Santa Anita Derby

Southern Rhythm and Soul of the Matter are back on track after the $137,250 Lexington Stakes. Southern Rhythm came off the pace on the turn for home yesterday to win the Grade II race by 2 1/2 lengths over favored Soul of the Matter at Keeneland Race Course. They probably will make their next starts in the Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs on May 7 after their strong efforts in the last important Derby prep race. Garrett Gomez, who also rode Concern to victory in the Arkansas Derby on Saturday, was atop Southern Rhythm.

Can you say Fusaichi Pegasus? Try it: Foo-sah-EE-chi PEG-ah-sus. There you have it: The winner of the 126th Kentucky Derby, coming up Saturday at Churchill Downs. At least the big bay colt is the solid favorite in a Derby field that could reach the 20-horse maximum by Wednesday's post-position draw. And for good reason. He has won four straight races, four of five lifetime, and his only loss, in December as a 2-year-old, was by a neck. He is the 3-1 Derby pool favorite and holds a victory over the second favorite, The Deputy, recent winner of the $1 million Santa Anita Derby.

As Uncle Mo was finishing third in the Wood Memorial at Aqueduct over the weekend, race caller Tom Durkin exclaimed: "And the Kentucky Derby is up for grabs!" It sure is. With Uncle Mo losing for the first time, there's a new No. 1 in the Associated Press' latest Run to the Roses top 10 list of Derby contenders: The Factor. The speedy 3-year-old gray colt moves up from No. 3 and could wind up as the Derby favorite May 7 if he wins the $1 million Arkansas Derby on Saturday. The Factor has won his last three starts going wire-to-wire.

Five years ago, Kentucky Derby winner Spend A Buck, lured by a $2 million bonus, returned to Garden State as the heavy favorite in the Jersey Derby and prevailed in a thrilling finish. This year, the morning-line favorite for the Jersey Derby also came directly from the Kentucky Derby. But Video Ranger finished fourth in Louisville, more than 12 lengths behind Derby winner Unbridled. Eleven 3-year-olds were entered yesterday for the $500,000 Jersey Derby, to be run at 1 1/4 miles on Monday.

Hansen blew his chance to be a Kentucky Derby favorite, finishing second in the Blue Grass Stakes after a daylong art project in which the near-white colt's tail was dyed blue, only to be rinsed off before the race. After being beaten by Dullahan on the final weekend of major Derby preps, Hansen has been replaced by Union Rags at No. 1 on the AP's latest Run to the Roses' Top 10 list of contenders. Union Rags regained the top spot he held for most of the prep season before his third-place finish after a tough trip in the Florida Derby on March 31. Hansen, sent off as the 6-5 favorite in the 13-horse field, took the lead as expected but faded in the stretch as Dullahan rallied for a 11/4-length win over the synthetic Polytrack at Keeneland.

In one of three Kentucky Derby preps around the country on Saturday, Gemologist won the $1 million Wood Memorial for 3-year-olds at Aqueduct in New York, holding off Alpha by a neck to improve to 5 for 5. The latest victory makes the colt trained by Todd Pletcher one of the favorites for the Derby on May 5. Gemologist will enjoy an important advantage over many rivals in the Derby, having already won twice at Churchill Downs. He captured an allowance race and the Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes there to close out his 2-year-old season.

Derby fever is springing up all over. Owner Kendall Hansen has it now, saying he "can hardly work" as he counts down the week before his horse named Hansen runs in the Kentucky Derby on May 5. First, Hansen has one more prep race, and that's the Blue Grass Stakes on Saturday at Keeneland, about a 90-minute drive from Louisville. The near-white colt will be facing about a dozen rivals on the synthetic Polytrack, including fellow Derby hopefuls Dullahan and Howe Great. While Hansen remains No. 1 in the Associated Press' latest Run to the Roses' Top 10, Gemologist affirmed his No. 2 status ahead of No. 3 Union Rags with a hard-fought win in the Wood Memorial at Aqueduct on Saturday.

Download our bettors' guide and in-depth look at the Kentucky Derby here : LOUISVILLE, Ky. - The best way to understand a race is to envision how it will be run. I have decided that Goldencents is fast enough to clear Saturday's Kentucky Derby field in the first few hundred yards, set moderate fractions and be in front from start to finish. Whenever you can find a quality horse that possesses an attribute that is different from the other logical contenders, you have a live play.

With the return of live racing and pleasant weather, Delaware Park was crowded yesterday on the first of 137 programs scheduled this season. Although the eight thoroughbred races included only 45 starters, the featured $75,000 Sweet and Sassy Stakes offered a blanket finish won by extreme long shot Travel Plans. Owned by the Liberty Stable and trained by Sandra Slivka, the 23-1 Travel Plans held off repeated challenges down the stretch to prevail by a neck under Kendrick Carmouche.

Sham Stakes winner Ravel has an injured left front leg and is off the Kentucky Derby trail. Ravel, a winner in two of three career starts under trainer Todd Pletcher, injured his left front cannon bone, which lies between the knee and the fetlock joint. The highly regarded colt, a son of 2000 Derby winner Fusaichi Pegasus, was set to run in the Santa Anita Derby on April 7 - a final prep before the Derby on May 5 at Churchill Downs. Pletcher said it was "hard to tell" the extent of Ravel's injury.