Derby Updates

DUBAI/DERBY LIKELY FOR DISCREET CAT AFTER DECISIVE WIN - As Godophin's Discreet Cat barreled across the finish line six lengths ahead of the field in Saturday's $2 million UAE Derby (Group II), Nad Al Sheba track announcer Terry Spargo shouted the question on everyone's mind: "Is it Louisville next?"

Godolphin Racing Manager Simon Crisford had sought to dampen expectations prior to the race, saying that their lightly raced son of Forestry needed more time to mature and might be best suited to shorter distances. But following Saturday's decisive victory under jockey Frankie Dettori, Crisford had a different outlook.

"It was very, very impressive," said Crisford. "He's got such talent. Obviously, all our options are open for him, including the Kentucky Derby."

Godophin owner Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum said a decision on a trip to Kentucky should come soon.

"We'll have to see how he comes out of the race and then we'll decide," he said.

Discreet Cat is now unbeaten in three races. He scored an impressive win in his lone start as a 2-year-old in a Saratoga maiden race for trainer Stan Hough. Godolphin purchased the colt privately after that win and Discreet Cat finally made his return to competition in a romp in a one-mile race at Nad al Sheba on March 9.

Discreet Cat would be the first Godolphin runner in the Kentucky Derby since Dubai Millennium finished 9th in 2002. The Maktoums had at least one Derby starter from 1999-2002.

The Saeed bin Suroor-trained Kentucky-bred earned $1.2 million for the victory, raising his career earnings to $1,246,500. Stablemate Testimony, also nominated to the Triple Crown, finished second under jockey Garrett Gomez with Japan's Flamme de Passion finishing third.

MIDWEST/WITH A CITY UPSETS IN LANE'S END - With no clear favorite in Saturday's $500,000 Lane's End (Grade II) following the defection of John Oxley's Strong Contender due to insufficient earnings, handicappers and horseplayers across the country declared Turfway Park's marquee Kentucky Derby prep a wide open affair.

That assessment was underscored when Equirace.com's With A City ($99.60), the longest shot on the board at odds of 48-1, won the race by 1 ¼-lengths over William Farish Jr.'s Seaside Retreat.

Equirace.com owner Ron Peltz purchased the chestnut son of City Zip prior to his previous start in Turfway's John Battaglia Memorial, and is now set to have his first Kentucky Derby starter. Peltz wrote the check for $6,000 immediately following the race to make With A City a late nominate to the Kentucky Derby and Triple Crown.

"Everybody told me I was crazy when I bought this horse privately for $150,000," Peltz said. "But I always loved this horse."

With A City's win netted $300,000. The win was his fourth in 12 lifetime starts and raised his career earnings to $359,680.

Trained by Mike Maker, With A City covered the 1 1/8-mile distance in 1:51.11 over the polytrack surface at the northern Kentucky track. Mark Stanley's Malameeze rallied for third while English invader Silent Times (IRE), sent off as the post time favorite at odds of 7-2, never fired and finished 11th in the field of 12.

Jockey Brice Blanc, who rode With A City for the first time, was impressed with the colt's demeanor going into the race and said he should handle the Derby distance of a mile and a quarter.

"Even though I didn't know him, he seemed very confident in the paddock," Blanc said. "He trains at Churchill, so he shouldn't have any trouble running there. He acts like any distance is a possibility."

After a rash of favorites prevailed in the early goings of the Derby trail, With a City is the latest in a string of outsiders to join the crowd. Last week saw John Dillon's homebred Like Now ($74.50) upset the field in the Gotham (GIII) and Joseph Lacombe's Deputy Glitters ($18.80) turn the tables on heavy favored Discreet Cat in the Tampa Bay Derby (GIII).

Joining With A City in Saturday's upset parade was Twin Oak's Our Peak ($149.80), who scored a neck victory in the $85,000 Private Terms at Maryland's Laurel Park. The son of Peaks and Valleys went off at odds of 73-1 in his stakes debut and covered the mile in 1:36.66 under apprentice jockey Rosie Napravnik for trainer Katy Voss.

