Contenders

Jerry Hollendorfer

A native of Akron, Ohio, Hollendorfer came to Northern California in the late 1960s to visit friends and never left. After working for trainers Jerry Dutton and Jerry Fanning, he first took out his trainer's license in 1979. He has collected numerous training titles at Golden Gate Fields and Bay Meadows, and in 2001 he won the Arlington Park trainer's title. He has developed the stakes winners Lite Light, King Glorious, Pike Place Dancer, Event Of The Year and Globalize. He and his wife, Janet, are residents of Redwood City, Calif. His lone Derby starter was Eye of the Tiger, fifth in 2003.

Javier Castellano

Castellano was born Oct 23, 1977 in Maracaibo, Venezuela. His father and uncle were riders in his home country, where the young Castellano first rode in 1996. He began riding in North America in 1997, and his brother Abel rides on the mid-Atlantic circuit. He was leading rider at Calder on two separate occasions, as well as at Hialeah and Aqueduct. In 2005, he won 206 races with $12,507,012 in purses, which was good for sixth nationally. His biggest career victory was in 2004 the Breeders' Cup Classic (GI) aboard Horse of the Year Ghostzapper. He won the 2003 Clark Handicap (GII) for trainer Nick Zito at Churchill Downs. His lone start in the Kentucky Derby was a seventh place finish aboard favored Bellamy Road in 2005.

Mark DeDomenico, Mark Jelladian & Dan and Jerry Todaro

John R. Penn (KY)

Flashy Bull was sired by 3-year-old champion and Horse of the Year Holy Bull. Undefeated as a two-year-old, Holy Bull won the seven furlong Futurity (GI) and the 1 1/16 mile In Reality Stakes. At three, he won graded stakes from seven furlongs (Hutcheson-GII) to 1 1/4 miles (Travers GI). He ran twelfth as the favorite in the 1994 Kentucky Derby. Bwana Bull comes from his ninth crop of racing age. Holy Bull son's, champion 2-year-old Macho Uno in 2000 and 2005 Kentucky Derby longshot winner Giacomo, are two of at least 29 stakes winners sired by the gray son of Great Above.

Bwana Bull is out of Shahalo, who was unplaced in two starts. She’s been quite a broodmare, however, as she’s had three winners from six foals, including Bwana Charlie, a Steve Assmussen trained sprinter that won the Amsterdam (GII) and Lafayette (GIII); and also the stakes placed Ten Halos. Their dam, the British bred White Mischief, was also a Grade 3 winner, but competed very well at the longer distances, finishing third in the Matriarch (GI). Shahalo’s stamina comes from her sire Halo, who himself sired Derby winners Sunny’s Halo and Sunday Silence.

Dosage Index: 3.40 - by Mark Hoard

BWANA BULL will be one of the longest shots in the field come post time Saturday. This could be for a few reasons: he was supposed to run in the Derby Trial last weekend, but had to scratch after getting an ugly looking, but luckily superficial cut on his hind leg; he’s a Grade 3 winner, but that came against admittedly lighter competition in northern California; and his Speed Figures, though on the improve, don’t match up well with most of his foes. He has seemed to do pretty well since arriving at Churchill Downs, and looked pretty comfortable and alert schooling in the paddock Wednesday. His trainer usually doesn’t spot horses where they don’t belong, and jockey Mark Guidry won the Kentucky Oaks last year, but the feeling is here that a case of “Derby Fever” has put the son of Holy Bull in a very challenging spot.