by Frank Angst

While Eoin Harty was having a bit of fun, his answer to how Colonel John will handle the dirt track at Churchill Downs probably is as good as any.

“I’ll tell you on Sunday,” Harty said.

Santa Anita Derby (G1) winner Colonel John and runner-up Bob Black Jack, both based in Southern California, enter the Derby without a single start on dirt. Del Mar, Hollywood Park, and Santa Anita Park all feature synthetic surfaces.

Adriano registered his biggest win in the Lane’s End Stakes (G2) on the Polytrack surface at Turfway Park. Other Derby horses have made most of their starts on synthetic surfaces or turf, including Todd Pletcher stablemates Monba and Cowboy Cal, who finished first and second, respectively, in the Toyota Blue Grass Stakes (G1) on Keeneland Race Course’s Polytrack surface.

Cowboy Cal finished seventh in his debut on dirt at Saratoga Race Course on August 25 before registering three straight wins and a runner-up finish in four turf starts, including a victory in the Tropical Park Derby (G3) on January 1 at Calder Race Course. Pletcher mapped out that Derby plan for Cowboy Cal in December.

Monba won an allowance race on dirt at Churchill Downs on November 24 but appeared overmatched when 12th in the Fountain of Youth Stakes (G2) on February 24 on the dirt at Gulfstream Park. The Maria’s Mon colt then punched his Derby ticket with the Blue Grass win.

Pletcher said he can only credit his horses with running well in a Grade 1 race and proceed from there. Last year, Street Sense finished second in the Blue Grass and Hard Spun won the Lane’s End.

"I do think that for some reason horses tend to get over their races a little quicker off the Polytrack,” said Pletcher who typically prefers a longer break between races than the three weeks between the Blue Grass and the Derby. “In a perfect world, just because these horses are doing so well right now, I wouldn't mind having another week. But I do think that they bounced out of the Blue Grass very well."

Southern California-based Gayego made his first four career starts on synthetic surfaces, including a victory in the San Pedro Stakes. The Gilded Time colt won his first career start on dirt, taking the Arkansas Derby (G2) on April 12 at Oaklawn Park.

Morning-line favorite Big Brown won his debut on turf last year at Saratoga then opened this year with an allowance win in a race moved from turf to dirt at Gulfstream. The Boundary colt went on to won the Florida Derby (G1) on March 29.

Big Brown’s trainer Rick Dutrow Jr. does not like synthetic tracks.

“It might be good for horses’ bones but I don’t think it’s good for their tendons and muscles. It’s not natural,” Dutrow said. “I hope they never put it in in New York. I’m going to try to stay away from it, unless one of my horses happens to like it.”

Frank Angst is Thoroughbred Times senior writer