Derby News

Bob Baffert has two of his Kentucky Derby hopefuls running in prep races Saturday, Bob and John in the $750,000 Wood Memorial (G1) at Aqueduct and Point Determined in the $750,000 Santa Anita Derby (G1).

The three-time Derby winning trainer planned to be in New York to saddle Bob and John in the 1 1/8-mile Wood, and sounded glad to be away from Santa Anita, where Brother Derek has been racing's top 3-year-old and is the odds-on favorite in the Santa Anita Derby.

"It will be good to get away from Brother Derek," Baffert said.

But there are other issues in New York, such as a forecast of rain early Saturday.

"I'm not sure how he'll handle a wet track," Baffert said.

Bob and John, named for owner Stonerside Stable owner Bob McNair and racing manager John Adger, comes into the Wood off a third-place finish in the San Felipe Stakes (G2).

The son of Seeking the Gold was the morning-line 2-1 favorite in a field of nine, which will be run without Gotham Stakes winner Like Now (fever) and unbeaten Showing Up (sore right front leg).

The defections took the top two speed horses out of the race, leaving either Keyed Entry or Deputy Glitters, the second and third choices, respectively, to perhaps take charge at the start.

"There's a chance we could wind up finding ourselves in front," Deputy Glitters trainer Tom Albertrani said of his Tampa Bay Derby (G3) winner. "I wouldn't be too worried about that if it did happen. I think the best thing to do is let the horse run his own race where he'll be comfortable."

Deputy Glitters, starting from the No. 4 post, just outside Keyed Entry, will be ridden by 21-year-old Jose Lezcano, a native of Panama and the leading rider at Tampa Bay Downs.

Keyed Entry, meanwhile, will be ridden by Edgar Prado, among the nation's leading riders.

Until the gate opens, it's hard to figure what to expect from the colt trained by Todd Pletcher.

"It depends on what Todd decides to do," said Jack Wolf of Starlight Stable, which owns Keyed Entry along with Paul Saylor and John Lucarelli.

With Like Now sidelined, trainer Kiaran McLaughlin will run Jazil in place of his Gotham Stakes (G3) winner. Shadwell Stable's Jazil is a maiden winner trying to rebound from a seventh place finish in the Fountain of Youth (G2) at Gulfstream Park.

"He's done well at Aqueduct before," McLaughlin said. 'He's not a bleeder but he bled through Lasix in the Fountain of Youth. We got him out of Florida and brought him up here right away.

Fernando Jara, who was aboard Like Now in his Gotham win, gets the call on Jazil.

Also in the field are Greeley's Legacy, Platinum Couple, Niagara Causeway, Marco's Tale and Scanlon's Song.

Donald Flangan's Greeley's Legacy was fourth in the Gotham in his stakes debut and trainer George Weaver is confident for the Wood.

"He fits with these horses," the trainer said. 'He just needs to step his game up a notch."

Marco's Tale, a last minute addition at entry time, is coming off a pair of nine-furlong victories but faces a tough task in the final major East Coast Derby prep.

"I am going with 40 years of experience in knowing what a good horses is," trainer Rene Araya said. 'This is a nice horse and he is doing well."

Araya claimed the horse for $50,000 late last year for owner Paul Pompa.

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