Critical moments lie ahead for the field of perhaps nine in Saturday's Grade II, $500,000 Lane's End Stakes at Turfway Park as the hitherto twisting road to the Visa Triple Crown and $5 million Visa Triple Crown Challenge straightens out for dash down the stretch.

The Kentucky Derby, the first jewel in racing's Triple Crown, is only six weeks away and the hopes of horsemen connected to those in the field for the 1 1/8-mile race at the Northern Kentucky track will rise or fall with this race. The winner could pretty much feel relaxed with the graded money coming into his purse earnings, but those finishing farther back could find themselves in dire straits for getting into the Derby field based on graded earnings.

At that point, decisions might have to be made about one more race - and which one would it need to be to insure enough graded earnings to get into the May 7 Kentucky Derby field at Churchill Downs.

Expected to garner much attention from the Turfway crowd on Saturday is MAGNA GRADUATE, who has two Turfway races under his belt, the most recent being a victory in the John Battaglia Memorial Stakes three weeks ago. The Patrick Byrne-trained colt finished second in last year's Kentucky Cup Juvenile at Turfway when Gary Simms was his trainer. Byrne has said that a win will send him right to the Derby without another prep.

A win for West Coast shipper TEXCESS would put him over the million-dollar mark in earnings, and send him directly to the Derby, also, says trainer Paul Aguirre. But even though he already has earnings of $763,427, only $18,000 of that comes from graded money, so a runner-up or less finish probably would mean the Delta Jackpot winner would have to run for more money to make the field of 20 on Derby day.

The same goes for celebrity entrant MAYAN KING, who is co-owned by 1970s pop music king David Cassidy. Undefeated in two starts, the son of Stephen Got Even has no graded earnings. Finishing second in the Lane's End would likely send the colt into Keeneland's Lexington Stakes two weeks in front of the Derby on April 23.

Expected, also, for the Lane's End are the higher-profile runners SPANISH CHESTNUT and ANDROMEDA'S HERO from the stables of trainers Patrick Biancone and Nick Zito, and these other hopefuls: FLOWER ALLEY, SILENT BID, WILD DESERT and Mr. Sword.

REBEL WINNER GREATER GOOD PLAYS RODNEY DANGERFIELD It seems each year, there's a Rodney Dangerfield-type horse heading for the Kentucky Derby. This year's version is Greater Good. Though a perfect 4-for-4 around two turns, including a solid victory in last Saturday's Grade III Rebel Stakes at Oaklawn Park, he still can't get any respect.

His problem: He doesn't seem to put up any big speed numbers. But that doesn't keep him from winning. On Saturday, he ran down previously unbeaten Rockport Harbor to capture the Rebel, but most of the talk following and since the race has been about how plucky the John Servis-trained colt was in his runner-up finish. It was his first 2005 race and his performance perhaps was compromised some by a foot injury, but he did finish second.

Servis was ecstatic with his colt's performance, saying he didn't think he'd ever been so happy with finishing second.

And Greater Good, trained by longtime conditioner Robert Holthus, ran his usual come-from-behind race to capture the Rebel and set up a possible return match in the Grade II Arkansas Derby at Oaklawn on April 16. Whether he'll be able to turn the trick one more time will lend a lot of interest to the 1 1/8-mile classic.

As for Greater Good's status, Holthus said, "I think he's the kind of horse that can go a mile and a quarter, and he certainly has the right running style because it looks like most of the competition is going to be on the lead." Holthus relies heavily on the fact his runner has never been beaten around two turns, and, he added, "We hope we'll be able to say that on the night of the first Saturday in May."

The big disappointment in the Rebel - which was billed as a clash among the race's Big Three - was heavy favorite Afleet Alex, who faded to last in the five-horse field after looming menacingly on the turn for home. It was found later that he was suffering from a lung infection so his return for a rematch in the Arkansas Derby will depend on how quickly he can recover.

Out West, another solid favorite fell by the wayside as Roman Ruler finished last in Santa Anita's San Felipe Stakes, won by Consolidator. Trainer Bob Baffert took Roman Ruler, who has been battling a quarter crack in his left front foot, off the Kentucky Derby trail. At the same time, Wilko, winner of the Bessemer Trust Breeders' Cup Juvenile, suffered a quarter crack in his left front foot to go along with one that has been healing in his right front. Trainer Craig Dollase still has the April 9 Santa Anita Derby in his sights but that will depend on how his colt responds to treatment.

San Felipe runner-up Giacomo and third-place finisher DON'T GET MAD appear set for a return in the Santa Anita Derby, but Consolidator appears to be heading for the April 16 Blue Grass Stakes at Keeneland. The son of Storm Cat won that track's Breeders Futurity in 2004 prior to finishing fourth in the B.C. Juvenile.

SURVIVALIST, making his stakes debut, captured Aqueduct's Gotham Stakes in a step along the Triple Crown trail for the Phipps Stable and trainer Shug McGaughey. GALLOPING GROCER was moved up to second through disqualification and NAUGHTY NEW YORKER was placed third on the DQ. SURVIVALIST and NAUGHTY NEW YORKER figure to be back for the Wood Memorial on April 9, but GALLOPING GROCER may show up at the Illinois Derby on the same day.

In Florida, Zito's SUN KING proved his heavy support by the bettors didn't go for naught with a rousing victory in the Tampa Bay Derby to close out the day's major Derby preps. It's likely he'll join Consolidator and Louisiana Derby winner HIGH LIMIT in the Blue Grass.

SATURDAY IS CLOSING DAY FOR LATE NOMINATIONS It's last call for late nominations to the Visa Triple Crown and $5 million Visa Triple Crown Challenge.

Late nominations, at $6,000 each, close at midnight Saturday. The early nomination period, with each costing $600, closed on Saturday, Jan. 22. There were 358 nominations during the early sign-up period.

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