Peace Rules In Blue Grass To Give Frankel Powerful 1-2 Derby Punch
By: Lane Gold

LEXINGTON, Ky. (Apr. 12, 2003) - About an hour after capturing the Wood Memorial (GI) with Empire Maker, trainer Bobby Frankel notched an unprecedented second Kentucky Derby (GI) prep race victory on Saturday afternoon, Apr. 12 as Peace Rules turned back a prolonged challenge from Brancusi for a 3 ½-length win in the $750,000 Toyota Blue Grass Stakes (GI) at Keeneland Races Course in Lexington, Ky.

The chestnut son of Jules, who won his fourth consecutive race, was sent off as the prohibitive 3-5 favorite and covered the 1 1/8 miles in a pedestrian 1:51.73. Peace Rules, owned by Edmund Gann, will enter the Kentucky Derby off just two prep races. The last horse to win the "Run for the Roses" with two preps was Sunny's Halo in 1983.

"He's a very game horse," said Frankel from New York. "The only question is whether he can get the Derby distance. To win the Derby would be the biggest accomplishment of my career. I've always watched it on TV and I've been jealous that other people were there and I wasn't. I'll be there this year."

Peace Rules earned $465,000 with the victory to vault his career bankroll to $1,124,990. His stablemate, Empire Maker, will also enter the Kentucky Derby a millionaire as his Wood victory gave him $1,115,800 in career earnings.

"My saddle began to slip at the seven-eighths pole and I just tried to get comfortable," said Prado. "I just let him move freely on his own. He just pulled me to the lead today and he had a lot left at the end."

Brancusi, ridden by Tony Farnia and trained by Patrick Biancone, chased Peace Rules through early solid fractions of :23.40 for the quarter-mile and :47.10 for the half. Brancusi took a run at the winner at the three-eights pole but jockey Edgar Prado, who captured his second straight Blue Grass, had plenty left in the tank and cruised home. Brancusi was 4 ½ lengths clear of Churchill Downs-based Offlee Wild, who is trained by T.V. Smith.

"I did not want him to go to the front today," said Biancone. "It takes a gamble to win the Derby. I just wanted everything to go well and for him to come back well. He should improve off today's race."

After the Blue Grass, Churchill Downs oddsmaker Mike Battaglia said he would install Empire Maker as the 6-5 morning line favorite while Peace Rules, Santa Derby (GI) winner Buddy Gil and Illinois Derby (GII) victor would be listed as 8-1 co-second choices.

Battaglia also stated that this would be the shortest morning line on a Kentucky Derby horse he could remember and didn't recall a trainer entering the Derby with the top two morning line choices.

Completing the official order of finish in the Blue Grasses' nine-horse field was Crowned Dancer, Acceptable Venture, Lion Tamer, Lots Of Sizzle, Ten Cents A Shine and Great Notion. Badge of Silver, the 2-1 second choice on the morning line, was scratched Friday (Apr. 11) afternoon after a hairline fracture in his right cannon bone was discovered.

"This win means a lot," said Gann. "You start out with 100 horses and only 10 or 15 make it to the Kentucky Derby. There is not a person out there that doesn't want a horse in the Kentucky Derby."

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