New York Hero Stands Tall In Lane's End
By: John Asher

Kentucky Derby 129 Headlines:

Central -- Paraneck Stable's New York Hero ($31.40) emerged as a late-developing contender for Kentucky Derby 129 with a gritty breakthrough win in Saturday's $500,000 Lane's End Stakes (Grade II) at Turfway Park.

The son of Partner's Hero -- who is named for the heroes of the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001 -- rallied from fourth under Norberto Arroyo, Jr. and held off Eugene's Third Son and jockey Pat Day after a stretch-long duel in the 1 1/8-mile Kentucky Derby prep. Kentucky-based star Champali, who was bidding to become the first horse to win all four of Turfway Park's Kentucky Derby preps, launched a strong challenge in the stretch before he faded to third. Favored Lion Tamer got away from the gate poorly and never reached serious contention, although he rallied mildly in the stretch to finish fourth.

New York Hero was outfitted with blinkers for the first time as he scored the biggest victory in the career of trainer Jennifer Pedersen. The colt was coming off of a runner-up finish in an Aqueduct allowance race.

"I knew this horse was improving and last time out he waited on the other horse, so I added blinkers," Pedersen said. "He is powerful and good looking like a New York hero ought to be. Obviously, I'm excited now."

Pedersen scratched New York Hero from the Gotham Stakes (GIII) at Aqueduct a week earlier in favor of running the colt at Turfway Park. He completed the nine furlong distance in 1:50.68.

"He's just getting better and better," said Pedersen. "He's figuring it out, finally."

New York Hero, who has yet to be nominated to the Kentucky Derby and Visa Triple Crown, improved his record to 3-2-0 in five races and has earned $367,800. Pedersen said the colt would return to New York and that his final Kentucky Derby prep would come in the April 12 Wood Memorial (GI) at Aqueduct.

Trainers Patrick Byrne of Eugene's Third Son and Greg Foley of Champali said after the race that their horses were probably off the Kentucky Derby trail after efforts that indicated both colts had distance limitations. But trainer Todd Pletcher said Michael Tabor's Lion Tamer could still show up at Churchill Downs on Derby Day.

"Obviously this was not the result we wanted, but we are not discouraged," Pletcher said. "The Derby is still in our thoughts. The question now is whether or not he needs another start before then."

Pedersen became just the second woman to saddle a winner of the Lane's End and she now has a chance to make more significant history in the May 3 Kentucky Derby, which has never been won by a female trainer in 128 years.

"I wake up with that exact thought every day," she said.

Although trainer Patrick Byrne fell just short in the day's big event, he had reason to smile earlier in the day after watching Robert and Beverly Lewis' favored Private Gold ($4.60) overcome a troubled journey to win the $100,000 Rushaway Stakes on the Lane's End undercard.

The son of Seeking the Gold held off Acceptable Venture to win by a neck under Pat Day and completed 1 1/16 miles in 1:45.43. The win was one of five victories on the afternoon by Day and was the colt's first win since a victory last summer in the Ellis Park Juvenile. He has a record of 3-2-2 in 10 races.

Also on the Lane's End undercard, Overbrook Farm's heavily favored Quick Draw ($3.60) won the $50,000 Hansel Stakes for 3-year-olds by 1 1/2-lengths over Clayton's Trick. The winner covered six furlongs in 1:11.82 under Day. Trainer D. Wayne Lukas, who said that Quick Draw is not a Kentucky Derby contender but would likely run next in the Coolmore Lexington Stakes (GII) at Keeneland.

Favored Great Notion overcame a poor start to grab the lead, but could not hold off the shocking late charge of McKeever Racing Stable's Crowned King ($75.60) in Saturday's $125,000 Rebel at Oaklawn Park.

Crowned King swept past the tiring Great Nation and jockey Terry Thompson in the final yards to win by 1 1/2-lengths under jockey Chandra Rennie. The winner covered 1 1/16 miles in 1:44. Comic Truth was third.

"I thought about coming up the rail, but when he saw an opening to the outside he moved out there on his own," said Rennie. "From that point on I could feel him opening up his stride and once I put his head in front it was over."

Trainer Billy McKeever said he would decide in "a couple of days" whether Crowned King would make a bid for the $500,000 Arkansas Derby (GII) on April 12.

West -- Conejo Racing Inc.'s King Robyn ($7) runner-up to eventual San Felipe (GII) winner Buddy Gil in the recent Baldwin (GIII) at Santa Anita, scored the first stakes victory of his career in Sunday's $75,000 San Pedro at the Arcadia, Cal. track.

Ridden by Alex Solis and trained by Jeff Mullins, who also conditions Buddy Gil, King Robyn led throughout to win the 6 1/2-furlong San Pedro by a half-length over Truckle Feature and covered the distance in 1:15.21 on a "fast" track. Previously unbeaten and favored Rojo Toro faded to fifth for trainer Bob Baffert.

"I knew this was a good horse and it made him look even better when Buddy Gil won (the San Felipe)," said Solis. "He ran perfect and he finished perfect. It was an easy ride."

Turf Paradise Derby winner Robledo has been declared out of next week's $500,000 WinStar Derby at Sunland Park by trainer Vladimir Cerin. "He's not ready to run," said Cerin.

East -- Maryland-based star Cherokee's Boy will go on the road to make his next start in the $500,000 Illinois Derby (GII) on April 5 at Hawthorne Park.

Trainer Gary Capuano added the race to the Citidancer colt's schedule after he decided to scratch Cherokee's Boy from last week's Gotham at Aqueduct because of a poor post position. The Illinois Derby was the race that catapulted War Emblem toward Churchill Downs and his win in last year's Kentucky Derby, but Capuano is not counting on a repeat of history.

"I'm not really looking at the Derby with him," Capuano told the Baltimore Sun. "He'd have to do something really exceptional in the Illinois Derby for me to even think about it."