Derby cast first of Triple Crown races

This year's Kentucky Derby will feature a most unusual cast of characters.\nAnd why not?\nAfter arguably the wackiest Derby prep season ever, not one 3-year-old has stepped forward to dominate the division. So when entries are taken in a few days for next Saturday's race, a full field of 20 horses is a certainty, many of them uniquely distinctive.\nAmong this oddball collection of colts -- so far, there's not a gelding or filly to be found -- is one blind in his right eye (Pollard's Vision), another with partial vision in an eye (Imperialism) and another who recovered from a fractured skull (Smarty Jones).\nFor those who appreciate a catchy moniker, try the colt named for a tennis tournament (Wimbledon), an Equibase chartcaller (The Cliff's Edge) or a 1920s jazz tune (Limehouse).\nAnd then there are the amazing grays, three of them right now, trained by an intriguing group: three-time Derby winner Bob Baffert has Wimbledon; 21-year-old Kristin Mulhall, trying to become the youngest trainer -- and first female trainer -- to win the Derby, conditions Imperialism; and Englishman Michael Dickinson has his first Derby horse in Tapit, winner of the Wood Memorial.\nValue Plus, another gray, is doubtful but hasn't been ruled out. Preachinatthebar, a gray son of Silver Charm, was pulled out Thursday by Baffert following a poor workout.\nOnly five grays have won the Derby, including Silver Charm in 1997 and Monarchos in 2001.\n"It's wide open," Dickinson said. "Whoever wins is going to have to show improvement from the last time."\nThe buildup to this Derby will be quite different from last year. Empire Maker was the clear-cut favorite off prep victories in the Florida Derby and Wood Memorial and drew most of the media attention in the week leading up to the race.\nBut as often is the case in America's greatest race, the favorite faltered. Last year, the unexpected winner was Funny Cide, the first gelding since 1929 and first New York-bred ever to take the Derby. Since Spectacular Bid's victory in 1979, the only other Derby favorite to win was Fusaichi Pegasus in 2000.\nThe only thing that seems certain about the 1 1/4-mile Derby is that Hall of Fame trainer D. Wayne Lukas won't be there. The four-time Derby winner has saddled at least one starter in 22 of the past 23 Derbies.\nTwo-time Derby winning trainer Nick Zito returns after a two-year absence and has the likely favorite in The Cliff's Edge. Named for Equibase chart caller Cliff Guilliams, "Cliffy" won the Blue Grass at Keeneland on April 10, and is 2-for-2 at Churchill Downs.\n"He loves the track," Zito said. The trainer also will send out Birdstone, who finished a dull sixth in the Lane's End Stakes last month and missed the Blue Grass with an elevated white blood cell count.\nBobby Frankel, who will saddle Master David in his quest for his first Derby win, says The Cliff's Edge is the horse to beat "because he ran fast and he ran good at Churchill as a 2-year-old. We know he likes the track."\nCertainly not to be overlooked is Smarty Jones, who recovered from a skull fracture in a starting gate mishap before he even raced. The Pennsylvania bred is trying to become the first unbeaten Kentucky Derby winner since Seattle Slew in 1977 -- and second Pennsylvania bred to win (Lil E. Tee in 1992 was the other).\nIf Smarty Jones can complete a sweep of the Rebel Stakes, the Arkansas Derby and the Kentucky Derby, he also would earn a $5 million bonus from Oaklawn Park.\nTrainer John Servis doesn't seem overwhelmed with what's at stake as he prepares for his first Derby.\n"Oh, it's been great," Servis said before arriving at Churchill Downs, where his colt's every move will be monitored closely for the first time. "He's been a fun horse to train. He trains hard and he races even harder. It's been a blast."\nAbout the bonus: "I don't even think about it," he said. "If this horse wins the Derby, I'm going to be ecstatic."\nThe Derby will not be without horses trying to make it two in a row for New York breds. Two colts have the chance -- Florida Derby winner Friends Lake and Fountain of Youth winner Read the Footnotes, a tiring fourth in the Florida Derby.\nBoth come into the race off seven-week layoffs, something most trainers try to avoid, perhaps fearful of Derby history _ the last horse to win on the first Saturday in May without a race in April was Needles in 1956.\n"I think the whole idea is to have a fresh horse for the Derby," Friends Lake's trainer John Kimmel has said.\nTrainer Richard Mandella has two Derby horses in Action This Day and Minister Eric, the 1-2 finishers in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile on Oct. 25. Mandella set a record with four wins on Breeders' Cup day, and his BC Classic winner Pleasantly Perfect went on to win the Dubai World Cup last month.\nAction This Day, the 2-year-old champion, is winless in three starts this year, including a sixth-place finish in the Blue Grass. Minister Eric earned his way into the field with an allowance victory last week at Keeneland.\nNone of the first 19 BC Juvenile winners has gone on to win the Derby.\nUnder Derby rules, the field is limited to 20 starters. If more are entered Wednesday, the field will be determined by graded stakes earnings.\nAmong those considered top Derby contenders who still need defections to get into the field are Pro Prado, Eddington and Rock Hard Ten.