DERBY NEWS (4/28): Interactif, Endorsement OUT; Draw at noon..

[Alan07]

www.NBCSports.com will also cover the draw live.

[slotdirt]

The only thing I'd add on the earnings system is that Rock Hard Ten had exactly one on-the-board finish in a graded race to this point of his career - a 3rd (DQ'd from second) in the SA Derby. Setsuko's already finished second in two of the bigger SoCal preps for the Derby. Similarly, Sunday Break had a third in the Wood coming into the Derby - again, Setsuko had superior credentials.

[philcski]

Originally Posted by slotdirt

The only thing I'd add on the earnings system is that Rock Hard Ten had exactly one on-the-board finish in a graded race to this point of his career - a 3rd (DQ'd from second) in the SA Derby. Setsuko's already finished second in two of the bigger SoCal preps for the Derby. Similarly, Sunday Break had a third in the Wood coming into the Derby - again, Setsuko had superior credentials.

Raise the purses in SoCal.

[slotdirt]

Isn't Santa Anita considering a switch back to real dirt anyway? Eliminating synthetics would get rid of worthless graded earnings from awful races like the El Camino Real, the Lane's End, and the Blue Grass. Aside from Hard Spun, what worthwhile Derby entrant in the synthetics era earned their entry card in any of those three races and then went on to actually run well at Churchill?

[parsixfarms]

Originally Posted by slotdirt

Isn't Santa Anita considering a switch back to real dirt anyway? Eliminating synthetics would get rid of worthless graded earnings from awful races like the El Camino Real, the Lane's End, and the Blue Grass. Aside from Hard Spun, what worthwhile Derby entrant in the synthetics era earned their entry card in any of those three races and then went on to actually run well at Churchill?

Couldn't you say the same thing about races like the Wood Memorial, Louisiana Derby and Illinois Derby?