NEWS AND NOTES \ Kentucky Derby

Undercard: English Channel, a rising star in the grass division, won the $454,900 Woodford Reserve Turf Classic on the Kentucky Derby undercard. The 4-year-old trained by Todd Pletcher is unbeaten in two starts this year, having captured the Canada Turf Handicap at Gulfstream Park in his season debut. English Channel, ridden by Garrett Gomez, improved his career mark to seven wins in 11 starts, all on the grass. He rallied between horses on the far turn and held off a late charge from 2-1 favorite Cacique to win by a half-length. English Channel ran the 1 1-8 miles in 1:47.15 and paid $9 to win. He earned his fourth stakes victory and first Grade 1 triumph. Owner Mike Pegram and trainer Bob Baffert, who teamed to win the 1998 Derby with Real Quiet, took the Grade 1, $291,000 Humana Distaff Handicap for fillies and mares as Pussycat Doll won by one length. Behaving Badly, the 4-5 favorite also trained by Baffert, was second. Pussycat Doll paid $10 and ran the seven furlongs in 1:21.62. Mirabilis got her first U.S. victory in the Grade 3 Churchill Downs Distaff Turf Mile. The 4-year-old began her career in France before shifting to trainer Bobby Frankel, who did not have a Derby horse for the first time in five years. Mirabilis had two thirds in three prior U.S. starts. Mirabilis charged to the front at the top of the lane and prevailed by a length over long shot Special Grayce. Mirabilis, ridden by Patrick Valenzuela, was clocked in 1:35.93 and paid $12 to win. Trickey Trevor scored a three-length win in the $229,000 Churchill Downs Handicap. Russell Baze was aboard the consistent 7-year-old who improved his lifetime record to 18 wins in 35 starts. Making his first start since February in California, Trickey Trevor caught the pacesetting With Distinction at the top of the lane and pulled away to the decisive win in the Grade 2 stakes. Trickey Trevor, trained by Jerry Hollendorfer, ran the seven furlongs in 1:21.68 and paid $21 to win. Joint Effort rallied for a 31/4 length victory in the Grade 3, $119,600 La Troienne Stakes for 3-year-old fillies. Joint Effort improved her career record to 4-for-12 as she ran the 71/2 furlongs in 1:28.18. Trained by Dale Romans and ridden by Edgar Prado, Joint Effort paid $15.80 to win.
Ads everywhere: Deana Eltringham hit the mint juleps early Saturday, sipping her first at 9 a.m. "It's tradition," said Eltringham of Scipio, Ind. She said she used to sneak in liquor in plastic bags, but decided to play by the Derby rules this year, paying $9 for each Early Times julep. Early Times was among the many companies showing their wares at the first Derby to have a sponsor's name attached to the event. And that sponsor was Louisville-based Yum Brands, the parent company to Kentucky Fried Chicken and Taco Bell. Yum slapped the company's logo on everything from signs above the toteboard to saddlecloths. Trucks from Pepsi, Budweiser and Coors, as well as a collection of food and souvenir stands, advertised their products in the infield as if it were a billboard park. While much of the corporate presence wasn't new, there were innovative twists -- free tours at the Jim Beam tent, people dressed as inflated mint juleps advertising Early Times and even makeovers for men and women by Target. Celebrities, from model Petra Nemcova to retired Denver Broncos quarterback John Elway, attended the race. Jerry O'Connell, who stars in NBC's "Crossing Jordan" called the Derby "the most hospitable sporting event in the world. Kentucky basketball coach Tubby Smith said scores of sponsors won't change the flavor of the Derby or its traditions. "Derby is just a good time," he said. "It's a sporting event. It's a lot of fun."
Associated Press
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