ESPN Horse Racing

LEXINGTON, Ky. -- Talk about a late finishing kick.

Down to his final try to get one of his horses into the Kentucky Derby, trainer Todd Pletcher came up with two: Bandini and Flower Alley.

Bandini (far left) heads into the stretch in the Toyota Blue Grass Stakes.

Bandini came through with a fabulous stretch run and won the $750,000 Blue Grass Stakes on Saturday, followed a few minutes later by Flower Alley's runner-up finish to Afleet Alex in the $1 million Arkansas Derby at Oaklawn Park.

Pletcher said both are headed to Churchill Downs for the Derby in three weeks.

"That's why we're in this business with 3-year-olds, to go to the Kentucky Derby," Pletcher said. "It's the race we all aspire to make. I felt very confident about both of these horses running well. But you're always going to be worried."

Worry no more, Todd.

The long-striding Bandini stormed into the lead at the top of the stretch and put away more celebrated 3-year-old stars High Limit, Sun King and Consolidator on a picture-perfect day at Keeneland.

In the strongest Derby prep race of the season, and before a record crowd of 33,621, Bandini delivered a huge effort when it was needed most. Pletcher, who led all trainers with 34 nominees to the Triple Crown races, needed a big effort from Bandini to boosted the colt's graded stakes earnings.

Bandini delivered, beating 5-2 favorite High Limit by six lengths. Closing Argument was third, followed by trainer Nick Zito's Sun King, Consolidator, Spanish Chestnut and Mr Sword.

A son of 2000 Derby winner Fusaichi Pegasus, Bandini earned $465,000 with his victory in the Grade 1 Blue Grass, moving into the top 10 money-earners. Lane's End Stakes winner Flower Alley picked up $200,000 for his effort in the Arkansas Derby. If more than 20 horses are entered in the Derby, graded stakes earnings determine the field.

Sun King, who lost for the first time this year after two victories, still is headed to the Derby and could be one of five starters for Zito. Also headed to the Derby are trainer Bobby Frankel's High Limit and trainer D. Wayne Lukas' Consolidator.

In winning for the third time in five career starts, Bandini covered the 1 1/8 miles in a slow 1:50.16.

Sent off as the 3-1 second choice in the betting, Bandini paid $8, $3.80 and $3.20, High Limit, ridden by Ramon Dominguez, returned $4.20 and $3.20 and Closing Argument paid $4.40 to show.

Spanish Chestnut set the early pace in the Blue Grass, with usual front-runner High Limit settling comfortably into second and Bandini a little farther back in third. As the seven-horse field came off the final turn, Bandini turned on the speed and took command, increasing his lead with each smooth stride to the finish line.

"I asked him to run at the three-eighths pole, and he got real aggressive and focused on passing the other horses," winning jockey John Velazquez said. "Once he passed the other horses, he went on and went to his business."

Zito had no excuses for Sun King.

"The track was good for him," Zito said. "Nothing went right for him today. We salute the winner and in the next three weeks maybe he'll get better. We didn't get the race. That's all you can do."

Until the Blue Grass, Zito was on an incredible role in Derby preps. Last week, Bellamy Road won the Wood Memorial by an astounding 17{ lengths for the trainer, and High Fly and Noble Causeway ran 1-2 in the Florida Derby on April 2. Andromeda's Hero, his fifth possible starter, finished third in the Arkansas Derby.

The Blue Grass victory was a sweet one for Pletcher, one of the rising stars in the business looking for his first win in a Triple Crown race. Winning his first Blue Grass, which has produced 22 Derby winners, may be an indication Bandini is the horse who can end Pletcher's 0-for-9 Derby record.

"He has all the ingredients," the 37-year-old Pletcher said. "He likes to mix it up a little bit, and he's not intimidated by other horses. In fact, he wants to intimidate horses. That should bode well for a big field (in the Kentucky Derby). He's a tough horse. He's got great movement and a great stride. This is the best chance we've ever had."

Bandini finished second to High Fly in the Fountain of Youth at Gulfstream Park on March 5, but missed the Florida Derby with a minor foot bruise. The layoff wasn't a problem.

"With all the trouble we had, I was still quietly confident," Pletcher said. "I wasn't concerned about his fitness. He was more focused today. In the Fountain of Youth, he tried to take a bite out of High Fly. He was all business and it showed in the race."

Owners Michael Tabor and Derrick Smith paid $500,000 for Bandini at the Keeneland September yearling sale, and the colt boosted his career earnings to $564,180.

Watch the Kentucky Derby on NBC (Saturday at 5 p.m. ET).

Copyright 2005 by The Associated Press