Owner Marty Wygod of Rancho Santa Fe knows he's bucking history —— only three fillies (Regret, Genuine Risk and Winning Colors) have ever won the Kentucky Derby —— but when it comes to his prized 3-year-old, Sweet Catomine, he just can't help himself.

Sweet Catomine will continue on the road to the Kentucky Derby on Sunday when she races in the Santa Anita Oaks for fillies only. The event should be nothing short of a public workout for the daughter of Storm Cat.

After that it will be time to find out what last year's champion 2-year-old filly has. If everything continues on the straight and narrow, Sweet Catomine will face the boys in the Grade I Santa Anita Derby on April 9. A win or runner-up finish will put her in Louisville, Ky., on May 7.

"I'm realistic enough to know after 40 years in the business that unless she shows up at her peak, she doesn't have a chance," said Wygod of running in the Kentucky Derby. "We have to go in at our peak, and it starts this week in the Oaks."

Sweet Catomine has earned $864,800 while winning four of her five starts, and Wygod thinks she will only get better.

"We really like her going a mile-and-a-quarter (of the Derby) more than a mile-and-an-eighth (of the Kentucky Oaks)," said Wygod, who began thinking of the Run for the Roses shortly after Sweet Catomine won the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies on Oct. 30 at Lone Star Park. "She has been running faster than the colts and most times on the same day as they have run."

Wygod insists his filly is more of a tomboy.

"She enjoys body contact," he said. "In one race, she got belted at the start and she was not intimidated by the contact. I've never seen a filly like that. She's just as large as the colts and she would also get a five-pound weight allowance in the Derby (for being a filly)."

When Sweet Catomine was awarded the Eclipse Award in January as champion filly of 2004, it was a first for Wygod.

"It was a great feeling," said Wygod, "but not as great as winning the Breeders' Cup. Winning the Eclipse was anticlimactic because everyone knew she was going to win, although there was one writer who didn't vote for her or else she would have made history as a unanimous selection.

"When they came over on her (in the Breeders' Cup) and then she got squeezed back, I couldn't believe she came back on (to win). It was the highlight of my career."

And now Wygod is hoping for a new highlight. Something only three other thoroughbreds have accomplished.

More Derby talk

Another 3-year-old looking to solidify his place in the starting gate for the first Saturday in May is Scipion.

The son of A.P. Indy, from the Patrick Biancone barn, was the surprise winner of the Feb. 12 Risen Star Stakes at the Fairgrounds in New Orleans at odds of 10-1. Scipion won't be close to those odds in Saturday's Louisiana Derby.

"A.P. Indys were born to run a mile-and-a-quarter or 1 1/2 miles," said Biancone, who campaigned Lion Heart last year to a runner-up finish in the Kentucky Derby. "He just needs to go through the process. I know he can be good, but he doesn't know how good. Every passing day is better for him."

Scipion likes to close from behind —— he was 10 lengths behind at the first call of the Risen Star —— and Biancone said he is comfortable with that style.

"It's very rare that you find a race with no speed in it at all," said the French-born trainer. "You can't change the style of a horse. I knew from the first day that he would like to come from behind."

Biancone said to compare Scipion and Lion Heart would be "very difficult," but "hopefully, he is a touch better."

No Funny Cide

Joe Harper's attempt to get 2003 Kentucky Derby winner Funny Cide in this year's $1 million Pacific Classic at Del Mar apparently has fallen on deaf ears.

Harper, the president of the Del Mar Thoroughbred Club, wined and dined Funny Cide's managing general partner, Jack Knowlton, during Del Mar's opening week last year.

However, when Funny Cide's schedule was announced by trainer Barclay Tagg last week a trip West wasn't on the agenda, especially with the Breeders' Cup Classic being held at New York's Belmont Park.

The current plan for the popular gelding is to run in the Ben Ali Handicap on April 28 at Keeneland followed by the May 20 Pimlico Special and June 18 Stephen Foster Handicap at Churchill Downs. After that, Funny Cide is expected to rest with one possible start during the Saratoga Springs, N.Y., summer meet.

That will be followed by the Oct. 1 Jockey Club Gold Cup at Belmont before the Oct. 29 Breeders' Cup.

Staff writer Jeff Nahill covers horse racing for the North County Times. He can be reached at (760) 740-3550 or jnahill@nctimes.com.