Saturday's Illinois Derby (Grade 2) lured nine contestants seeking important graded earnings in advance of the Kentucky Derby. The salty bunch chasing the $500,000 purse is led by Cobalt Blue from the Doug O'Neill camp and Cowtown Cat from the Todd Pletcher barn.

The Pletcher vs. O'Neill dynamic is nothing new on this year's Kentucky Derby trail. The two went head to head in the Sham (Grade 3) with Pletcher's Ravel narrowly getting the best of O'Neill's Liquidity, run on February 3. A week later on February 10, the two went at it again in the Risen Star (Grade 3) with O'Neill claiming victory with Notional; Circular Quay encountered traffic problems and finished fifth. Fast forward to March 3 and the Robert B. Lewis (Grade II) where Doug O'Neill again came out on top with Great Hunter claiming a 1 ¼-length win over Pletcher's Sam P. A week later, Pletcher evened the score in the Louisiana Derby (Grade 2) when Circular Quay coasted to victory as O'Neill's contestant Liquidity struggled home sixth. The two trainers would meet again the very next week in the San Felipe (Grade 2) which saw Doug O'Neill once again get the upper hand as Cobalt Blue won easily and Todd Pletcher's Grapelli finished last.

Just last week, Pletcher evened the rivalry up to three wins a piece as he watched Scat Daddy coast home to win the Florida Derby (Grade 1) impressively over the Doug O'Neill trainee Notional. The Illinois Derby will mark the seventh time these two trainers have brought leading contenders into leading Kentucky Derby prep races. It should be noted that when both trainers have contested in a prep race, one of the two of them have come out as the winner of the race. The two also meet in the Santa Anita Derby later in the day as Pletcher sends out Sam P. and King of the Roxy against Doug O'Neill's Liquidity.

Cobalt Blue, owned by media mogul Merv Griffin, comes into the race off a sharp score in the San Felipe (Grade 2). The race served as the Doug O'Neill trainee's first attempt at a route of ground. Cobalt Blue seemed to relish the added distance as he turned back the highly regarded Bob Baffert trainee Air Commander. It was the third win from four career starts for the chestnut son of Golden Missile and a race that stamped him as a leading contender for the Kentucky Derby. He is one of four horses in the Doug O'Neill barn pointing towards the Run for the Roses in addition to Great Hunter, Notional, and Liquidity. Cobalt Blue breaks from post five and will be ridden by Victor Espinoza. He is the 9-5 morning line favorite.

Cowtown Cat represents the juggernaut Todd Pletcher stable and has been installed as the 5-2 second choice in the race. He enters the race off an impressive 2 ½-length win in the Gotham (Grade 3) over Wafi City and Summer Doldrums. The field he meets in this race seems considerably tougher and should be a more telling race in regards to his distance capabilities. The pricey buy is a son of Distorted Humor out of a Storm Cat mare. He gets the riding services of Fernando Jara for this race. He is also entered in the Wood Memorial to be run at Aqueduct but is expected to start in this race, likely to avoid his stablemate Any Given Saturday in New York.

An interesting entrant breaking from the eight hole is Catman Running. The Eric Reed trainee comes into the race on a three-race win-streak that includes a victory last time out in the John Battaglia Memorial. He defeated Joe Got Even tat day, who came back to run a good third in the Lanes End (Grade 2) behind Hard Spun and Sedgefield. He takes a considerable jump in class but seems well prepared to do so. Distance should be no problem as he remains undefeated going two-turns. Willie Martinez is set to ride the Tactical Cat colt, listed on the morning line at enticing odds of 8-1.

Hutcheson (Grade 2) runner-up Bold Start is the only other entrant listed at single digit odds at 9-2. The Ken McPeek trainee rebounded from a dismal showing in the Holy Bull (Grade 3) when he was facing stiff competition going a route of ground. He has yet to prove he can hang with the big dogs going two turns, which he will have to do in this race. This is his last chance to prove he belongs before the stakes get even higher in the Kentucky Derby.

The nine horse field is rounded out by Sacrifice Bunt, Reporting for Duty, Quite Acceptable, Family Talk, and Love Dubai. Love Dubai was a late nominee to the Triple Crown after three consecutive victories; he adds blinkers for the Illinois Derby. The race is listed as the 7 th on the card and is set to go off at 5:09pm EDT.