or next-day DQs because of incorrect scorecards, late-night reviews of TV video or improper rulings.

MICHAUX: All good points you make. No arguments here on any of them. But since youre asking, l OB. I absolutely loathe the out-of-bounds rule. It makes no sense to me. A guy jacks the ball deep into the ocean and its a lateral hazard. Drop where the ball last crossed the hazard line, take your stroke and play on. But if, instead of an ocean, a ball dribbles an inch past a white stake into somebodys manicured back yard, youve got to trudge back to the spot of the previous shot, take your penalty and try again. Is this really a bigger sin than hitting it into a lake and worthy of stroke distance? Ridiculous. Make me King of the USGA or Lord of the R&A for one day and my first executive order would be to instantly declare all out-of-bounds areas in the world as lateral hazards, effective immediately, with all penalties applied as such. Not only would this rectify a fairness issue, but it would help speed along the increasingly glacial pace of play that is plaguing the game.

According to reports, the World Golf Hall of Fame induction ceremony is expected to be moved from its usual sleepy slot in November to an early-week position next May before the Players Championship in nearby Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla. You guys both vote on the inductees. Thoughts?

ELLING: Gee, its a suggestion thats been bandied about in the press room for some time, and its impossible to come up with many negatives. Much of the global press will be in town for the Players Championship, so it ensures the HoF a bigger audience, which it deserves. Over the years, the Hall has greatly improved since it began focusing on the players and personalities in the game, and not on snooze-inducing fare like agronomy (seriously, the Hall had a lawnmower display at one time). The November time slot was terrific in that there were no distractions or competing events to siphon off the attention, but being a part of the Players festivities will help increase the stature of both the induction and the tournament proper. Maybe they can admit Players ticketholders for free, which might add some electricity to the otherwise stiff inductions proceedings. Unless commissioner Tim Finchem announces a drug suspension an hour before the festivities, as he did last November, its all green lights to me.

MICHAUX: This is a no-brainer. Should have been done 20 years ago. You get press exposure. You get audience. You get another reason to look forward to the fifth of four majors. The window might be a little tight, but they could spice it up even more by announcing the induction class the Wednesday before the Legends of Golf senior event in Savannah (which would be cool if they would do the right thing and raise the minimum qualifying age to 50). If thats too late, unveil the new inductees during the week of the World Golf Championship event at Doral in March when another decent-sized international media contingent is on hand to herald the news. There are rumors that they might move the induction ceremony to New York, which seems like a dumb idea and does little to increase the traffic at the actual Hall itself. The PGA of America already implemented that stupid plan with its Ryder Cup selection show, taking it away from the already captive press audience attending the PGA Championship or FedEx Cup event. That Big Apple stage has truly added nothing to the process but hassle and unnecessary expense. You dont see the NFL taking its induction out of Canton or baseball moving its ceremony from Cooperstown. Keep it on-site, that way people might actually realize that the WGHOF is located in St. Augustine, Fla.

With less than 2 weeks left before the greatest 2 minutes in sport, all that is left is the shouting, the bragging and the posturing before May 1st so let’s shift gears to the opening this week of Hollywood Park, that some are envisioning as The Last Hurrah.

The movie The Last Hurrah is about an old-hand politician seeking office one last time and this stand in Inglewood, California could be the curtain call on the legendary track.

The thing that has helped the horseracing venue stay in business recently is the difficulty of getting huge loans to make the needed adjustments to turn the racing facility into either a mall, another sprawling gaudy edifice of the times, of one more strip mall, like California needs as much as a whole in the head.

This time of year, from April to mid-July are prime climate times for the area and have always given Hollypark and edge on consistency.

Hollypark has always been a magnet for stars and I’ve personally met some legends including Cary Grant and the great Richard Pryor but the equine stars are also out in full force as the juveniles start gaining reputations and the handicap horses point to the bigger races in the late summer and fall.

As for the track itself, the Cushion Track may play the most consistent of all of the main stops in Southern California.

To see the Cushion Track up close is a revelation. It is comprised of elastic, polyester, granulated rubber and polypropylne and mixed with multi-washed silica sand.

