from harrahs..
some of those who ran in the prep wil run in the super derby
as some background info on the unknowns, and there are a lot of them in the derby.

SUPER DERBY PREP HIGHLIGHTS FRIDAY CARD

THURSDAY AUGUST 31, 2006
(Bossier City, LA) – Nine horses will enter the starting gate for Friday’s Prelude Stakes, each hoping to run well enough to earn a start in the Super Derby 21 days later. For those nine starters, the race will be anything but easy.

The Prelude presents one of those unique situations where a legitimate case could be made for any of the starters to win. Morning line favorite His Eyes, who will start for Bret Calhoun off two open victories at Lone Star Park, is not necessarily the horse to beat, but the horse to catch. In his four career victories, the 3-year-old gelding was never worse than second at any call, which could be an issue with the plethora of early speed signed-up.

Election Year, for trainer Al Stall, won his most recent race going wire-to-wire at Harrah’s Louisiana Downs. Wait in Line has shown an affinity for racing near the pace and the same applies for Upstream. Rain On Monday rallied a bit going shorter last time out, but figures to be more forwardly placed with the stretch-out in distance. Perhaps the most interesting challenger is Scion, a Tom Amoss shipper from Arlington Park. Scion shows lots of potential, but also earned his victories while pressing the pace or carving out the fractions.

Should the race play to closers, Mr. Pursuit, trained by Joe Petalino, has not won since March but boasts four solid efforts against quality competition, including older horses most recently. The son of General Royal drew the outside post, but with the speed to his inside and his closing style, finding an okay trip should not be too difficult. Almost Certain, for trainer Bart Evans, also hopes to rally late but finished behind both Mr. Pursuit and His Eyes last out.

Canadian-bred Louisborg is the most interesting entrant. Like his father, Victory Gallop, Louisborg prefers to come from well-behind. In his maiden debut in June he rallied from 17 lengths and most recently from 15 behind. Between those two starts was a fourth place finish to three of today’s rivals, but that was just his second career start, his first against winners and his first going long. Louisborg will be piloted by Lonnie Meche, who is in thick of the jockey’s title race against Carlos Gonzalez, who will ride His Eyes.

need this too....

4 Louisborg Lonnie Meche 15.60 8.20 4.40
2 Almost Certain Gerard Melancon 8.60 6.00
1 His Eyes Carlos Gonzalez 3.20
Also ran: 8 - Rain On Monday , 9 - Mr. Pursuit , 7 - Upstream , 6 - Wait in Line , 3 - Election Year , 5 - Scion