Derby Prep Race: Pyro Against 11 Others in the Blue Grass

Pyro may be the favorite going into the $750,000 Toyota Blue Grass Stakes at Keeneland on April 12. (AP Images)

Pyro may be the favorite going into the $750,000 Toyota Blue Grass Stakes at Keeneland on April 12, but he faces 11 other runners in the 1 1/8- mile event. This is the biggest field since 1983 when Play Fellow won against a field of the same size. The field will also include Cool Coal Man, Big Truck, Visionaire and Halo Najib.

Trainer Todd Pletcher remarked on Pyro after speaking about his two entries Monba and Cowboy Cal, saying that Pyro is the horse to beat even if he is making his first start on polytrack.

“I would be surprised if he didn’t take to this surface well, especially considering the way they’ve been teaching him to run and finish through the lane,” Pletcher remarked. “This race should suit him perfectly, and I don’t think there’s any suggesting he’s not the horse to beat.”

At Pyro’s final work out for the race he clocked a half-mile in 50.60 seconds on the polytrack surface. Trainer Steve Asmussen was pleased as Pyro clocked his final quarter mile in 23.80 seconds.

"He's never raced on the Polytrack, so we'll get to see how he likes it," said Asmussen. "He trains great over it, but then they all do. I think he's coming up to the race just the way we'd like him to."

Pyro drew post seven for this race and will be ridden by jockey Shaun Bridgmoghan, who has ridden the colt in all six of his races.

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