1.   Battaglia evidently believes, after the slow-unfolding prep season, that this will be the most wide-open Derby of all time.

2.   A relatively injury-free prep season sent a raft of major-race winners into the Derby.

3.   After the prep season concludes, they head off to the Pony Colt leagues or Connie Mack ball.

4.   Hunter has yet to lose a diving contest this prep season.

5.   Hurst, whose stock has soared since the start of the prep season, has recently favored Arizona State but remains interested in the Trojans.

6.   Long before he was the golden boy of the Kentucky Derby prep season, McPeek battled through more than his fair share of problems.

7.   As he crisscrosses the country during the Derby prep season, some pages get filled up and others get thrown out.