Repent might have shipped into a trap when he arrived at Sportsman’s Park Friday afternoon.
The probable heavy favorite in Saturday’s $500,000 Grade II Illinois Derby is a confirmed closer and the Cicero racing surface has been playing to speed.
Factor that in with the Ken McPeek runner’s outside post in the field of 10, andsome speculators are betting on an upset.
Fonz’s figures to be the top challenger in the 1 1/8-mile feature. The West Coast invader ships off a fifth-place finish in his first 2002 start, the Grade II San Rafael Stakes. The David LaCroix trainee’s stalking style could serve him well.
Owner Russell Reineman’s War Emblem is a speed threat. He took his local allowance prep race by 10 3/4 lengths.
Santa Anita Derby: Bob Baffert, trainer of six consecutive Kentucky Derby starters, will try to gauge the potential of Danthebluegrassman against seven rivals in Saturday’s 1 1/8-mile race that should help sort out a muddled Derby picture.
Came Home, who has won 5-of-6 career starts, was made the 6-5 morning-line favorite.
New bets: Thoroughbred players have a high-class Daily Double opportunity Saturday. The Illinois Derby and the Santa Anita Derby are linked with the special wager.
The races will be shown live on ESPN at 4 p.m.
Balmoral Park has joined forces with Cal Expo in Sacramento on a new wager. The “Bal-Cal Saturday Pick 4 Challenge” carries a guaranteed $50,000 pool and requires the correct selection of the 11th and 12th races at both harness tracks.
The bet continues throughout April.
Makeup dates: The Illinois Racing Board is expected Tuesday to grant Sportsman’s request to run April 11, 18 and 25.
The dates replace three programs lost to winter weather between March 3 and March 5.
