MIAMI - It's graduation day at Hialeah Park. The 3-year-oldswho get the best grades in today's $300,000 Flamingo Stakes will geta jet ride to Kentucky where they can dine on the best blue grass.
Chances are it'll be favored Badger Land who'll be sitting infirst class. He has shown so much speed of late there is a reporthe's already set to line up for the Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs May 3.
Badger Land, owned by Jeff Lukas and Mel Hatley, stands at thehead of the class of 10 in the 57th running of the Flamingo (ESPN,3:30 p.m.). He looms as a 7-10 ($3.40) favorite for the winner'spurse share of $180,000. There'll probably be more people betting onhim than on the other nine competitors combined.
It's likely Badger Land will run away and hide from his rivalswith jockey Jorge Velasquez peeking back over his shoulder grinning,knowing that he just rode himself into the $700,000 Derby.
There's no mystery why Badger Land's owners put up $15,000 tomake him a supplementary nomination for this important and richstepping stone to the Derby. The same can't be said for the ownersof Cut By Glass, a supplementary nominee who has shown poor form. Hewas shipped here from California.
"He may like the strip better here," trainer Mike Crowder said."The strip is a bit harder out there."
From this corner it appears as though My Prince Charming, ahard-hitting consistent double stakes winner, and Bolshoi Boy, secondin the recent Louisiana Derby, should come in for a slice of theFlamingo purse.
Major Moran, Annapolis John, My Phillipe and Strong Performancewill be running on a hope and a prayer.
Two other two entrants, Lucky Rebeau and Big Jolt, have run somenice races.
Nine Flamingo winners - Lawrin, Citation, Needles, Tim Tam,Carry Back, Northern Dancer, Foolish Pleasure, Seattle Slew andSpectacular Bid - went on to capture the Derby. Citation and SeattleSlew won the Triple Crown.
It's also graduation day today at Aqueduct, where nine startersgo in the $250,000-plus Gotham Stakes. Those who can whip likelyfavored Tasso and improved Zableta can look forward to the Derby.
Those who finish out of the money will be sent after lessimportant stakes.
Tomorrow's $500,000 Santa Anita Derby is as important as theFlamingo and Gotham. Snow Chief, the early Derby favorite, can get afirmer grip on that position with a victory in a field of eight.
Snow Chief, listed as a 4-5 favorite in the track's morningline, is expected to make his next start in the Kentucky Derby - ifhe wins. If he loses, he may go to New Jersey for the Garden StateStakes April 19, then go on to Churchill Downs for the Derby.
Variety Road, Ferdinand and Icy Groom are expected to turn ingood efforts against Snow Chief. These colts have been winning, butnot against the Chief.
The Run for the Roses is developing into a tough race,especially if the big three, Snow Chief, Tasso and Badger Land, winthis weekend. If they win, quite a few 3-year-olds will beautomatically eliminated - at least in the minds of bettors.
There are so many owners hoping to get box seats on the basis ofrunning a starter in the Derby, a field of 20 - the Derby limit -based on winnings in major stakes may yet prevail.
A total of 23 horses have been entered in the Flamingo, Gothamand Santa Anita Derby. At least half of them figure to fail on theirreport cards. There are, however, other events to attract Derbyprospects in the next few weeks.
The $150,000 Cherry Hill Mile today drew Pilateer. If he winsor threatens, he can also be added to the Derby field. Hisstablemate, Mogambo, will run in the Gotham.
A Broken Down Horseplayer should know where he stands after theFlamingo, Gotham and Santa Anita results are in. If Badger Land,Snow Chief and Tasso win, selecting the Derby winner will be thatmuch more confusing.
And if a longshot wins one or two of the races, then it'sanybody's guess who'll get the roses Derby Day.
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