The Crescent City, the synthetic surface and the Wild Wild West all come together this weekend with Derby stepping-stones reaching from Fair Grounds, to Kentucky to New Mexico.

On a look back to last week’s action, Eskendereya was the big winner in Florida though he didn’t even run in the race. The pair he just crushed, Ice Box and Pleasantly Prince, ran one/two in the Florida Derby and they along with third finisher Rule will not race again until the first Saturday in May. Eskendereya’s stock went way up.

Before we look at the main preps of the Louisiana Derby and the Lane’s End at Turfway on Polytrack the Sunland Derby deserves honorable mention because the race came back so strong last year.

The odds of the Sunland Derby being important in retrospect 2 years in a row are daunting but what happened in 2009 can’t be forgotten. Second finisher in the race Mythical Power took the Grade 3 Lone Star Derby in his next out, 12th finisher Valid Stripes took the $125,000 Texas Stallion Stakes next out, Mark S the Cooler took an allowance at Hollywood right back, Advice rebounded taking the Grade 2 Lexington and of course, Mine that Bird won the Derby in a shocker.

The fact the race is boosted to a Grade 3 will draw some decent runners and the ones to keep an eye on are Southwest Stakes champ Conveyance, Risen Star second Tempted to Tapit, San Vicente Stakes trifecta player Classical Slew and Storming Saint, who was put up in the stepping-stone race, the Borderline Derby in February.

Before they went to the synthetic at Turfway, the Lane’s End was called the Spiral and then the Jim Beam. In 1992 Lil E. Tee posted a 106 Beyer in the Southwest Stakes and then in his next start came from mid-pack to win at 9-2 with a 95 figure in then the Jim Beam.

Despite losing by a neck in his next race with a 107 figure, fans dismissed him the first Saturday in May and regretted it to the tune of 16-1.

In 2004, Birdstone ran 5th in the Lane’s End, and then broke hearts beating Smarty Jones in the Belmont Stakes.

This year Connemara could have a coming out party. Yet another of the Todd Pletcher bullets, his only beat came with a legit excuse and he is fresh from a solid close when he took the El Camino Real Derby at Golden Gate.

The sky is the limit for this one as he is kin to Hollywood Futurity winner and over $1.3 million earner Lion Heart. With any kind of pace, he will be one tough cookie.

Pletcher will also be looking for improvement from his recent allowance winner Doubles Partner as the trainer is seeking for his third win in the Lane’s End following Balto Star and Flower Alley.

Dale Roman’s Quiet All American is bred for speed on top, stamina on the bottom, as he will be attempting to turn the hat trick after winning a $100,000 stakes at Ocala. His dam was a non-winner but is kin to a Grade 2 winner and over $200,000 earner.

If you are going to bet on Roman’s other runner, Vow to Wager know that his dam is a minor stakes winner and kin to millionaire Grass Venture.

Others likely seeking glory on the Polytrack are Best Actor, Dean’s Kitten, Fearless Cowboy, Noah’s Dream, Northern Giant and Outlaw Man.

Now on to the Bayou.

Grindstone won his second career race in the Louisiana Derby with a 102 Beyer in 1996, lost his next effort when wide and beaten a neck in the Arkansas Derby, then was skillfully ridden by Jerry Bailey to get up by a nose at Churchill for the ‘Roses’ with a 112 figure.

New York’s favorite son Funny Cide was placed 2nd in the Louisiana Derby in 2003, hated the mud in the Wood, and then posted a 109 Beyer winning the Derby at 12-1.

Ancient history will find the other runner that posted the Louisiana Derby/Kentucky Derby double in Black Gold in 1924.

One true star almost pulled it off in 1988. Risen Star was allowed to let Winning Colors alone on the lead in Kentucky and had to settle for third.

Discreetly Mine will be looking for back-to-back wins in the Louisiana Derby after recording a career high 94 Beyer taking the Risen Star Stakes. Consistent, he handled his first route assignment with flying colors and has a right to mature with class as kin to Discreet Cat, a brilliant Grade 1 winner that had the look of a router the way he finished his mile wins on his way to an over $1.6 million career.

Recent fourth in the Risen Star Stakes, Drosselmeyer will likely be back for more, as he is out to make amends for the flop as the chalk while Ron the Greek needs to pick it up after running mid-pack recently.

A Little Warm is in interesting player. Trained by the very sharp Anthony Dutrow, the son of Stormin Fever has the blood on the bottom side being out of an Alydar mare. His dam was a Graded winner and kin to Grade 2 winner and over $550K earner in Colonial Minstrel.

It took him a few races to figure it out but he was getting to the winner in the recent Hutcheson Stakes despite going wide.

The screws are being tightened now on these runners and it’s up to the players to ascertain who will have a full tank in about 5 weeks.