Even the most casual of horse racing fans, those who pull a name out of a hat each spring and hope to turn a dollar into a double sawbuck, know that the Kentucky Derby has an official song -- "My Old Kentucky Home."

It's a pre-race ditty, sung when the horses step on the track for the post parade. Grown men, usually the ones with bluegrass-stained feet, have been known to cry during the annual Churchill Downs sing-along. Some of those tears are brought on by too many mint juleps or the purchase of too many losing tickets.

What the Derby doesn't have is an official victory song. One of three may be offered next year if a late-charging colt named Stevie Wonderboy ends up in the winner's circle.

The 2006 Derby logo, which incorporates traditional Derby colors of red and green, also prominently displays the number 132 and a signature red rose is embedded in the name of the event. The logo, which will serve as the official symbol for the 2006 renewal of the world famous "Run for the Roses," was created for the fourth consecutive year by the Churchill Downs Inc.'s Creative Services team.

Suddenly, world championship day is here, and it truly doesn’t matter who is among the missing. Breeders’ Cup will settle all of racing’s family business.

If someone steps up to further solidify its claim to a Horse of the Year title, whether it be a leading handicapper star such as Saint Liam or a brilliant, undefeated Lost In The Fog, Event Day will live deliver on its intended purpose. If not, the votes likely will find the popular and accomplished Afleet Alex in absentia.

Breeders’ Cup was rocked again yesterday morning when Rock Hard Ten was declared out of the Classic with hoof problems. It’s a situation that Hall of Famer Richard Mandella thought he had under control until it resurfaced following a routine gallop. As the racetrackers say, it’s not a bad injury but it came at the worst possible time.

Belmont Park had a special feel today. The crowd was not your typical assemblage of racing fans. Rather, it was filled with fans to the core, fan paraphernalia dappled the scene. Brand new Sorcerer’s Stone jackets, a few Lost in the Fog baseball caps, past Breeders’ Cup t-shirts and sweatshirts. But most of all, a buzz was in the air.

I found out about Rock Hard Ten about mid-card, much to my dismay. He was my top selection for the Classic. Now we have defaulted into a somewhat weak field. It is sad that the race that precedes the Classic, worth half the price, is more exciting. But alas, we make the best of it. Perfect Drift schooled in the paddock today and looked calm, cool and collected. If there was ever a Classic that was tailor-made to him, this is it. The group is not overly classy which means his late kick could very well land him on top. Saint Liam clearly remains the one to beat but needs to overcome that dangerous outside post.

One day to go until the Breeders’ Cup… For horsemen, horseplayers, and fans, the anticipation of racing’s biggest day is in full force. With the fields as competitive as they are, it’s foolish to be overconfident about any particular horses. But you should be getting comfortable about which ones will offer the best value.

Today’s column will try to cover a lot of ground in a little time, and I’ll focus on the significant underlays and overlays in the field. On Cup day, it’s important to identify favorites to throw out as well as to pick the best-valued chances.