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	Photo By: Bill Vassar		Grey/roan colt 3; Maria's Mon - Imaginary Cat (Storm Cat) Breeder: Overbrook Farm (KY) Owner: Peter Redekop B. C., Ltd. Trainer: Jerry Hollendorfer Jockey: Russell Baze

Starter Analysis

Pedigree Analysis

CAUSE TO BELIEVE, like A.P. Warrior, is a single betting interest in the Kentucky Derby future wager pool 1 going on this weekend at Churchill Downs. Unlike that foe, however, Cause to Believe's trainer Jerry Hollendorfer has said that he's not really thinking Derby at this point. That could all change with a big run here. And in seven starts, this colt has never run worse than second, including three minor stakes wins in northern California. His deep closing style left him a little too much to do when he was second to another good young sprinter Too Much Bling at Santa Anita earlier this month. Top local connections will and should get respect at the windows. Common handicapping logic says that sprinters with this running style should like going two turns, but that's not always the case. However, in his lone race going two turns, he was much closer to the pace than normal and still managed to draw off for an easy victory. Ultimately, it doesn't make much sense to leave this powerhouse trainer/jockey out of your exotics, but don't really see him getting the top spot.

CAUSE TO BELIEVE is a son of the champion two-year-old colt Maria's Mon. With his son Monarchos winning the 2001 Kentucky Derby, he secured himself a place in history as a sire. Besides Monarchos, he has sired 22 additional stakes winners to date, including High Limit, winner of the San Pasqual Handicap (GII) and Louisiana Derby (GII), and See How She Runs, winner of Oaklawn's Fantasy Stakes (GII). As a racehorse, Maria's Mon was a precocious animal, as he was the only two-year-old to win multiple Grade 1 stakes in 1995, by virtue of his victories in the prestigious Futurity (GI) and the Moet Champagne Stakes (GI) at Belmont Park. He raced just twice after his freshman campaign, before retiring due to injury. He comes from the same female family as Marfa, winner of both the Santa Anita Derby (GI) and Jim Beam Stakes (GII) at age three. Cause to Believe is the third foal from his dam Imaginary Cat. While neither of the previous pair are stakes horses, her first foal has hit the board in seven of 15 starts, including a win going a route of ground. The unraced Imaginary Cat is a full sister to Katz Me If You Can, a multiple graded stakes winning filly who specialized in sprinting while bankrolling over $410,000, and a half sister to Country Romance, also a stakes winning sprinting filly.