Some of the fibers are not unlike what you would find if you cut up the sole of sneakers. These materials are strewn across the surface to help with consistency and endurance.

By the end of last year, the track was playing much like a conventional dirt track. Check out these observations thanks to Art Wilson from some of the circuit’s leading trainers.

Doug’s O’Neill: It’s a little more firm and it’s not as Velcro-like as Santa Anita and Del Mar can be.”

The patient Ron Ellis had this to say: “ Knock on wood, we had a tremendous amount of luck training on this track. We really didn’t have many hiccups and we were real happy with the Cushion Track, that’s for sure.”

There is nothing wrong with having tactical speed on this track and when you can stalk from an outside slot, a runner is usually in a great position to show his best stuff.

As far as the human element is concerned, the usual suspects of O’Neill, John Saddler, Mike Mitchell and Bob Baffert will be winning races in bunches but there are some value trainers to keep an eye on.

Last season guys like Darrell Vienna, Dan Hendricks, Walter Solis, who is particularly potent with babies, and Bill Spawr all that their average winner pay double digits.

The chauffeurs that demand respect are last year’s title winner Joel Rosario, current Santa Anita leading man Rafael Bejarano and Victor Espinoza.

During the fall Hollywood meet Rosario joined Bill Shoemaker, Laffit Pincay Jr. and Kent Desormeaux as those that have won 6 on a single Hollypark card.

With a couple of stalwart riders from this colony taking their tack elsewhere, there are a couple of riders that are about set to take off on this circuit.

Michael Baze, ninth in the standings at Santa Anita this meet, is leaving, as is the very capable Jose Valdivia.

The new faces to watch include Silvio Amador and Felipe Valdez.

Finally, you have to be careful about betting just off the Santa Anita form as horses that have been stabled or have shown and affinity for Hollypark have an edge.

Trainer Ken McPeek has little doubt Nobles Promise isspecial.

So special, in fact, that McPeek is unwilling to jeopardize thepromising but nicked up 3-year-old colts health in an effort towin the Kentucky Derby.

“He deserves a chance and if we get everything right, weregoing to dance, and if we dont, were going to wait for thePreakness, McPeek said.

Nobles Promise took a major step toward the Derby on Tuesday,turning in a solid 5-furlong work. He covered the distance in 59.8seconds while pulling away from training mate Beautician.

It was everything McPeek was looking for after his difficulttrip in the Arkansas Derby, where he finished fifth, sustained cutson both front legs and developed a minor lung infection.

The quick workout, however, wasnt enough for McPeek to committo running Nobles Promise under the Twin Spires on May 1.

“I said coming out of Arkansas wed be 50-50. I think were alittle better than that, maybe 60-40, especially with theeye-catching work he put in, McPeek said.

It was a hoop that Nobles Promise – currently second among3-year-olds in graded-stakes earnings with $738,000 – had to jumpthrough to keep his Derby hopes alive. Hell have to do it againnext week to head to the post on the first Saturday in May.

“The hope is he doesnt regress off the work he put in, but theway he worked, we think hes moving forward, McPeek said.

Nobles Promise certainly looked healthy while pulling away fromBeautician, a candidate for the Kentucky Oaks on April 30, as theymade their way down the frontstretch. Jockey Willie Martinez hadntintended for the horse to go that fast, it just sort ofhappened.

By the gallop out, Nobles Promise was a sixteenth of a mileahead of the filly and McPeek had two problems on his hands: tryingnot to get too excited about Nobles Promise while trying tobolster Beauticians confidence.

“Thats a Grade 1 filly he was working against and he whippedher, McPeek said.

It was the kind of performance McPeek has grown used to over thelast year, when Nobles Promise became one of the most consistenttalents in his class.

He won the Breeders Futurity at Keeneland last fall, thenfollowed it up with a third in the Breeders Cup Juvenile at SantaAnita, before ending his 2-year-old campaign with a second-placefinish behind Lookin at Lucky in the Cash Call Futurity.

The two met again at the Rebel Stakes in March, with Lookin atLucky edging him again by a head. While Lookin at Lucky headed toCalifornia, Nobles Promise stayed at Oaklawn and went off as thefavorite in the Arkansas Derby.

