Connemara rates as the 9-5 favorite in Lane's End

El Camino Real Derby (G3) hero CONNEMARA (Giant's Causeway) is the only

graded stakes winner in the 10-horse field entered in Saturday's $500,000

Lane's

End S. (G2) at Turfway Park, and that fact explains his status as the 9-5

favorite on the morning line. A major Kentucky Derby (G1) prep, the 1 1/8-mile

Polytrack test anchors the 12-race program that features six stakes.

Trained by Todd Pletcher, Connemara is a half-brother to multiple Grade

1-winning millionaire Lion Heart (Tale of the Cat), runner-up to Smarty Jones in

the 2004 Kentucky Derby. Connemara has experience at Turfway, having romped by

five lengths in his career debut here in October. The chestnut then shipped to

California, where he captured an allowance at Santa Anita.

Pletcher decided that the Northern California route to the Derby suited him

best. Connemara was dispatched as the 3-5 favorite in the California Derby at

Golden Gate, but he showed inexperience in the stretch drive and finished second

to RANGER HEARTLEY (Lost Soldier), whom he had previously beaten in that

allowance. Next time out in the 1 1/8-mile El Camino Real Derby, Connemara made

no mistake, rallying strongly to score by 1 1/4 lengths. North America's

all-time winningest rider, Russell Baze, makes the journey to Turfway to stick

with the once-beaten colt as he breaks from the rail. Ranger Heartley, who faded

to fifth in the El Camino Real, invades for John Sadler, and Michael Baze picks

up the mount.

Two other Lane's End entrants have won at the 1 1/8-mile trip, both on turf.

Connemara's stablemate, DOUBLES PARTNER (Rock Hard Ten), is two-for-two at the

trip. A maiden winner on the grass at Churchill Downs in November, he came right

back to win a Gulfstream Park allowance over subsequent Florida Derby (G1)

fourth Lentenor (Dynaformer). Chris DeCarlo will guide Doubles Partner, who is

out of a full sister to champion Serena's Song, from post 2. OUTLAW MAN (Forest

Wildcat), who broke his maiden on the Santa Anita turf in January, exits a

closing fourth in the Sham S. (G3) on the Pro-Ride. Interestingly, Alex Solis

comes in for the ride aboard the Ken McPeek trainee. KETTLE RIVER (Congaree), a

lackluster eighth in the Sham, hopes to rebound for Eoin Harty.

A pair were last seen in the Risen Star S. (G2) at Fair Grounds --

third-place finisher NORTHERN GIANT (Giant's Causeway) and eighth-placer

LETSGETITONMON (Maria's Mon). Northern Giant, a Wayne Lukas pupil, had romped in

an Oaklawn Park maiden by 11 1/4 lengths in his previous start, and gets Calvin

Borel back in the saddle. The Steve Asmussen-trained Letsgetitonmon is a deep

closer  who was compromised by the lack of early pace in the Risen Star.

Two back, the gray had flown home for third in the Lecomte S. (G3).

DEAN'S KITTEN (Kitten's Joy) was a late-running second to Paddy O'Prado (El

Prado [Ire]) in the grassy Palm Beach S. (G3) at Gulfstream Park, keeps Cornelio

Velasquez in the irons Saturday. VOW TO WAGER (Broken Vow) was awarded the

victory via disqualification in the final local prep, the John Battaglia

Memorial S., and faces a stiffer class test here. Rounding out the field is

O.B.S. Sprint S. runner-up CHIEF COUNSEL (Officer), who will be making his

two-turn debut for Bill Mott.

Eight sophomores will travel 1 1/16 miles in the

Rushaway

S. Top contenders include POSITIVE SPLIT (Repent), most recently seventh in

the Fountain of Youth S. (G2) and two back, third to Florida Derby one-two Ice

Box (Pulpit) and Pleasant Prince (Indy King); EXHI (Maria's Mon), a remote

second to subsequent Tampa Bay Derby (G3) winner Odysseus (Malibu Moon) last

out; ACTIVITY REPORT (Bernstein); Battaglia third IN THE PAINT (Tiznow), and

Oaklawn allowance winner INSTANT MESSAGE (Mr. Greeley).

WEBN S. victor KERA'S KITTEN (Kitten's Joy), who had an eventful trip en

route to finishing last in the Battaglia, drops back to six furlongs for the

$50,000

Hansel S. The Mike Maker trainee will face seven opponents, led by Sugar

Bowl S. winner COOL BULLET (Red Bullet), who was a creditable fourth in the

Lecomte two back, and Fred "Cappy" Capossela S. runner-up STRAPPING GROOM

(Johannesburg).

Ten three-year-old fillies will get their turn in the $125,000

Bourbonette Oaks (G3) at one mile. HELEN BELEN (Five Star Day), who powered

to a 14 3/4-length triumph in the Valdale S. at this track and trip, will look

to maintain her dominance against new shooters CASCADING (A.P. Indy), AGE OF

HUMOR (Distorted Humor) and ABSINTHE MINDED (Quiet American).

Cascading captured the Glorious Song S. over Woodbine's Polytrack last

November, and the Josie Carroll filly should enjoy getting back on synthetic

after checking in 10th in the Forward Gal S. (G2) on the Gulfstream dirt.

Busanda S. queen Age of Humor, a distant third in the Silverbulletday S. (G3) in

her latest, will test a synthetic surface for the first time. Absinthe Minded

endured a lot of trouble and just missed versus older allowance rivals at

Oaklawn for Lukas. CACTUS CADILLAC (Cactus Ridge), who beat Helen Belen in the 6

1/2-furlong Cincinnati Trophy S., stretches back out in distance in this spot.

The remaining two stakes on Lane's End day are for older distaffers. The

$50,000

Queen S. at six furlongs features PROUD HEIRESS (Broken Vow), RINTERVAL

(Ire) (Desert Prince [Ire]) and SECRET GYPSY (Sea of Secrets) among its 10

runners, while MY BABY BABY (Bernstein) and DANZON (Royal Academy) loom large in

the $50,000

Fairway Fun S. at 1 1/16 miles.