Harty feeling the
pressure in Kentucky

LOUISVILLE — Colonel John trainer Eoin Harty is saddling his first Kentucky Derby horse but is no stranger to the winner’s circle at Churchill Downs.

The Irish trainer was assistant to Bob Baffert when Silver Charm won the Run for the Roses in 1997 and Real Quiet captured America’s most famous race the following year.

Harty knows that this time around is a lot different.

"I’m going to be a hero or a zero," he said on Thursday. "It’s my name on the program and the results are going to hang on my head, one way or the other.

"Before, I was in the background and no matter what happened I didn’t have to take the fall for it."

Colonel John, winner of the $750,000 Santa Anita Derby last month, is the 4-1 second choice in the morning line behind Big Brown at 3-1.

But many believe Colonel John will see more support at the betting window after unbeaten Big Brown drew the outside 20th post position for Saturday’s 134th running of the Derby (Sunday in Manila).

Kentucky-bred Colonel John will bolt from the 10th post under Corey Nakatani, one spot outside 6-1 choice Pyro, the dangerous winner of the Grade II Louisiana Derby.

Big Brown jockey Kent Desormeaux does not believe his post will be a problem, despite knowing that only one horse, Clyde Van Dusen in 1929, has ever won the Derby from the 20th hole.

"I’m going to break as quiet as a church mouse and try to reel (Big Brown) in and get him to his maximum cruising speed," said Desormeaux, a double Derby winner.

"If you want me to guess, I might be third of fourth sitting on the outside going into the first turn. That’s my guess.

"But if Big Brown is just cantering alone I’ll let him carry me to the lead."

With the exception of the lightly raced Big Brown, many of the Derby horses have had exceptional races and some duds, which signals a wide-open race at venerable Churchill Downs.

The Nick Zito-trained Cool Coal Man, for example, won the Fountain of Youth Stakes in February but followed it up with a ninth-place finish in the Blue Grass last month.