The 84th running of the $750,000 Toyota Blue Grass at Keeneland features a full field of twelve runners who are all targeting the same horse: race favorite Pyro, unbeaten in two starts this year and the current favorite for the Kentucky Derby in May.

Pyro won his debut at Churchill Downs last July, then managed to finish closely behind War Pass in three straight races, culminating in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile in October at Monmouth Park. He bounced back this year, away from that rival, by winning the Risen Star Stakes (gr. III) by two and the Louisiana Derby (gr. II) by three lengths. Steve Asmussen trains the son of Pulpit, who has made over $1 million in earnings lifetime.

The challengers aren't going to pass away easily, however. Cool Coal Man, by Mineshaft, is a strong force from the rail, coming off a win in the Fountain of Youth (gr. II) at Gulfstream in February. He is four for seven lifetime for trainer Nick Zito, who also starts Stevil, last out fifth behind Pyro in the Louisiana Derby (gr. II).

Todd Pletcher is anxious to get on the Derby trail with Cowboy Cal and Monba. Cowboy Cal, a son of Giant's Causeway, has been aiming for this race since February, where he was last seen finishing second to Why Tonto in the Hallandale Beach Stakes. Prior to that he had won three races in a row, all on the turf. Monba was a surprising twelfth in the Fountain of Youth after being an exciting two-year-old last year, winning his first two starts and then finishing fourth in the rich CashCall Futurity (gr. I).

The Tampa Bay Derby (gr. III) produced last year's Kentucky Derby winner Street Sense, and this year has produced Big Truck, who won desperately over Atoned (and War Pass) in the March 15th race. That form was not flattered by Atoned's dismal finish in last weekend's Illinois Derby (gr. II). Barclay Tagg trains the son of Hook and Ladder.

Michael Matz, trainer of 2006 Derby winner Barbaro, brings Team Valor's Visionaire to the race. The son of Grand Slam won a wild Gotham Stakes (gr. III) at Aqueduct in March, thundering out of the fog to defeat Texas Wildcatter by a nose. Although the exciting colt has a band of eager followers, Visionaire has already lost to Pyro and Texas Wildcatter returned to make no impact on the Wood Memorial field last weekend.

Halo Najib and Medjool, second and third place finishers in the Lane's End Stakes (gr. II) to Adirano in March, and Rushaway Stakes runner up Miner's Claim, and Stone Bird and Kentucky Bear round out the field.