Joe Vann wins Illinois Derby for Pletcher

Zayat Stables' Joe Vann salvaged one of the three Kentucky

Derby prep races on Saturday for trainer Todd Pletcher, winning the Grade 3 Illinois Derby at Hawthorne. It didn't make up for Pletcher's disappointment in seeing champion Uncle Mo

weaken to third in the Wood Memorial minutes later, but Joe Vann threw his hat into

the Kentucky Derby picture with a nice performance in his stakes debut.

Joe Vann brought a two-race win streak into the Illinois Derby, winning a

maiden special weight and an allowance/optional claiming event at Laurel Park,

and the dark bay colt tracked Lagoon of Diamonds in second with jockey Florent

Geroux during the opening five-eighths a mile. He assumed the lead midway on the

far turn and drew off into the stretch, scoring comfortably by 4 1/4 lengths

over Zoebear, who nipped The Fed Eased late for second. Zoebear is still a

maiden and recorded his fourth second-place effort in six career starts.

The Fed Eased had seven lengths on fourth-placer and 7-2 second choice Sour,

who was followed under the finish line by El Grayling (El Prado [Ire]), 2-1

favorite Watch Me Go (West Acre), Roman Flame (Roman Ruler), Lagoon of Diamonds,

Vouch for Victory (Quest), Smarter Than Ever (Smarty Jones), Southern Sculptor

(Langfuhr) and Future Empire (Empire Maker).

Off as the 5-1 fourth choice among 12 three-year-olds, Joe Vann paid $12.60,

$6.80 and $5.20. The early splits on the fast track were :23 4/5, :48 1/5, 1:13 3/5 and 1:39,

and Joe Vann completed 1 1/8 miles in 1:51 4/5.

Bred in Kentucky by Monticule, Joe Vann is the first foal out of the Danzig

mare Polish Flower and was purchased by Ahmed Zayat for $150,000 at the 2009

Keeneland September Yearling Sale. He counts as half-sisters a two-year-old

filly by Forest Danger and a 2011 filly by Distorted Humor. This is the female

family of 1980 Canadian International winner Great Neck and Venezuelan champions

Sibarita and Demons Cloak.

Joe Vann is now on the graded-earnings bubble for the Kentucky Derby, with

$167,400 by virtue of Saturday's payday, and will need a number of defections to

make the starting gate. His overall ledger reads 8-3-1-1,

$217,615.