A P Valentine's story is almost too good to be true. Rick Pitino bought the yearling when he was employed in Boston. Louisville, so he will be the local favorite. Dollar Bill has a local connection because his trainer, Dallas Stewart, is based at Churchill Downs, and he has had bad racing luck in his last two starts. Songandaprayer is owned in part by Bobby Hurley, better known as one of the Duke Blue Devils who broke Kentucky's heart in the 1992 NCAA Tournament.
Someone has to.
Might as well be most anyone in the definite field of 16 with a growing list of possible entrants. If he wins, Point Given would become the first Santa Anita Derby champ since Sunday Silence in 1989 to wear the roses. No other Santa Anita Derby horses are in the race. If he wins, Congaree, Point Given's stablemate in trainer Bob Baffert's barn, will become the second consecutive Wood Memorial winner to wear the roses following Fusaichi Pegasus. That's the highest Beyer in a Derby prep this spring.