Up next here at Ellis Park is the inaugural $75,000 Ellis Park Derby, which precedes the day's feature and the track's signature race, the Grade 3, $100,000 Groupie Doll.

The field is very well matched, leading me to go for a horse I hope will remain a price by post time: Hoonani Road (5).  He is the fourth choice in will-pays for the Pick 3 and sits at 10-1 with 16 minutes to post. He seems worthy of a wager at 6-1 or higher.

Although untested at a mile and in stakes, but is otherwise rock solid. He is perfect in four starts on dirt, only losing a couple times on synthetic, though three of his wins were against Arky-breds. Still, he validated his form with an open win at Churchill last out.