Dubai -- Dubai-based racing powerhouse Godolphin has come to Churchill Downs with hopes of winning the Kentucky Derby (Grade I) in each of the last four years, but the racing powerhouse has found only disappointment under the track's historic Twin Spires.

Godolphin hopes to identify its top hope for Kentucky Derby 129 in Saturday's $2 million UAE Derby at Dubai's Nad Al Sheba racecourse. It appears that Godolphin's brightest hope for Kentucky Derby glory this year may be the lightly-raced Inamorato, who is unbeaten in two starts and expected to perform well in 1 1/4-mile race on the dirt -- the only Kentucky Derby prep race that is run at the Derby distance.

"Inamorato is full of potential and is a natural on the surface," said Simon Crisford, Godolphin's racing manager. "But he still has to prove that he has the stamina for the Kentucky Derby and is also good enough for the race."

Inamorato heads a field of 15 horses in the Group One UAE Derby, which has seen Godolphin stars Essence of Dubai, Street Cry and China Visit win its previous runnings. Essence of Dubai finished ninth in last year's Derby, Street Cry was injured at Churchill Downs in the days before the 2001 Derby, and China Visit was sixth in the 2000 "Run for the Roses" for Godolphin trainer Saeed bin Suroor. Worldly Manner also finished seventh for Godolphin in the 1999 Derby and Curule was seventh in 2000. Of those horses, Street Cry went on to accomplish the most as he won last year's Dubai World Cup (Gr. I) and then shipped to Churchill Downs to score a dazzling victory in the Stephen Foster Handicap (GI).

"You need to be a special horse to win the Kentucky Derby and last year after he won the Dubai World Cup we felt that Street Cry was the one," said bin Suroor. "Sadly, he got injured before the race and could not run. Perhaps Inamorato will make up for that disappointment."

Frankie Dettori will ride Inamorato, a son of Tale of the Cat who won his debut at Hollywood Park last year for trainer Eoin Harty and returned last month to romp over UAE Derby rival Victory Moon, the winner of the UAE Two Thousand Guineas, in the Al Bastikiya at 1 1/8 miles at Nad Al Sheba in his first race for bin Suroor. Others in the field include Godolphin stablemates Bourbonais, Anasheed and Parhelion.

The UAE Derby also includes the first American-based horse to ship to Dubai for the race. Co-owner and trainer Bill Currin has shipped Outta Here, winner of the $500,000 Delta Jackpot in December at Louisiana's Delta Downs, to Nad Al Sheba.

"The reason I came here is the same reason I went to Delta Downs," said Currin. "I want to go where the money is -- where the honey is. We're here to run and have fun."

Outta Here has already faced Inamorato once. The son of Dehere was the runner-up when the Godolphin star won his lone U.S. start last summer at Hollywood Park. Two-time Kentucky Derby-winning jockey Kent Desormeaux has traveled to Dubai to ride Outta Here.

West -- Two-time Kentucky Derby-winning trainer Bob Baffert will be joined by Derby-winning jockeys Gary Stevens, Pat Day and Pat Valenzuela for Sunday's $500,000 WinStar Derby at New Mexico's Sunland Park.

Baffert will take two shots at the lucrative first prize money in the 1 1/16-mile race with Paul Weitman and Karl Watson's Spensive and Donald Dizney's Apalachian Thunder. Stevens will ride Spensive, runner-up to stablemate Rojo Toro in the San Rafael (GII) at Santa Anita, and Valenzuela will be aboard Apalachian Thunder, whose best moment came in an allowance win over major Derby contender Atswhatimtalknbout in late January.

Heiligbrodt Racing Stable's Mr. Decatur, winner of the $100,000 Borderland Derby at Sunland for trainer Steve Asmussen, looms as a major contender along with Stan Fulton's Sum Trick, a Sunland-based colt who finished second to Kafwain in the San Vicente (GII) at Santa Anita.

"This race will separate the men from the boys," said trainer O.D. Jamison, who will saddle Sum Trick in the richest race in Sunland Park history. "You've just got to prepare your horse and be ready."

California invader Excessivepleasure, a close runner-up to Mr. Decatur in the Borderland Derby, returns for Sunday's race and Pat Day will travel to Sunland Park to ride the gelded son of In Excess.

East -- Kentucky Derby and Visa Triple Crown nominees Penobscot Bay and Skycrossing will be looking to improve their credentials for the spring classics when they meet in Saturday's $60,000 Private Terms Stakes at Maryland's Laurel Park.

The colts finished second and fourth, respectively, when they met in the Miracle Wood Stakes in February.

Penobscot Bay is listed as the 9-5 favorite under jockey Mario Pino and Skycrossing is a 2-1 second choice with leading Laurel jockey Ryan Fogelsonger in the irons. The 1 1/16-mile race attracted a field of six horses.

Southeast -- Fountain of Youth (GI) winner Trust N Luck is still training with the Kentucky Derby in mind, but trainer Ralph Ziadie said he and owner E. Paul Robsham are now considering a back-up plan for the Calder Race Course-based colt.

Ziadie told the Daily Racing Form that Trust N Luck could run in Keeneland's Coolmore Lexington (GII) and then run back in the Preakness (GI), the second jewel of the Visa Triple Crown, at Pimlico on May 17.

"Right now the owner is having some second thoughts about the Derby," Ziadie said, "although he is leaving the ultimate decision of where to run up to me."

John C. Oxley's unbeaten Sky Mesa, who was knocked from the Kentucky Derby trail by a bruised heel, has returned to training at Florida's Palm Beach Downs. The winner of the Hopeful (GI) and Lane's End Breeders' Futurity (GII) is galloping again and trainer John Ward, Jr. told the Daily Racing Form that he hoped the son of Pulpit would be able to breeze before Ward ships his stable north to Keeneland next week. But Ward had no idea when Sky Mesa would be ready to run.

"Right now all we're thinking about with him is climbing back up the ladder to where we were before having to stop on him," Ward said.

Central -- Iroquois (GIII) and Southwest runner-up Alke is expected to be out of action for four-to-six months after he emerged from a disappointing run in last week's Rebel at Oaklawn with bone chips in his knee.

Trainer Robert Holthus said the colt would be shipped from Oaklawn Park to the Rood & Riddle Equine Hospital in Lexington, Ky. for the surgery.

Risen Star (GIII) winner Badge of Silver arrived at Churchill Downs on Monday to continue his training toward Kentucky Derby 129. Trainer Ronny Werner said the colt would work sometime next week. Ken and Sarah Ramsey's son of Silver Deputy is scheduled to run in Keeneland's Toyota Blue Grass (GI) on April 12.

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