Bid Being Made To Buy Lawyer Ron

Lawyer Ron enters Saturday's Kentucky Derby with a six-race winning streak, making him one of the favorites to claim horse racing's biggest prize. In a rare occurrence this close to the Derby, someone is making a strong bid to purchase the Kentucky-bred colt.
While a deal is being negotiated, Ron Bamberger, executor of the estate of owner/breeder James T. Hines Jr. and the man the horse is named after, said nothing has been finalized. Bamberger said deal or no deal, Lawyer Ron will race Saturday under Hines' name and silks. Hines drowned this year.
"There is no deal that has been made, and there is no way of knowing right now if any of the deals will go through," Bamberger told the Thoroughbred Times on Wednesday. "This is a business decision, and I can't let my emotion play a part. I did business with Jim Hines for 33 years, and I guarantee you he never let emotions enter his business decisions, and neither will I."
Bamberger declined to identify the interested parties.
WHERE IS HE? Trainer Nick Zito was so popular at last year's Derby that a rope was placed around Barn 36 to keep visitors at a distance while Zito worked with his record-tying five horses, including favorite Bellamy Road. Zito is back at Barn 36 on the Churchill Downs' backside this year, but without the rope or a Derby horse.
"Now I have an obstacle to overcome," Zito said. "I have to try and get there again."
In fact, for the first time since Zito entered his first horse in a Derby in 1990, neither he nor D. Wayne Lukas has a horse in the field.
SUNRIVER STRIKES OUT: Trainer Todd Pletcher has Bluegrass Cat and Keyed Entry in the field of 20, but he was hoping Sunriver would make it. However, with the field limited to 20 based on graded-stakes earnings, 21st-ranked Sunriver missed out.
Pletcher still has big plans for the colt, who finished third in the Florida Derby.
"We're probably looking at taking him to New York and running him in the [$200,000] Peter Pan Stakes at Belmont," he said. "That race should give us a line on whether we can think about him in terms of possibly running in the Belmont Stakes."
CALIFORNIA COOL: Favorite Brother Derek (3-1) has eight lifetime starts, but only one outside of California. In the Breeders' Cup Juvenile on Oct. 29 at Belmont Park, Brother Derek finished fourth in a race won by 2-year-old champion Stevie Wonderboy.
Asked if he is concerned about racing outside California, trainer Dan Hendricks said it's a non-issue: "He handled shipping. He's doing fine. I'm happy with the way things are coming along."
DERBY BUZZ: Jockey Alex Solis has never had much luck on the first Saturday in May. Solis has more mounts (14) in the Derby without a victory than any jockey in history. Solis has finished second three times, the most recent aboard Aptitude in 2000. If recent history holds true, Solis' luck could change Saturday aboard Brother Derek. Solis has six wins in eight lifetime starts on Brother Derek. … This is the first Derby since 1983 to not include at least one member of the famed jockey trio of Pat Day, Gary Stevens and Jerry Bailey. All have retired since the 2005 race. Bailey (ESPN) and Stevens (NBC) are analyzing the race on TV. … Jockey Mike Smith, who was aboard winner Giacomo in the 2005 Derby, picked up a late mount aboard 50-1 long-shot Flashy Bull. Giacomo was also a 50-1 long shot.

Belmont Stakes highlights spring/summer meet at Belmont Park

Belmont Park, which celebrated its 100th anniversary last year, will begin its 59-day spring/summer live race meeting on May 3, highlighted by the 138th running of the $1-million Belmont Stakes (G1) on June 10.
The 1 1/2-mile third jewel of the Triple Crown will anchor a card that also features the Manhattan Handicap (G1), a 1 1/4-mile turf race for three-year-olds and older, and the Acorn Stakes (G1), a one-mile test for three-year-old fillies.
The Woody Stephens Breeders' Cup Stakes (G2), named for the late Racing Hall of Fame trainer, will replace the Riva Ridge Breeders' Cup Stakes. The seven-furlong race for three-year-olds, also slated for June 10, received a $50,000 purse increase to $250,000.
The Elmont, New York, track also will host a pair of Grade 1 events on July 1—the 1 1/4-mile Suburban Handicap for three-year-olds and older and the 1 1/8-mile Mother Goose Stakes for three-year-old fillies.
The meeting will run Wednesday through Sunday through July 22 with a first post time of 1 p.m. EDT, with the exception of a noon post time for Belmont Stakes day and a 3 p.m. first post on "Sunset Fridays."
Belmont also will host live racing on May 29 for Memorial Day as well as Monday, July 3, and Tuesday, July 4.