Indiana Derby

TRACK BANDIT PREVIEWS

Class appears as if it will carry the day in Saturday's $500,000 Indiana

Derby (G2) at Hoosier Park. Grade 2 winner PYRO (Pulpit), one of the favorites

for the Kentucky Derby (G1) in May, has been facing the cream of the

three-year-old crop all season, and is our selection to reverse a two-race

losing skein in the 1 1/16-mile event.

After facile victories in the Risen Star S. (G3) and Louisiana Derby (G2) to

begin his sophomore campaign, Pyro was unplaced in both the Blue Grass S. (G1)

in his initial venture over Polytrack and in the Kentucky Derby. He came back

with a vengeance to score in the Northern Dancer S. (G3) over subsequent Super

Derby (G2) winner My Pal Charlie (Indian Charlie). He was not disgraced when

second and third, respectively, in the Jim Dandy S. (G2) and Travers S. (G1),

and was one among several who endured a less-than-ideal trip in a roughly-run

edition of the latter event. Pyro has drawn post 12 in the Indiana Derby, but we

like his chances to overcome that obstacle.

New York-bred star TIN CUP CHALICE (Crusader Sword) suffered his first defeat

in eight career starts when second by a neck in the Step Nicely S. at Belmont

Park last time, and though he makes his first trip outside New York for this, he

will prove highly dangerous if he can shake loose on an easy lead. He's already

won at 8 1/2 furlongs or longer on two occasions, and is capable of kicking home

nicely as evidenced in the Albany S. two back where he earned a 121 BRIS Late Pace

figure.

ACAI (Three Wonders) is an up-and-comer from the owner/trainer combo that

brought us Big Brown (Boundary). He narrowly missed in his dirt stakes debut in

the Pennsylvania Derby (G2) last out, finishing ahead of multiple Grade 2 winner

Smooth Air (Smooth Jazz) and just behind Anak Nakal (Victory Gallop), who was

entered in Friday's Meadowlands Cup (G2). Acai's stock would rise in the event of a

strong performance by Anak Nakal in that race.

The undefeated POWER GAME (Dixie Union) has looked very strong in his three

scores at Monmouth Park, winning by a combined margin of 16 1/4 lengths. The

Phipps Stable homebred will be tested for class in this, but might prove to be

any kind. FAMOUS PATRIOT (Repent) prevailed over Tin Cup Chalice in the

aforementioned Step Nicely S., and has certainly come a long way from earlier

this year when he finished third in a modest renewal of the Holy Bull S. (G3).

Indeed, he has become a better horse having given up his front-running

tendencies, preferring now to rally from slightly off the pace. He's a

logical inclusion to most exotics plans.

It is hard to see how the rest of the field will make much of an impact.

Speed ratings earned by CHRIS GOT EVEN (Stephen Got Even), HE'S EZE (Silver

Deputy) and I. M. BOOMER (Langfuhr) fall slightly below the contending standard,

so all three would need career-best efforts to garner a share. BUDGE MAN

(Fusaichi Pegasus) might have fallen in the same category if not for the fact he

is partial to synthetic surfaces. The Minnesota-bred CUBFANBUDMAN (Van

Nistelrooy), the Indiana-bred CHOW WAGON (Wagon Limit) and the Ohio-bred ASMODEUS (K. O. Punch) all appear out of their league.