Three major prep races for the Kentucky Derby were held over the weekend. Saturday saw the 80th running of the Santa Anita Derby, which drew an "on-track crowd of 36,155" that saw Gormley secure a berth at Churchill Downs on May 6 (L.A. DAILY NEWS, 4/9). That figure was up from 27,821 last year at the track in Arcadia, Calif. (THE DAILY). Meanwhile, Keeneland on Saturday saw the Toyota Blue Grass Stakes "raced under gorgeous blue skies – while a crowd of 32,610 watched." The attendance "fell short of the record" of 40,617 in '12 (LEXINGTON HERALD-LEADER, 4/9). Last year's race at the track in Lexington, Ky., drew 20,848 fans amid cooler weather (THE DAILY).
The Wood Memorial also was run on Saturday at Aqueduct, drawing 10,119 fans (THE DAILY). At the race, NHL Panthers Owner Vinnie Viola saw his horse, Battalion Runner, likely earn "enough points to qualify" for the Kentucky Derby, but Viola "seemed to be leaning against running him." Viola's other horse, Already Dreaming, "will definitely go on" to compete on May 6 (DRF.com, 4/8).
