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Photo By: Four Footed Fotos

First Samurai will make his first start on the 2006 Kentucky Derby trail when he lines up in Saturday's Gr. II Hutcheson Stakes at Gulfstream Park

While longer prep races are usually considered the more important prep races for horses pointing toward the mile-and-a-quarter Run for the Roses on the first Saturday in May, on the first Saturday in February in south Florida, it is the 7 1/2-furlong Hutcheson Stakes that will be the most important three-year-old race of the day on a program decorated with three-year-old prep races.

The grade II extended sprint attracted a field of eight, none more accomplished than Bruce Lunsford and Landsdon Robbins III's First Samurai. Unbeaten in the first four races of his career, including the grade I Hopeful at Saratoga and the grade I Champagne at Belmont Park, the son of Giant's Causeway finished third in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile--his only defeat.

Trainer Frank Brothers, who has developed many top horses including three-year-old Hansel, took that loss in stride and appears to be philosophical but optimistic heading into tomorrow's race.

"I'm looking for him to run well off the bench," he told Daily Racing Form, "hope he does it the right way and comes out well."

The likely odds-on favorite will be ridden for the first time by Edgar Prado, who replaces the recently retired Jerry Bailey.

While trainers like Nick Zito admit that First Samurai will take some beating, several sophomore rivals appear headed the right way, including Zito's Fabled. Purchased by Tracy Farmer for $325,000 as a yearling, Fabled, a son of Tale of the Cat, won his first two races before settling for second as the favorite in a Gulfstream allowance.

"I like my horse..." Zito was quoted as saying. "He's training well...had a couple of great works since his last race, and I like that he's drawn outside of First Samurai.”

The field for the Hutcheson Stakes, the eighth race on the 11-race program, in post position order will be: City Attraction, Keyed Entry, Catcominatcha, Express News, Almost Certain, Blazing Rate, the favorite First Samurai and, on the outside, Fabled.

One race later, a full field will line up for the mile and an eighth, grade III Holy Bull. Named for the three-year-old champion and Horse of the Year, the field includes one offspring of the gray wonder, West Point Stable's Flashy Bull, who was second in the grade II Remsen at the same distance last fall.

"A son of Holy Bull winning the Holy Bull Stakes...sounds good to me," trainer Kiaran McLaughlin laughed. "He's training good...this horse has always been a very correct individual, and now he's coming along mentally as well as physically."

Other top contenders include Lael Stable's homebred Barbaro, winner of the Tropical Park Derby and undefeated in three lifetime starts--all on turf.

The field For the Holy Bull, from rail to outside includes: Big Lover, Doctor Decherd, Sunriver, Hemingway's Key, Barbaro, Fagan's Legacy, Saint Augustus, Flashy Bull, My Golden Song, Itsallboutthechase, Rehoboth and Park Avenue Prince.

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