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The 73^rd running of the Santa Anita Derby will take place this Saturday and a field of 10 will enter the starting gate with Looking at Lucky the probably post-time favorite.  Trainer Bob Baffert had several options with the Smart Strike colt, but decided that the time from the SA Derby to the KY Derby better suited his horse.  Look at Lucky comes off probably his most impressive win in the Grade 2 Rebel and is once again the horse to beat.  However, the other horses are not just going to lay down to him.

Sidney’s Candy was very impressive in his first start around two turns.  He set the pace, opened up in the stretch and then held well to beat Interactif and the previously unbeaten Caracortado.  Sidney’s Candy enjoyed his own way up front in the San Felipe and could again fall into that trip on Saturday.  Who’s Up may be the horse to pressure Sidney’s Candy, but his best race was sitting just off the pace.  Not far behind those two should be Lookin at Lucky, who may get the best trip.

Three horses that will be hoping for a contested pace are Setsuko, Caracortado, and Alphie’s Bet.  Both Setsuko and Alphie’s Bet exit the Sham Stakes with Alphie’s Bet coming in first over Setsuko.  The pace of that race was one full second quicker than the San Felipe where Caracortado could not make up any ground.  Again the trainers of these three have to be aware of the pace situation on Saturday or else they will be left with too much to do.

One aspect of this race to keep in mind is graded earnings.  Right now both Lookin at Lucky and Sidney’s Candy are ranked in the top 20.  Lookin at Lucky is guaranteed a starting spot in the Derby, but Sidney’s Candy needs a good placing as he is at the bottom of the list.  Setsuko, Caracortado, and Alphie’s Bet on the other hand are not in the top 20 and thus would need to finish in the top three.  This could mean these three will be trying their hardest to get to the wire first.  Bob Baffert has the luxury that he can make sure this race is used as a stepping stone to a month from now.

The Santa Anita Derby goes as race six on the day on their 11 race card, which means it kicks off the pick-6.  Also on Saturday there will be guaranteed $500,000 pick-4 pool on the last four races.  The pick-4 includes the Grade 2 Potrero Grande Handicap and the Grade 2 Providencia.  The Potrero Grande is a wide-open race where any one of the nine can win.  Ventana could start favored after finishing second in back-to-back races to Bob Black Jack and Kinsale King.  BBJ has since been retired, but Kinsale just won the Golden Shaheen in Dubai.  The Providencia looks equally as tough, but City to City, Andina, and In the Slips should take most of the wagering action.

First post time for Saturday is 3:00 EST with the Santa Anita Derby scheduled for 5:36 and the late pick-4 getting underway at 6:37.

The Lane’s End stakes for three-year-olds is this Saturday at Turfway Park and the 10 horses entered are hopeful to follow the same path as Hard Spun did in 2007 when he used the Lane’s End as a stepping stone to finishing second in the Derby.  This year’s edition drew a field of 10 and could be mistaken for a race in California or Florida.  Seven horses exit races in those two states, two ship- in from Louisiana and only Vow to Wager ran in the local prep, the Battaglia Memorial.  Vow to Wager didn’t cross the line first, but was put up via disqualification.  The race really is wide open and any one of the 10 could win.  Both Doubles Partner and Northern Giant are interesting.  They should be able to sit just off the speed and be in good position turning for home.  Dean’s Kitten constantly runs into trouble and may just put himself there, but he might deserve one more shot.  Connemara is the post-time favorite and could win, but his last was not that visually impressive.

Sunday’s Kentucky Derby prep race is the Sunland Derby at Sunland Park.  Last year Mine That Bird ran in the Sunland Derby before his win in the Derby at Churchill.  This year Conveyance, from the Bob Baffert stable, is going to try to win both races.  One thing Conveyance might not get is an easy pace up front.  Pressure could come from Tempted to Tapit, who drew post nine, outside of Conveyance.  Storming Saint is the local hope.  He won the Borderland Derby via disqualification in his last, but will be a long shot on Sunday.  Nacho Friend may be a decent price and could upset the top two.  He ran third in the Gotham behind Awesome Act and came to Sunland prior to this race to have a workout over the track.  He could tuck in just behind Conveyance and hope someone softens the pace up front.

If there is anything that can take horse racing fans away from the Kentucky Derby trail, it’s the Dubai World Cup on Saturday.  This year there are seven stakes races highlighted by the $10 million World Cup.  Each race has 10 or more entrants with three of them having 16.  The World Cup drew a field of 14 featuring U.S.-based horses Gio Pointi, Furthest Land, and Richard’s Kid.  The field also includes Gitano Hernando, Twice Over and Mastery.  The morning line favorite is Gio Ponti and he has already proven he can run on a synthetic surface with his second at the Breeders’ Cup.  A long shot to consider is the filly Red Desire.  She is a Japanese-bred and has never been off the board in her eight career starts.  In her last she was able to defeat to transfer her form to the Tapeta surface and won the local prep.  It should be a great race and will go to post around 1:45 ET.

