News and notes from around the Thoroughbred racing world, compiled by Thoroughbred Racing Communications, Inc. (TRC) (212.371.5911..)

DERBY FACTS AND FIGURES

FIELD: The field of 13 will be the smallest since Spectacular Bid faced nine rivals in 1979. Thirteen also went to the gate when Genuine Risk won in 1980 and again in 1985, when the winner was Spend a Buck. Spectacular Bid was the last favorite to win the Derby.

DUAL QUALIFIERS: Handicappers use several methods to come up with a Derby winner, with two, Dosage and the Experimental Free Handicap, combined to create a list of 'dual qualifiers.' Dosage is a numerical formula which attempts to classify how a horse's pedigree relates to its ability to run at certain distances. Only Strike the Gold in 1991 had a Dosage number greater than 4.00 since 1929. The Jockeys Club's Experimental Free Handicap rates horses according to their two-year- old form; horses should be within 10 pounds of the highweighted horse. This year, the only dual qualifiers for the Derby are Hello (IRE) and Silver Charm.

FIRST-TIMERS: Five trainers will making starting their first Derby horses: Wayne Catalano (Crypto Star); John Tammaro III (Concerto); Gary Capuano (Captain Bodgit); Danny Hutt (Celtic Warrior); and Forrest Kaelin (Crimson Classic). Four jockeys will be riding in their first Derby: Carlos Marquez Jr. (Concerto); Francisco Torres (Celtic Warrior); David Flores (Free House); and Robby Albarado (Crimson Classic). Carlos Marquez Jr.'s father rode in the Derby, finishing third aboard Hold Your Peace in 1972.

WINNING OWNERS: Three owners who have won Derbies are represented: W. Cal Partee (Lil E. Tee, 1992), Michael Tabor (Thunder Gulch, 1995); and Claiborne Farm (Swale, 1984).

EXPERIENCE NEEDED?: Pulpit, the favorite for this year's Derby, did not run last year due to an injury. The only Derby winner without a race as a two-year-old was Apollo in 1882.

REPEAT WINNERS?: Last year's Derby winning trainer and jockey will both be back this year. Jerry Bailey, who rode Grindstone for D. Wayne Lukas to a nose win in 1996, will ride 12-1 Phantom On Tour. Lukas will saddle Deeds Not Words, 50-1 on the morning line.

FOREIGN AFFAIRS: Hello (IRE) is the first Irish-bred horse to run in the Kentucky Derby since Dr Devious (IRE) ran seventh in 1992. Dr Devious (IRE) bounced back in his next race, winning the English Derby. English-breds Tomy Lee (1959) and Omar Khayyam (1917), and Canadian-breds Sunny's Halo (1983) and Northern Dancer (1964), are the only foreign-breds to win the Kentucky Derby.

THE WORLD'S ALL HERE: Churchill Downs has issued approximately 2,000 media credentials for this year's Kentucky Derby. The foreign contingent of journalists includes representatives from Holland, Sweden, Japan, Great Britain, Argentina and Canada.

MONEY MATTERS: The purse for the Derby is $1 million with the winning owner receiving $700,000. Second place will be worth $170,000, third will be worth $85,000 and fourth, $45,000.

SOLIS TO WEAR JOCKEY CAMERA

One of the innovations in ABC Sports' broadcast Saturday will be the first use of a wireless miniature camera on the helmet of jockey Alex Solis, who rides Wood Memorial winner Captain Bodgit. The camera will allow viewers to see and hear the race from his point of view. Because weight is always a concern as well as a regulation in Thoroughbred racing events, the camera, receiver and wireless microphone weigh a total of 19 ounces.

CHRIS MCCARRON STILL ROOTING FOR HELLO

Chris McCarron won't be able to ride Hello (IRE) in Saturday's Derby because of injuries suffered in a spill April 21, but he's pulling for the Ron McAnally-trained colt just the same. 'I'm actually rooting for him,' McCarron said Thursday morning on the Churchill Downs backstretch as he prepared for his appearance as a racing analyst on the ABC Sports telecast Saturday. 'Ron McAnally is a great friend of mine and has been one of my best clients over the past 15 years and I'm sincerely rooting for him. I'd like to see him win it and if he can't, I'd like to see Alex (Solis, who rides Captain Bodgit) win it.'

The Running Horse (http://www.isd1.com/)