It was a troubled trip from the start. He swung right from thethird post out of the gate, his front legs getting clipped byNorthern Giant in the process, and things didnt get much betterfrom there. He finished fifth, 4 1/4 lengths behind Line ofDavid.

The cuts turned out to be the least of the colts problems. Hecame out of the race with a lung infection, a problem McPeek called“minor but pesky. Antibiotics have helped, but McPeek said thehorses lungs will have to be clear to put him in Derby, where the20-horse field kicks up so much dirt that the track can resemble adust storm in the back.

Then again, Nobles Promise isnt the first time McPeek has hada Derby contender struggle with lung problems. He made his Derbydebut in 1995 with Tejano Run, whose issues didnt prevent him fromfinishing second.

Skipping the Derby would put a damper on one of the races trueunderdog stories. Nobles Promise is owned by Chasing DreamsRacing, a 24-person syndicate comprised of decidedly middle-classracing fans who paid $1,000 per share for their interest in thehorse.

Marsha Springate, one of the owners, is a Louisville native andhas been coming to the Derby for years. She has dreamed of makingthe walk from the backside to the paddock on Derby Day for years,and while it could happen May 1, there are other races down theroad.

Still, when they were considering buying the horse as a weanlingat Keeneland in the fall of 2008, Springate asked the horse if hewas going to get them to the Derby.

“He nodded, she said with a laugh.

Within the shadows of venerable Churchill Downs, the worldsmost famous horse race never ends. Nor does the pageantry of theKentucky Derby.

The Kentucky Derby Museum, situated just off Gate 1 atChurchill, offers a treasure trove of Derby memories for horseracing aficionados and people making their maiden trip to a track.The museum was closed for renovations due to flooding for the pastnine months, but reopened Sunday, just in time for the Run for theRoses on May 1.

Through videos and testimonials from racing greats to regularfans, visitors soak in the Derby Day atmosphere – from the regalmillionaires row to the raucous infield. Exhibits showcase theDerbys reputation as a giant runway for fashion – with examplesranging from the pale pink, sequined dress worn by Anna NicoleSmith on loan to the museum to the colorful, plumed hats dottingthe Derby crowd.

Interactive displays let visitors pretend theyre ridinghard-charging thoroughbreds, guiding them to the rail or to theoutside, or making wagers on randomly chosen past races atChurchill – though no actual money changes hands. Guests can cleartheir throats and call a horse race as track announcer, or testtheir Derby knowledge with a trivia game.

“If people arent race fans yet, I hope … this tempts them towatch a horse race, said museum spokeswoman Wendy Treinen. “Ihope people who have been in before say, `Wow, this place isgreat. All the new technology just sucks you right in and you wantto learn more.

Every Run for the Roses since 1918 can be replayed with thetouch of a screen, allowing visitors to relive the Derby Day gloryof longshots to Triple Crown winners.

“Its fun to see retired jockeys come in and watch theirraces, Treinen said.

Though the museum celebrates the Derby every day, the nonprofitattraction that draws about 210,000 visitors per year is a separateentity from Churchill Downs.

In the past year, the museum has shown the resilience of aTriple Crown winner.

Last August, the museum was swamped by flash flooding thatcaused more than $4 million in damage, forcing its closure. Themuseum reopened less than two weeks before this years Derby,following an ambitious $5.5 million renovation.

The museums collection of artifacts was largely spared, thougha few dozen items were sent to a Chicago company specializing inrestoration work.

“It was a rush to literally walk through the water to save theitems as the ceiling poured in and water rose from the floor,Treinen said.

Memorabilia from races past are on display throughout themuseum.

Visitors can see assorted Derby trophies awarded to winningowners and jockeys, the saddle strapped to 1948 Derby winnerCitation and the halter worn by 1975 Derby victor Foolish Pleasure.Theres a 1936 Derby program signed by Babe Ruth, and a RichardNixon-signed Derby bio book replete with information about the 1969field of Derby horses.

Meanwhile, an interactive display called “Countdown toVictory offers a fascinating behind-the-scenes look at the Derby.Visitors can listen to jockeys and trainers recount the preparationand emotions leading up to the big race.

