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LEXINGTON, Ky. -- First Samurai was installed as the slight
favorite over Bluegrass Cat for Saturday's $750,000 Blue Grass
Stakes at Keeneland. Oddsmaker Mike Battaglia made First Samurai the 8-5 choice
Wednesday for this major prep before the Kentucky Derby on May 6.
Bluegrass Cat was the 5-2 second choice in a field of nine
3-year-olds, followed by Strong Contender at 4-1. "First Samurai's proven and he's hooked the better
competition," Battaglia said. "He's been the favorite in every
one of his races except one. The other horse ran twice in Tampa,
and lost one." First Samurai, trained by Frank Brothers, will be making his
first start since winning the Fountain of Youth Stakes through
disqualification six weeks ago at Gulfstream Park. A winner in five
of seven career starts, First Samurai will be ridden by Rafael
Bejarano and leave from the No. 5 post. Bluegrass Cat, perhaps trainer Todd Pletcher's top Derby
prospect, is coming off a runner-up finish in the Tampa Bay Derby
on March 18, a race in which the colt lost a shoe. Bluegrass Cat,
who won four in a row before the race, will leave from the No. 2
post. First Samurai has yet to finish first at a distance over a mile. "When we purchased this horse at Keeneland we bought him
thinking he'd be a 3-year-old, two-turn type horse," co-owner
Landson Robbins said. Fellow owner Bruce Lunsford added, "This
horse's peak will either be this race or the next one." Strong Contender is unbeaten in two career starts, but hasn't
raced since winning an allowance at Gulfstream on Feb. 22. The colt trained by John Ward was set to run in the Lane's End
Stakes at Turfway Park on March 25, but was excluded from a full
field because of insufficient earnings. Strong Contender is owned
by Tulsa, Okla. oilman John Oxley. Also entered were Little Cliff (10-1), Court Folly (12-1) and
four 15-1 long shots, Sadler's Trick, Seaside Resort, Sinister
Minister and Storm Treasure. The last Blue Grass winner to win the Kentucky Derby was Strike
the Gold in 1991.
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