The Lead:
A storied Midwestern race returns to the landscape Sunday when the 1/ST BET Illinois Derby matches potential Preakness hopefuls at Hawthorne. Last run in 2017, the Illinois Derby's history spans to its 1923 inaugural and the greater Chicago staple is best known in modern times for springboarded 2002 Kentucky Derby and Preakness winner War Emblem. Sunday's winner likely moves on the path to Pimlico's middle jewel of the Triple Crown, set for May 18.

​Field Depth:
PATRIOT SPIRIT is the field's lone stakes winner, while REAL MEN VIOLIN is Grade 2 stakes-placed. That pair, along with WOODCOURT, have held the strongest company lines in this field of 6.

Pace:
The mile and one-eighth trip will be a new challenge for stretch-out sprinters RAVIN'S TOWN and PATRIOT SPIRIT, while RAGUEL also figures to be in the early mix while adding blinkers for the first time. The pace should be fast for the distance.

Our Eyes:
Here are my horse-by-horse notes.

#1-REAL MEN VIOLIN: Runner-up in November's Grade 2 Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes at Churchill Downs, he failed to threaten in the Risen Star and Louisiana Derby on the Fair Grounds path to the Triple Crown. Trainer Kenny McPeek has potential Kentucky Derby entrants with Mystik Dan and Common Defense, and this could be his Preakness player with a step forward Sunday. Expected to settle at the back early and make a late run under Reylu Gutierrez.

#2-PATRIOT SPIRIT: Tampa Bay Downs' Inaugural Stakes winner has raced only once around 2 turns in his 6-race career, a disappointing effort in the Grade 3 Sam F. Davis on the Gulf Coast. Got a work over the Hawthorne track April 7 for trainer Michael Campbell, but stretches out 3 full furlongs from his most-recent third in the Hutcheson Stakes at Gulfstream. Sire Constitution won won the 2014 Florida Derby over this 1-1/8 miles distance and sired '24 Louisiana Derby winner Catching Freedom over 1-3/16 miles.

#3-RAGUEL: Son of 2018 Triple Crown winner Justify makes his first stakes appearance after a pair of solid allowance placings at Gulfstream Park. Trainer Brendan Walsh adds blinkers to the mix after this colt has chased promising Shug McGaughey trainees Change of Command and Conquest Warrior in his last pair of outings. Two starts under his belt already at the Illinois Derby distance, including a November maiden win at Churchill Downs.

#4-WOODCOURT: Sharp $50,000 claim at Turfway in December, Cipriano Contreras has gotten an immediate return with a colt who has earned $156,275 since. Oaklawn allowance winner ran a better-than-it-looks fourth in the Grade 2 Rebel when leaving from a wide post-12 draw. Even effort with traffic in the Grade 3 Jeff Ruby at Turfway, finishing sixth by just 4-1/4 lengths ... but was within a neck of second in a blanket finish for the minor awards behind runaway winner Endlessly. Strictly the horse to beat Sunday and should get a hot tempo in front of him to show his pace versatility.

#5-LE GRIS: Fair Grounds winner on turf and dirt was a no-threat ninth in his stakes debut at Turfway Park in the Rushaway Stakes. That was his first bid on a synthetic surface and could be a candidate to bounce back with a return to the dirt. Versatile running style should be beneficial with this projected race shape, and sire City of Light was a Pegasus World Cup winner at this 1-1/8 miles distance and is proud papa of 2024 Florida Derby winner and Kentucky Derby favorite Fierceness. Last year's Kentucky Derby runner-up rider Jareth Loveberry pilots.

#6-RAVIN'S TOWN: Least-seasoned entrant in the Illinois Derby makes a dual class and distance rise after a pair of local sprints. Chicagoland kingpin trainer Larry Rivelli conditioned last year's Kentucky Derby runner-up Two Phil's, so we'll see if he can get back to the Triple Crown series with this fleet longshot. Pedigree for the $230,000 purchase suggests 9 furlongs will be a legitimate hurdle.

Most Certain Exotics Contender:
WOODCOURT should be passing tired horses with every chance to pounce to the top.

Best Longshot Exotics Contender:
No huge prices projected in this field, though RAGUEL could be overlooked some in his stakes debut and appears capable of a contending share.
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Sending it in ($100 bankroll):
$80 win WOODCOURT. $10 exacta part-wheel WOODCOURT over RAGUEL, REAL MEN VIOLIN ($20).