Tropical Park Derby J

The first graded stakes race of the new year for three-year-olds, the
Tropical Park Derby (G3), will be run on Sunday at Calder. BARBARO (Dynaformer),
the undefeated winner of the Laurel Futurity, and YANKEE MASTER (Yankee Victor),
a head shy of being unbeaten in three grass starts, are the logical top
choices, but we like LEWIS MICHAEL (Rahy) for all the marbles at a price.

Trained by the ever-dangerous Wayne Catalano, Lewis Michael has been a good
horse from the get-go, dueling nip-and-tuck before finishing a close second to
eventual Cradle S. winner Laity (Pulpit) in his debut, then winning a two-turn
turf race by a measured length in his next start. The bay colt made a huge move
turning for home, took the lead between calls, then was nailed on the wire while
facing first-level allowance foes at Keeneland. In his most recent start, Lewis
Michael rallied strongly through the lane to win the grassy Grand Canyon H. at
Churchill Downs. With the probability of a strong early pace in this 1 1/8-mile
test, Lewis Michael projects a ground-saving stalking trip and could surprise at
10-1 on the morning line.

Barbaro impressively broke his maiden by a widening 8 1/2 lengths in near
front-running fashion at Delaware Park, then ran an almost identical race,
winning the Laurel Futurity by eight lengths 43 days ago. The Michael Matz
trainee has yet to be seriously challenged in two starts on the turf and has
been training forwardly in the interim. He figures to be in the mix early and is
the one to fear under Edgar Prado.

Yankee Master was a good-looking winner on the grass in his debut at Belmont
Park, then rolled to a five-length victory in the Bourbon S. over good ground at
Keeneland. The Linda Rice-trained colt stalked the early pace before just
missing as the odds-on choice while drifting out late in the Kris S. S. over
this course in his last start. Yankee Master has an effective stalk-and-pounce
running style and looms a threat beneath Rafael Bejarano.

WISE RIVER (Belong To Me) won his first two starts on the turf, then finished
a troubled, even third to our top choice in Louisville last out. The Joan
Scott-trained colt owns a nice, late turn of foot and could light the board at a
price. The speedy MR. SILVER (Concorde’s Tune) set the pace before finishing
third, beaten 1 1/2 lengths, in the Kris S. last out. The gray will likely try to
take this field from flag fall to that’s all, but our concern is that he may not
want to go this far.

The Todd Pletcher-trained WEDDING SINGER (Songandaprayer) finished second to
Yankee Master in the Bourbon and a distant sixth as the 2-1 favorite to Barbaro
in the Laurel Futurity. The chestnut adds first-time blinkers and gets go-to
rider John Velazquez astride. He could offer some measure of redemption and is
worth a second look at fair odds. CAN’T BEAT IT (Atticus) came flying late in
his turf debut in the Kris S. and could earn a minor award with continued
improvement. MY ROYAL MAN (Royal Anthem) was a decent maiden winner on the grass
at Churchill Downs last out for conditioner Dale Romans and has the look of a
useful sort.

Also-eligible MANCHU PRINCE (Gone West) closed determinedly from far back to
score going two turns over this course in his debut. Also trained by Pletcher,
he could bid for a part. REHOBOTH (Wagon Limit) has been competing in the
Florida Stallion Series and makes his turf debut here. Your call. ALLSMARTS
(Wised Up) has been finishing on the fringes against many of these and would
need to improve significantly with the addition of first-time blinkers.
INTERNATIONAL CAT (Cat Thief) defeated our top choice at Keeneland, then
regressed in his last two. New York-bred IMMERSED IN
GOLD (Seeking The Gold) may be up against it with these.