Gayego booked a berth in the Kentucky Derby with a resolute win in the Arkansas Derby on Saturday at Oaklawn Park. The $600,000 paycheck puts Gayego in the top ‘earnings’ bracket. Z Fortune mounted a serious challenge in the lane and found the winner in no mood to yield. The $200,000 that went into Z Fortune’s account was enough to ensure a place in the Derby line-up for the Steve Asmussen pupil.

Tres Borrachos called the tune and Gayego raced second as the field ran down the backside. Z Fortune took a bad step or two leaving him unbalanced for a moment. Robbie Albarado let his colt settle down and Z fortune was in mid-division. Mike Smith pulled the trigger on Gayego around the final turn. Not many moments had passed and Gayego had assumed command. Emerging from the pack and charging wide for the run-in,. Z Fortune made up ground rapidly to come within one half length of Gayego. In the last 300 metres, the harder Z Fortune tried, the more determined Gayego and Mike Smith were. The margin was three quarters of a length. Four lengths away in third was Tres Borrachos, Tyler Baze up.

Gayego ran the 1,800 metres on a fast dirt track in 1 49.63 seconds. As the favourite, Gayego paid $6.40. A point to be noted is Gayego was running on a dirt track for the first time. Gayego’s sire is Gilded Time by Timeless Moment. The dam is Devils Lake by Lost Code. It is a sprinting foundation but Gayego is defying conventional wisdom. It was the fifth consecutive win for the favourite in the Arkansas Derby. The 2008 renewal marked the 72nd running. Thirteen ran.

For Mike Smith, Gayego’s victory marked a remarkable string of successes. Last Saturday, Smith was aboard Zenyatta in the Apple Blossom. In the same card, Tiago and Mike Smith proved the best in the Oaklawn Handicap.

A loquacious Smith said, “He (Gayego) showed he can handle the dirt. He also showed he will have no trouble with the mile and a quarter in Louisville.”

Winning trainer Paulo Lobo was ecstatic. “Yes, we are going to Louisville. Mike (Smith) was confident and gave Gayego a great ride. Many questions have been answered. We are leaving for Churchill (Downs) on Monday.”

The Holy Bull Stakes at Gulfstream Park in Florida went to Hey Byrn, the even money favourite.  Hey Byrn is a son of Put It Back by Honour And Glory. The dam is Restraining Order by Skip Trial. Hey Byrn’s share of the Holy Bull purse was $90,000.00. Trainer Eddie Plesa was immensely pleased with the result. Hey Byrn has now $140,000.00 in graded money. At this moment, it is not known if that will be enough to get Hey Byrn into the Derby field.

Eddie Plesa was philosophical. “He (Hey Byrn) did what he had to do today, winning a graded race, but now it’s out of our hands.”

Hey Byrn was at 3-5, went up to 4-5, came down to 3-5 and shot up to even money at post time. Famous Patriot tightened to 2-1 and showed the way. Hey Byrn was second and third. The first quarter was a crawl. Hey Byrn quickened to stay close. Turning for home. Hey Byrn shot past Famous Patriot and a new challenge came up. Dream Maestro put in a bid to come up to Hey Byrn’s girth. Jockey Charles Lopez called on Hey Byrn to meet the challenge and the Eddie Plesa charge responded. It was a two and one quarter length victory in 1 158.14 seconds for the 1900-metre trip on a fast track.

The Holy Bull was the longest Derby prep at 1,900 metres. That should serve Hey Byrn well if he gets a berth in the Derby.

Jockey Charles Lopez spoke in matter of fact fashion. “I did not want to be that close. They were walking. I knew I had Famous Patriot measured but Dream Maestro surprised me. It got rather sticky in the lane but with a little persuasion, we got through.”

The Holy Bull and the Arkansas Derby produced results that were in keeping with mainstream thinking. The Blue Grass at Keeneland, however, was a radical departure.

Todd Pletcher-trained Monba and Cowboy Cal dominated the finish. It was one-two in the Blue Grass for trainer Pletcher. Kentucky Bear, dismissed at 27-1, salvaged the third spot.

The Blue Grass storyline is about Pyro, the beaten favourite. Bet down to evens, Pyro, winner of the Risen Star Stakes and the Louisiana Derby at Fair Grounds, put up a spirit-dampening display to finish eleven and one half lengths behind Monba. Pyro will not be carrying the public purse at Churchill Downs in my opinion. Steve Asmussen, Pyro’s trainer was at Oaklawn and said, “The new surface (polytrack) did not suit him. I will send him to Louisville with confidence.”

Cowboy Cal and Monba were prominent and the former took the lead in the lane. Monba, Edgar Prado up, closed and got up in the waning yards. Jockey Prado was winning his third Blue Grass Stakes. In 2002, Prado won with Harlan’s Holiday. He won with Peace Rules the next year. Let me say that Todd Pletcher is yet to win the Kentucky Derby.

Monba paid $19.60. The time was 1 49.71 seconds for 1,800 metres on the polytrack. Monba was 12th in the Fountain of Youth.

Todd Pletcher stated, “I would have been happy with a dead heat. I hated one of them had to lose. They are going to Louisville. Monba can manage dirt.”

Monba won by a neck from Cowboy Cal.  Kentucky Bear was third a length and a quarter away. Twelve answered the starter’s call. Monba’s sire is Maria’s Mon by Wavering Monarch. The dam is Hamba by Easy Goer.

Here are some Keeneland facts. Edgar Prado won the Grade II Commonwealth. Kent Desormeaux won four races. Garrett Gomez won two races.