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Sinister Minister rolls at Blue Grass

By Wire services
Published April 16, 2006

LEXINGTON, Ky. - Bob Baffert has himself a trio of horses for the Kentucky Derby.

Sinister Minister became the latest to join the trainer's assault on a fourth Derby victory with an eye-opening, gate-to-wire romp in Saturday's $750,000 Blue Grass Stakes at Keeneland.

With Garrett Gomez urging Sinister Minister into the lead right out of the No. 7 post, the 3-year-old colt took charge and rolled a 123/4-length victory over 65-1 long shot Storm Treasure.

The winning margin was the third largest in 82 runnings of the Blue Grass: Arts and Letters won by 15 lengths in 1969; and Alydar won by 13 in 1978.

Sinister Minister will join stablemates Bob and John and Point Determined at Churchill Downs.

ARKANSAS DERBY: Lawyer Ron broke to the lead at the start of the backstretch and never looked back, winning for his sixth straight victory. Trainer Bob Holthus' chestnut colt is now 7-for-7 lifetime on dirt - and remains one of the favorites to win three weeks from now at the Kentucky Derby.

The last two Arkansas Derby winners - Smarty Jones in 2004 and Afleet Alex last year - each went on to win two legs of the Triple Crown.

Lawyer Ron had already won Oaklawn Park's first two big prep races for 3-year-olds - the Southwest in February and the Rebel last month. A heavy favorite, he paid $3.00, $2.60 and $2.20.

Steppenwolfer, the runner-up in the Southwest and third in the Rebel, was second in the Arkansas Derby, 23/4 lengths behind. He paid $4.40 and $3.20.

Third-place finisher Private Vow paid $3.60.

[Last modified April 16, 2006, 00:43:12]