The Kentucky Derby is still about a month away, but don't let that stop you from getting ready now.  Let's hit the Triple Crown tail running:

Saturday featured two of the biggest prep races:

WOOD MEMORIAL - Aqueduct
Tale of Ekati just edged out War Pass to win Saturday's Grade 1, $750,000 Wood Memorial by a half-length.  Tale of Ekati was not in the Derby picture too much after losing to War Pass by 17 1/2 lengths in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile last October and then a non-threatening sixth to Pyro in the last month's Louisiana Derby. Trainer Barclay Tagg, who won last year's Wood also with Nobiz Like Showbiz (finished 10th in Derby), felt he had legitimate excuses in both of those races. Tale The horse didn't handle the slop in the Juvenile. In the Louisiana Derby, he broke poorly. In his last two breezes for the Wood, Tale of Ekati worked from the gate though and he was impressive on Saturday. War Pass, the two-year old champion, bounced back nicely from a last place finish in last month's Tampa Bay Derby but the horse still tired a bit after being pressed hard early in race. Nick Zito's horse remains a bit of an enigma entering the Triple Crown season.

SANTA ANITA DERBY - Santa Anita
Colonel John emerged as the West Coast's best chance in the Derby, by edging out Bob Black Jack and Coast Guard to win the 71st Santa Anita Derby. The pace was intense early on as Coast Guard came out of the gate fast and furious. Jockey Corey Nakatani bided his time though and when he called upon him Colonel John was ready. The horse looked ferocious down the stretch and will head to Churchill in May as one of the top three choices. Favorite El Gato Malo was nowhere to be found after going off at 9/5. He shuffled back to 10th early, made a powerful move on the far turn, but flattened out.

UP NEXT
4/12 - Keeneland - TOYOTA BLUE GRASS STAKES - 1 1/8 m
4/12 - Gulfstream Park - HOLY BULL STAKES (G3) - 1 3/16 m
4/12 - Oaklawn Park - ARKANSAS DERBY (G2) - 1 1/8 m

FUTURE WAGERS POLL (closes on Sunday 4/6)
# Horse M/L Odds
1 Adriano 20-1
2 Atoned 30-1
3 Big Brown 3-1
4 Big Truck 20-1
5 Blackberry Road 50-1
6 Bob Black Jack 30-1
7 Colonel John 12-1
8 Cool Coal Man 15-1
9 Court Vision 20-1
10 Denis of Cork 15-1
11 El Gato Malo 12-1
12 Gayego 30-1
13 Liberty Bull 50-1
14 My Pal Charlie 50-1
15 Pyro 4-1
16 Salute the Sarge 50-1
17 Smooth Air 50-1
18 Tale of Ekati 30-1
19 Tomcito 30-1
20 Visionaire 20-1
21 War Pass 6-1
22 Yankee Bravo 30-1
23 Z Fortune 50-1
24 All other 3-year-olds 15-1