Apr 5, 2007, 19:10 GMT
Cicero, IL - Top California trainer Doug O'Neill brings two colts from the West Coast to head Saturday's $500,000 Illinois Derby at Hawthorne. The 1 1/8 mile race for three-year-olds has attracted a field of nine Kentucky Derby hopefuls.
San Felipe Stakes winner Cobalt Blue and Family Talk are trained by O'Neill who is best known as the conditioner of Lava Man and 2006 champion sprinter Thor's Echo. Cobalt Blue goes after his third straight victory while Family Talk is making his stakes debut.
'He's very versatile, an impressive trainer and advanced mentally for his age,' O'Neill said about Cobalt Blue. Owned by Merv Griffin, Cobalt Blue has won three of four career starts for $207,000.
Top jockey Victor Espinoza returns to ride the chestnut colt. Cobalt Blue is the 9-5 favorite in the morning line and will start from post 5.
O'Neill will let Espinoza decide where the three-year-old will be sit during the running of the Illinois Derby.
'We were allowed an easy lead in the San Felipe,' noted O'Neill, 'but this horse is pretty much push button. I think he can run from anywhere.'
Family Talk will break from post 8 with Terry Thompson in the saddle. Owned by Leatherman Racing and Jason Wood, the bay colt is 20-1 in the morning line.
'I think the distance will suit him,' O'Neill said. 'He's more lanky and rangy than Cobalt Blue and needs more ground to get rolling, but even if he's not yet on Cobalt Blue's level I think he can get a piece of a pretty good purse.'
Family Talk has three career starts with one win and a third for $32.790.
The 5-2 second choice is Gotham Stakes winner Cowtown Cat. The colt will break from post 4 with Fernando Jara in the saddle. Jara returns from a successful trip to Dubai where he guided Horse of the year Invasor to victory in the $6 million Dubai World Classic.
The chestnut colt has earned $188,463 for owners WinStar Farm and Gulf Coast Farms in six starts with three wins. In February he was third to Adore the Gold in the Swale Stakes at Gulfstream Park as the 3-2 favorite.
'He did a lot of things for the first time in the Gotham and I thought he was very professional,' said Seth Benzel, assistant to trainer Todd Pletcher. 'As these three-year-olds get closer to the Kentucky Derby, you want to see them make strides and mature. I thought he showed a lot in the Gotham and whether the end result is the Kentucky Derby or not, this is a colt with a ton of natural ability and hes only going to get better.'
'He exited the Gotham the way you would want him to.' Benzel continued. 'His energy level's been high, he looks good and I'm sure his best days are ahead of him.'
Cowtown Cat is also entered in the Wood Memorial on Saturday at Aqueduct. He is expected to pass that race and run at Hawthorne.
Trainer Ken McPeek brings in Hutcheson Stakes runner-up Bold Start to the Illinois Derby. Owned by Lawrence Carroll, Bold Start is the 9-2 third pick in the program and will be ridden by Larry Melancon from the two hole.
'I always thought this horse had the talent, we just keep looking for a way to harness it,' McPeek stated. 'We have to find out if we have a serious Kentucky Derby contender and I think his performance in the Illinois Derby might determine that.'
Bold Start has two wins in eight lifetime starts for $111,500. Earlier this year he finished more than 15 lengths behind Nobiz Like Shobiz in the Holy Bull Stakes at Gulfstream Park. This will be the colt's first try in a two- turn race.
Completing the field in post position order are Sacrifice Bunt, Jesse Campbell 12-1; Reporting for Duty, Christopher A. Emigh 15-1; Quite Acceptable, Ramsey Zimmerman 20-1; Catman Running, Willie Martinez 8-1 and Love Dubai, Miguel Mena 15-1.
The 50th Illinois Derby has a post-time of 5:11 p.m. (et) and will be broadcast by NBC.
In 2002 War Emblem followed his win in this race with victories in the Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes.
© 2007 The Sports Network
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