Half Ours, Price Tag highlight Derby undercard stakes

Half Ours will make his return off an easy win in the Richter Scale (Mathea Kelley/Horsephotos.com)

The $250,000 Churchill Downs H. (G2) kicks off the stakes action on the

Kentucky Derby (G1) undercard with a field of nine sprinters. HALF OURS (Unbridled's

Song) is the top draw in the seven-furlong event, but the unbeaten four-year-old

is cross-entered to Friday's Alysheba S. (G3). He'll likely be a heavy favorite

if trainer Todd Pletcher opts for this event. Half Ours improved to

five-for-five with a victory in the Richter Scale Breeders' Cup Sprint

Championship H. (G2) last

out.

Seven-time stakes king AH DAY (Malibu Moon) has shipped in from Maryland for

trainer King Leatherbury. The four-year-old gelding exits a good third in the

Carter H. (G1). Grade 2 victor WANDERIN BOY (Seeking the Gold), a two-time Grade

1 runner-up who is also cross-entered to the Alysheba, could make his 2007 debut

in the Churchill Downs H. for Nick Zito.

The complete field, from the rail, is Half Ours, John Velazquez, 122;

Wanderin Boy, Corey Nakatani, 122; WILL HE SHINE (Silver Deputy), Kent

Desormeaux, 118; Ah Day, Mario Pino, 118; COUGAR CAT (Storm Cat), Robby Albarado,

118; ISTAN (Gone West), Garrett Gomez, 120; SAINT ANDDAN (A.P. Indy), Rafael

Bejarano, 120; MOON'S HALO (Halo's Image), Edgar Prado, 118; and JUNIOR COLLEGE

(Ide), Jesus Castanon, 118.