Famed jockey Pat Day recalls riding onto the track before thehuge Derby crowd.

“Theres just so much electricity in the air, so muchenthusiasm and excitement, he says in an audio interview. “Itsjust tangible, you can cut it with a knife.

The traditional playing of “My Old Kentucky Home before therace will “stir emotions like no other, said renowned trainer D.Wayne Lukas.

The museum also arranges for guided walking tours of ChurchillDowns. A half-hour tour includes visits to the paddock, where thehorses are saddled before a race, and to the grandstand. Anapproximately 90-minute tour includes visits to the jockeysquarters, millionaires row, the press box and parts of Churchillsrenovated clubhouse.

Another option is an hourlong barn and backside van tour, whichallows visitors to watch horses train, catch them during a bath andlearn about life at the track.

On the museums second floor, meanwhile, visitors can trace thelife of thoroughbreds – from their wobbly first steps through theirracing careers.

At one exhibit, several top trainers explain what they look forin a horse and share their philosophy in getting a spirited animalready for a race.

Susan Walgenbach of Davis, Calif., said she hasnt really been ahorse racing fan, but now plans to watch the upcoming Derby after atrip to the track and museum. Walgenbach and her husband watchedsome thoroughbreds work out during their track tour.

“Its great to see the horses in real life and running, shesaid. “That was fabulous. The best Ive done is feed a horse acarrot or an apple over a fence.

Carol Brodeur of Wellfleet, Mass., said she became interested inthe Derby about four years ago after attending a Derby party hostedby a Kentucky native on Cape Cod. She has watched the Run for theRoses since then.

“I wish I could hang out on millionaires row for a day, shesaid.

Another treat was the colorful Kentucky spring, which produces adazzling array of reds, pinks and whites from budding trees andshrubs, she said.

“Its just very pretty, Brodeur said.

Museum fan Duke Madsen, of Salt Lake City, said he marvels atthe “amazing grace of thoroughbreds and the history behind thesport. Madsen and his wife attended their first Derby last year,and took time for multiple tours of the museum.

They were hooked and will be back for this years Run for theRoses, he said.

“If you have a love for the adventure of the two greatestminutes in sports, its just remarkable to walk in and feel thevibes you get, he said of the museum.

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If You Go…

KENTUCKY DERBY MUSEUM: 704 Central Ave., Louisville, Ky;http://www.derbymuseum.org or 502- 637-7097. Adults, $12; age 55and over, $11; age 13-18, $10; age 5-12, $5; under 5, free. March15-Nov. 30, open Monday-Saturday, 8 a.m.-5 p.m.; Sundays 11 a.m.-5p.m. Open at 8 a.m. Sunday after Derby. Dec. 1-March 14, openMonday-Saturday, 9 a.m.-5 p.m.; Sundays 11 a.m.-5 p.m.

Todds Squad is headed to the Kentucky Derby in what could berecord numbers.

Trainer Todd Pletcher will be a busy man on Derby day with fivelikely starters and perhaps a record-setting sixth once his gameplan is finalized. Not bad for a guy who is 0 for 24 in the Derbyand desperately seeking that elusive first victory.

Eskendereya is Pletchers biggest star and the expected favoritefor the Derby in less than two weeks. The 3-year-old colt romped towins in the Fountain of Youth and the Wood Memorial and is rankedNo. 1 in the APs final Run to the Roses Top 10 list of Derbycontenders.

Pletcher has two other Derby starters in the top 10: LouisianaDerby winner Mission Impazible at No. 5 and Arkansas Derbyrunner-up Super Saver at No. 7. His other Derby horses areDiscreetly Mine and Rule, with the owners of Interactif “still onthe fence.

Exhi gives Pletcher another option off his win in the LexingtonStakes on Saturday, but the colt may not have enough graded-stakesearnings to qualify if more than the maximum 20 horses are entered.Exhi is currently 24th on the list.

The record for starters in one Derby is five, shared by Pletcher(2007) and Hall of Famers Nick Zito (2005) and D. Wayne Lukas(1996). Only Lukas came through when Grindstone won in 96.