High Cotton Back on Track With Rushaway Win - Peachtree Stable's High Cotton ($8.80) rebounded from a dull performance in a recent Gulfstream allowance to score a gate-to-wire 2 ¼-length win in Saturday's $100,000 Rushaway Stakes on the Lane's End undercard.

Runner-up in both the Iroquois (GIII) and Kentucky Jockey Club (GII) last fall at Churchill Downs, the Todd Pletcher trainee bled and was eased in his first start of his 3-year-old campaign. The son of Dixie Union handled the mile and a sixteenth in 1:45.19 with Robert Baker and William Mack's Special Interest, a maiden for trainer D. Wayne Lukas, finishing second and Bear Stable's Bear Character another length back in third.

With Pletcher's first-call rider John Velazquez riding in Dubai, jockey Chris DeCarlo was aboard High Cotton.

"Todd's horses give 100 percent every time," DeCarlo said. "He didn't break as alertly as I would have liked, but I was able to secure good position by the turn and on the backstretch he was just cruising along."

The win improved High Cotton's record to 2-2-1 from seven lifetime starts. The winner's purse of $62,000 raised his career earnings to $160,450.

EAST/TOP CONTENDERS TURN IN FINAL WORKS FOR FLORIDA DERBY - The top contenders for Saturday's $1 million Florida Derby (GI) turned in their final preparations this weekend and early Monday morning.

Lael Stables' Barbaro, winner of the Holy Bull (GIII) and likely favorite in the Florida Derby, turned in his last major work Monday morning, traveling a half mile in :48 at the Palm Meadows training facility. The Michael Matz-trained son of Dynaformer ins undefeated in four lifetime starts, but will look for just his second win over the main track after three victories on the turf to begin his career. The half-mile blowout was the second fastest move of 15 at the distance.

Also working four furlongs Monday morning was West Point Thoroughbred's Flashy Bull, second last out in the Fountain of Youth (GII) following the disqualification of Corinthian. The Kiaran McLaughlin-trained son of Holy Bull completed the distance in:49.80.

Trainer Todd Pletcher's two shooters for Saturday's race, Aaron and Marie Jones' Sunriver and Dogwood Stables' Saint Augustus turned in their final efforts on Sunday as each worked five furlongs in 1:01 at Palm Meadows. Both horses are coming off 1 1/8-mile allowance wins over the Gulfstream strip.

Purdedel Stable's Swale Stakes (GII) winner Sharp Humor worked five furlongs Saturday at Palm Meadows in 1:01.40 for trainer Dale Romans.

Others considered likely for the 55th renewal of the Florida Derby include Dixiana Stables' High Blues, J. Robert Harris Jr.'s Rehoboth, My Meadowview Stable's Doc Cheney and Marc Wexler's Charming Image.

WEST/BROTHER DEREK STILL SHARP FOR SANTA ANITA DERBY - Cecil Peacock's Brother Derek showed no signs of slipping from his perch as the favorite for the $750,000 Santa Anita Derby (GI) as he turned in a sharp six-furlong move in 1:11 under jockey Alex Solis on Sunday.

The effort earned a "bullet" designation as the fastest of five moves at the distance, but more notably it also earned a "breezing" designation from the Santa Anita clockers as the fastest of the day. Most works in California are given the more vigorous "handily" tag.

"He was well off the rail and he looked pretty awesome," Santa Anita clocker Gary Nelson said. "He (Solis) had such a hold on him."

"He did it just about like the last few works," trainer Dan Hendricks said. "We'll come back next week with a three-quarters or so work Saturday or Sunday and we're all set."

Bob Baffert trainees Point Determined and Bob and John, second and third respectively in the San Felipe (GII), both worked a half-mile on Monday morning. Point Determined, owned by the Estate of Robert Lewis and Beverly Lewis, managed the four panels in :46.80 with Bob and John going a second slower.

Baffert said Bob and John is likely for the Santa Anita Derby while plans for Point Determined are still undecided.

"I might have to give him an extra week," Baffert said of the son of Point Given, "but I might stay here."

Also working Monday morning was Amerman Racing's Sacred Light. A fast closing second behind Brother Derek in the Santa Catalina (GII) last out, the David Hofmans-trained son of Holy Bull worked seven furlongs "handily" at Hollywood Park in 1:25.

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