| It's a long and winding road to Churchill
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| | impressario Merv Grffin and named after
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| Downs and the first Saturday in May, but
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| | his sire, Stephen Got Even as well as
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| the Thoroughbred set is atwitter about
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| | singer/songwriter Stevie Wonder, is
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| Breeders' Cup Juvenile champion Stevie
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| | considered racing royalty when it comes
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| Wonderboy, who is slated to make his
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| | to bloodlines."We've had three
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| 3-year-old debut Saturday in the $150,000
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| | interesting storylines with the Triple
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| San Rafael Stakes at Santa Anita.No
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| | Crown races the last three years and this
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| Juvenile champion has ever gone on to
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| | could be a blockbuster fourth," Jones
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| capture the Kentucky Derby.The
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| | said."Funny Cide was a good story, Smarty
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| thoroughfare to Louisville is as wrought
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| | Jones was a good story and Afleet Alex
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| with hazards as a championship golf
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| | was a good story."If Stevie Wonderboy
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| course, from ill-timed injuries to
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| | wins, the media will go nuts with all
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| missteps on the track.Some folks forget
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| | that horse's Hollywood
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| the fact that fillies and colts go
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| | connections."Stephen Got Even is a son of
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| through a great many major physical
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| | A.P. Indy and Summer Squall is his
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| changes between their two and
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| | grandsire.Wonderboy banked more than $1
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| three-year-old seasons; it's simply the
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| | million in his two-year campaign and is a
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| maturation process.Many among the horsey
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| | favorite to capture an Eclipse Award
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| set, however, contend Wonderboy is their
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| | later this month.Early winter racing will
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| best hope yet."He's certainly one of the
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| | be concentrated at Santa Anita in
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| ones to watch," said John Avello, who
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| | Southern California and Gulfstream Park
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| oversees racing operations at Wynn Las
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| | in Florida, with other tracks gradually
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| Vegas."Bluegrass Cat and First Samurai
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| | moving into the picture."All roads to
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| are two others."Wonderboy came from
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| | Churchill will go through Oaklawn Park
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| behind to knock off favored First Samurai
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| | this year," Jones forecast. "With
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| in the Juvenile, one of his four triumphs
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| | Hurricane Katrina shutting down the
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| in five outings."To me it's any one of
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| | Fairgrounds (in New Orleans) , Oaklawn
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| the first three Juvenile finishers:
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| | will have better jockeys, trainers and
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| Stevie Wonderboy, First Samurai and Henny
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| | horses than it has ever had," Jones
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| Hughes," added Gordon Jones, a former
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| | said.The San Rafael, one of the first
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| turf editor at the Los Angeles
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| | stepping stones to the Run for the Roses,
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| Herald-Examiner who now gives racing
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| | will be contested at one mile, two
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| seminars ar Sam's Town."I haven't seen
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| | furlongs shorter than the Derby distance
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| anyone out there even close. Nobody who
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| | of one and one-fourth miles.Lynda Collins
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| has caught my attention,
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| | is a documented member of the
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| anyway."Wonderboy, who is owned by TV
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| | Professional Handicappers League.
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