Lookin At Lucky, trained by three-time Derby winner Bob Baffert,held steady at No. 2, while the rest of the top 10 remained thesame from a week ago.

Lookin At Lucky came into the Derby prep season as the No. 1contender off his 2-year-old championship season. The colt then wonthe Rebel Stakes in his lone race on dirt – the same surface as theDerby is run on – and finished third behind Sidneys Candy andSetsuko in the Santa Anita Derby.

John Sadler returns to the Derby for only the second time with astrong hand. He trains No. 4 contender Sidneys Candy, winner ofthe San Vicente, San Felipe and Santa Anita Derby, as well as Lineof David, surprise winner of the Arkansas Derby. In 1993, hesaddled Corby to a sixth-place finish.

More than 20 horses are sure to be entered, and that meanspreference will be give to the leading earners in gradedstakes.

Zito has two top-10 Derby horses in Florida Derby winner Ice Box(No. 3) and Wood runner-up Jackson Bend (No. 10), which is 21st onthe earnings list.

On Saturday, the $200,000 Derby Trial at Churchill Downs couldproduce a Derby starter if Pleasant Prince (27th) orEightyfiveinafifty finishes first and collects the winners shareof $120,000 to move into the top 20 earners.

Eskendereya worked 5 furlongs in 1:02.00 Saturday at PalmMeadows in Boynton Beach, Fla., and will be shipped to Louisvilleon Tuesday, along with Discreetly Mine, Mission Impazible and Rule.A final workout for the Derby favorite is scheduled for Sunday.

“That was all I was looking for, Pletcher said ofEskendereyas weekend workout. “Hes a very fit horse, and Ididnt want him to overdo it. I just wanted to see him get in agood five-furlong maintenance work and a strong gallop-out, and itwent the way I expected.

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1. Eskendereya (Todd Pletcher, trainer; John Velazquez, jockey):Best chance for Pletchers first Derby win after romps in Fountainof Youth, Wood Memorial … Heads to Kentucky this week … Nextstart: Kentucky Derby (May 1, Churchill Downs, dirt) … Derbyfuture wager odds: 5-1.

2. Lookin At Lucky (Bob Baffert, Garrett Gomez): Baffert gunningfor fourth Derby win with 2-year-old champion … Rebel winnerworked 5 furlongs in 1:01.20 at Churchill last week … Next start:Kentucky Derby … Odds: 9-2.

3. Ice Box (Nick Zito, Jose Lezcano): Florida Derby winnerworked 4 furlongs in 48.40 at Churchill last week … Zito lookingfor Derby win No. 3 … Next start: Kentucky Derby … Odds:19-1.

4. Sidneys Candy (John Sadler, Joe Talamo): Sadler is new bigname on Derby scene with his San Vicente, San Felipe and SantaAnita Derby winner … Worked 5 furlongs in 59.80 Saturday atChurchill … Next start: Kentucky Derby … Odds: 22-1.

5. Mission Impazible (Pletcher, Rajiv Maragh): Louisiana Derbywinner worked 5 furlongs in 1:02.25 Saturday at Palm Meadows …Next start: Kentucky Derby … Odds: 9-2 (mutuel field).

6. Awesome Act (Jeremy Noseda, Julien Leparoux): Gotham winnerset for Tuesday workout at Churchill … Trainer could be latearrival with volcanic ash keeping him in England … Next start:Kentucky Derby … Odds: 13-1.

7. Super Saver (Pletcher, Calvin Borel): Could be a super saverfor Pletcher if Eskendereya doesnt fire … Next start: KentuckyDerby … Odds: 35-1.

8. American Lion (Eoin Harty, David Flores): Front-running coltcould surprise off Illinois Derby win … Next start: KentuckyDerby … Odds: 9-2 (mutuel field)

9. Line of David (Sadler, Jon Court): Arkansas Derby win made it3 for 3 with blinkers on for second Sadler entry … Next start:Kentucky Derby. … Odds: 9-2 (mutuel field).

10. Jackson Bend (Zito, Borel): The wait to get in the field ison for Wood runner-up … Ranks 21st on latest graded stakesearnings list … Next start: Kentucky Derby … Odds: 46-1.

