General Quarters stormed to victory in the $750,000 Blue Grass Stakes at Keeneland and re-established himself as a genuine Kentucky Derby hope.

It was a different story for John Gosden's winner of the Kempton Kentucky Derby Trial, Mafaaz, who flopped back in eighth of eleven behind General Quarters.

Mafaaz will now miss the Kentucky Derby and free up his place in the first leg of The Triple Crown to a genuine contender.

The winner, General Quarters went off at 14/1 in the betting for the Blue Grass Stakes and was fulfilling a fairytale story for his owner/trainer Tom McCarthy. The 75-year-old McCarthy had been interested in buying General Quarters went he sold for $20,000 at the sales. He missed out that day so put in a claim for the horse when he saw him entered for his first run.

The horse won that claimer and transferred to McCarthy. The rest is history and the final chapter will be written in the Kentucky Derby but spare a thought for the former connections who must be gutted to have given away their now superstar colt.

General Quarters is the only horse in McCarthy's yard. However, after winning a grade three, General Quarters disappointed badly in the Tampa Bay Derby won by Musket Man. However, closer to the pace and wide out of the kickback, General Quarters enjoyed a trouble free run this time and won easily.

Kent Desormeaux, jockey of runner-up Hold Me Back, is hoping his mount can follow in the footsteps of Street Sense, second in this race before landing the one that really matters: The Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs.

Papa Clem claims Arkansas Derby as beaten Old Fashioned injured and out of Derby

Meanwhile, in another influential Kentucky Derby trial, Papa Clem beat evens favorite Old Fashioned in the $1million Arkansas Derby.

It transpired that Old Fashioned had incurred a right knee injury during the race that rules the Larry Jones trained colt out of The Kentucky Derby on Saturday May 2.

Papa Clem's fortunate victory was a form boost for Pioneerof The Nile and Friesan Fire as Papa Clem had been behind both in past performances. Papa Clem is now a 16/1 shot in the Kentucky Derby betting.