Watch Me Go installed as 7-2 morning-line choice in Illinois Derby

Last updated: 4/6/11 6:59 PM

Watch Me Go installed as 7-2 morning-line choice in
Illinois Derby

Watch Me Go seeks his second straight Derby win on Saturday at Hawthorne
(Tom Cooley Photography)

Watch Me Go, a neck victor in the Grade 2 Tampa Bay Derby,
tops a field of 12 in Saturday’s $300,000 Grade 3

Illinois Derby at Hawthorne. The dark bay colt surprised in the
Tampa Bay Derby for trainer Kathleen O’Connell, sent off the 43-1 third
longest shot in that 8 1/2-furlong event, and will be seeking to quiet
all critics with another win on Saturday.

Prior to the Tampa Bay Derby, Watch Me Go’s best finish against
stakes rivals came as a third in the Grade 3 Sam F. Davis. He earned the
shot to stretch out and make his graded bow in that race when romping by
eight lengths against optional claiming company in late January. Luis
Garcia, aboard for all of Watch Me Go’s sophomore starts, keeps the
mount.

Trainer Todd Pletcher has captured three editions of the Illinois
Derby since 2001 and will send out live contender Joe Vann to make his stakes bow this time around. The dark bay colt broke
his maiden by four lengths at Laurel Park in February, then dominated an
allowance/optional claiming field by 5 1/2 lengths. The front-running
sophomore will be trying nine furlongs for the first time on Saturday
and gets Florent Geroux in the irons.

Joe Vann could have some company on the front end Saturday if The Fed Eased stays true to his past form. Trained by Richard Violette Jr., the
bay colt stumbled at the break of his second career start, recovered to take
command and was hand ridden to the wire for a 7 1/4-length romp at Aqueduct. The
distance is the biggest stumbling block this time around, as the sophomore
faltered to be fifth after leading the way in the Grade 3 Gotham last out. Jose
Valdivia Jr. ships in with his mount.

Like Joe Vann, Sour has been given morning-line odds of 6-1
for Saturday. The Al Stall Jr. trainee was ridden out to a 2 1/2-length maiden
score two back, and recently filled the runner-up spot against in a Fair Grounds
optional claimer. Regular rider Brian Hernandez Jr. has the call.