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Keep and eye on: Conveyance, Deans Kitten, Dublin, Endorsement,Stately Victor.

Brian Davis couldnt deny what he saw and knew he was honor-bound to tell the world.

Davis ticked a loose reed during his backswing Sunday on the first playoff hole, calling a two-stroke penalty on himself that gave Jim Furyk a victory at the Verizon Heritage.

“Its just awkward to see it happen at such a key moment in the golf tournament,” Furyk said. “Awkward for him to lose that way, and a little awkward for me to win.”

Davis immediately asked for PGA Tour tournament director Slugger White and shared what he saw on the shot. White consulted with officials who checked TV replays and confirmed Davis worst fear: His violation cost him a chance at his first PGA Tour victory.

What Davis lost on the course will be regained in his reputation for his honorable act, White said.

“That will come back to him spades, tenfold,” White said.

That was little consolation for Davis, who rolled in a clutch 18-footer for birdie on his final regulation hole to catch Furyk and force overtime.

Davis troubles began with his approach, a wayward 7-iron that hit the left edge of the green, rattled off the rocks boarding Calibogue Sound and settled among some grass, twigs and reeds.

Davis error, a violation of rule 13.4 against moving a loose impediment during a takeaway, was indiscernible but for slow motion replays.

“It was one of those things I thought I saw movement out of the corner of my eye. And I thought wed check on TV, and indeed there was movement,” Davis said.

He immediately conceded victory to Furyk, who putted out for his 15th PGA Tour win and second since March.

Furyk didnt know what to do at first. He raised his putter and tipped his cap to the cheering and confused crowd, then embraced his children who ran to meet their championship dad.

“I want to react to the crowd and kind of wave and let them know, that Hey, Im excited,” Furyk said. “But I dont want it to take away from Brian.”

Furyk earned $1,026,000 million, finally tasting victory at Harbour Town after posting two seconds and a fourth since 2005.

Davis earned $615,000 for his fourth second-place finish on the PGA Tour.

“To have the tournament come down that way is definitely not the way I wanted to win,” Furyk said. “Its obviously a tough loss for him and I respect and admire what he did.”

Davis nearly won in regulation, his approach to his final hole scaring the cup before settling 18 feet away. His birdie putt had just enough steam to drop in and keep hope of a breakthrough win alive.

Moments later, the playoff was done with Davis self-imposed violation, something inconceivable in most other sports, where competitors take pride in getting every edge they can.

“Hes class, first class,” White said.

Davis held a one-shot lead over Furyk with four holes left when things began to go wrong. Davis had back-to-back bogeys on the 15th and 16th holes to slip behind the ultra-steady Furyk.

Davis shot a 68 and, like Furyk, ended with four rounds in the 60s.

Bo Van Pelt (69) and Luke Donald (70) were two shots further back in third.

Camilo Villegas (70) headed a group another stroke behind.

The final round wasnt nearly as crazy as the third – Furyk still had the lead when he teed off on No. 1 unlike Saturday. Still, the charge was on to go as low as possible and take control.

Heath Slocum, two behind at the start, had birdies on the second, fourth and six holes to catch Furyk.

Former champion Aaron Baddeley tied ended his chance of a second title.

By the middle of the back nine, it was down to Furyk and Davis.

Furyk missed a 15-foot par putt on the 10th to drop into a tie with Davis, his playing partner.

The worlds sixth-ranked player moved back in front two holes later with 5-footer for birdie. However, Davis caught him once more on the 13th hole after making a 12-foot birdie putt and Furyk failing to covert one from half that distance.

Davis moved in front on the par-3 14th when Furyk landed over the green, chipped 12 feet past the cup and was short on his attempt at par.

But things were again tied a hole later, as Davis didnt make a 6-foot putt to save par, setting the dramatic finish.

Divots Brian Gay, the 2009 Verizon Heritage champion, finished this tournament at 4-under 280, 16 shots more than his record winning total of a year ago. Five-time Verizon winner Davis Love III ended with a 76 for a 5-over 289. That tied for his highest score ever at Harbour Town that Love shot in 1986, his first appearance here.