There are U.S.-based horses in many of the other races on the card, which gets under way at 9:20 ET.  Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint winner California Flag is entered in the first race and has a decent shot to win.  The other U.S.-based horses include Kinsale King in the Golden Shaheen; Justenuffhumor, Courageous Cat, The Usual Q.T., and Take the Points in the Dubai Duty Free; and Presious Passion in the Dubai Sheema Classic.  The card features rolling pick-3’s as well as a pick-6 and a late daily double.

There are three Kentucky Derby prep races this weekend and most eyes will be on the Louisiana Derby at the Fair Grounds.  Last year the eventual Kentucky Derby favorite, Friesan Fire, powered his way to a decisive score only to finish 18 of 19 in the Derby.  Winners of the Louisiana Derby have not seemed to fair well on the first Saturday in May, but this year may be different as the race was moved back two weeks to be closer to the Derby.  This year’s edition drew a field of 13 and includes the LeComte winner, Ron the Greek, the Risen Star winner, Discreetly Mine, and several new shooters.

In addition to Ron the Greek and Discreetly Mine, three others that ran in the Risen Star are entered in the Louisiana Derby.  Despite only having a maiden and first level allowance win Drosselmeyer went off as the post time favorite.  He ran on the inside of the track, off the pace, but did not have a rally and finished fourth.  Stay Put raced wide the entire race for his fifth place finish and Hotep was a non-threatening 10^th.  After winning the LeComte Ron the Greek could only manage a sixth place finish, but may have been up against the pace.  Discreetly Mine set manageable fractions with little to no pressure and took the race gate to wire.  However, this time around Discreetly Mine should not have an easy pace.

Wow Wow Wow looked imposing on his way to the gate in the Gotham, but when he popped the gate he went straight to the lead and set swift fractions that were his undoing.  The two best races of his career have come on the lead so he is likely to go to the front.  One of those two races was at the Fair Grounds with John Jacinto aboard, which is the scenario on Saturday.  Another likely to race close to the pace is the Santa Anita shipper, The Program.  The Program was very well bet in the Sham, made the lead entering the stretch, but was passed by both Setsuko and Alphie’s Bet.  The Program is making his first start on the dirt, but that should not be a problem for the Bob Baffert trainee.  Jockey Martin Garcia is going to have to make a decision early as he is drawn inside of the other speed as well as just inside of A Little Warm.  A Little Warm is making his first start around two turns after finishing second to D’Funnybone in the Grade 2 Hutcheson.

With the expected pace the race should set up well for Ron the Greek and Stay Put.  Drosselmeyer should also be in a good stalking position if he can manage the outside post.  The others are up against it class wise, but anyone could upset.  Last week Ice Box for Nick Zito and Jose Lezcano won the Florida Derby as a long shot and they team up here with Fly Down.

The Louisiana Derby goes as race 10 on their 13 race card.  The card also includes five other stakes races led by the Grade 2 New Orleans Handicap and the Grade 2 Mervyn Muniz Jr. handicap.  The New Orleans didn’t get Friesan Fire, but did draw Stonehouse, Grindstone and Giant Oak.  They finished one-two-three in the Mineshaft, which is the local prep.  They may not go favored though as recent 109 speed figure Battle Plan for Todd Pletcher was also entered.  Star Guitar has won six in a row and 12 of 15, but hasn’t done well versus open company.  The Muniz looks like a great betting race with Yate’s Black Cat, Jet Propulsion, El Caballo, and Blues Street.

The two feature graded races this weekend at Santa Anita are on the turf with the Grade 2 San Luis Rey Handicap on Saturday and the Grade 2 Santa Ana on Sunday.  The San Luis Rey is for older horses at 12 furlongs and the Santa Ana is nine furlongs for fillies and mares.

The San Luis Rey is led by the winner of San Luis Obispo Handicap, Bourbon Bay.  Bourbon Bay has flourished as a four-year-old, winning both of his starts this year after going winless in 2009.  Jockey Rafael Bejarano should have the gelding in a good stalking spot throughout their mile and one-half journey.  Sudden War set the pace in the SL Obispo and probably needed that start as a prep for this race.  He will try to lead them as far as he can.  High Court Drama is an interesting horse.  He ran a winning race in his last only to be overtaken late by the favorite Loup Breton.

Tuscan Evening is likely to be a strong favorite on Sunday.  She has won three of her last four, and five of seven on this turf course.  Bejarano could sweep the two races as he gets the call on the Hollendorfer mare.  The only knock may be that her lone start at this distance resulted in her worst finish.  She didn’t settle in the John C. Mabee at Del Mar and faded, finishing eight lengths behind the winner.  Cat by the Tale, on the other hand, will love the return to nine furlongs.  She is two-for-three at the distance and her lone loss was by a nose.  April Pride was the pick in her last, but that was in October and she has never been more than a mile.  If she can relax she could make a good run, but off the layoff she is likely to be a little keen.  General Consensus gets tested for class today, but hardly runs a bad race and Treat Gently could be dangerous for Bill Mott and Garrett Gomez.  Tuscan Evening is the one to beat, but it won’t be easy.