Donegal Moon, Vulcan's Forge & Finnegans Wake

Good Morning,

Donegal Moon (DD VII) has been entered in the 10th race at Keeneland today. It is the Blue Grass S. (I) for three-year-olds going 1 1/8 miles. He has drawn post position 2 of 14 and will be ridden by Martin Garcia. The purse is $1,000,000 and post time is 6:00 p.m. EDT.

Jerry: This is one of the most wide open Derby preps I have ever seen.  Look for Moon to be somewhere around fifth in the early going. Zulu and Cards of Stone both will want the lead. Our hope is that neither of them can last the distance especially if they hook up in a speed duel. Moon is doing well but he has yet to prevail against grade company. Moon needs first or second to make the Derby field on May 7. Third place could be good enough as well but would result in more sweating like last year. As for betting....it would take an extraordinary effort for us to win....but running back his last race would get the job done.

Vulcan's Forge (DD VIII) has been entered in the 12th race at Aqueduct today. It is a MSW going one and one sixteenth miles on the turf. He has drawn post position 11 and will be ridden by John Velazquez. The purse is $80,000 and post time is 6:39 p.m. EDT.

Jerry: Very exciting for this colt to finally get to stretch his legs. He will stay in the race even if it comes off the turf.

Finnegans Wake (DD III) has been entered in the 9th race at Santa Anita today. It is the G3 Thunder Road Stakes going one mile on the turf. He has drawn post position 9 and will be ridden by Victor Espinoza. The purse is $100,000 and post time is 4:00 p.m. PST.

Jerry: Rain predicted in SoCal also. Finn will go rain or shine, turf or dirt. The mile is NOT his distance....we are just seeing if he is fit enough to defend in the Woodford Stakes on Derby Day (was that cool or what?).

May the luck of the Irish be with us all!

Jerry