Before the Kentucky Derby goes off as the 11th of 13 races on a marathon card at Churchill Downs today, some familiar names will take to the track in five ultra-competitive stakes on the undercard.

Eight Belles Stakes (GIII)

Hot Dixie Chick (Robby Albarado, post 2), who won two stakes at Saratoga last summer, is the favorite in this seven furlong sprint for 3-year-old fillies, which was renamed in 2009 to honor the ill-fated runner-up of the 2008 Derby.

Hot Dixie Chick has reeled off four straight wins since fin¬ishing second in her career debut. She broke her maiden at Churchill Downs, then took the Schuylerville and Spinaway at Saratoga to conclude her 2-year-old campaign.

In her first start this year, the filly won the Prima Donna Stakes at Oaklawn in blinding¬ly fast time.

The only filly ever to beat her, Decelerator (Terry Thompson, post 4) is 4-2-2-0 at Churchill Downs, with a win in the Grade III Debutante and placings in the Grade III Poca¬hontas and Grade II Golden Rod.

Churchill Distaff Turf Mile (GII)

Last year’s winner Tizaque¬ena (Garrett Gomez, post 5) stands out in this field of fillies and mares. The mare went winless in the rest of 2009 after her Churchill win, but returned to win her first two starts of 2010, the LaCombe Memorial and the Bayou Handicap at the Fair Grounds.

Diamondrella (Albarado, post 7) is a multiple Grade I winner but her last win came in October in the First Lady and she’s run poorly recently. Fantasia (Julien Leparoux, post 3) is a Group III winner in her native England and fin¬ished a good second in her American debut at Keeneland.

Phola (Ramon Dominguez, post 2) is 2-for-2 this year with

a stakes win at Tampa; Hot Cha Cha (James Graham, post 6) won the Grade I Queen Eliza¬beth II Challenge Cup at Keeneland last fall; and Hooh Why (Robert Allen Jr., post 4) won the Grade I Ashland last year.

Humana Distaff (GI)

Eclipse champion Informed Decision (Leparoux, post 3) headlines this seven furlong race, which she won last year during her female sprint cham¬pionship campaign.

The gray mare, who was 6-for-7 with a win at the Breeders’ Cup last year, lost her first start of 2010 however, finishing third in Keeneland’s Grade I Vinery Madison. Both the winner of that race, Dr. Zic (Kent Des¬ormeaux, post 1) and runner-up, Dubai Majesty (Jamie The¬riot, post 4) return here.

Mona del Momma (Joel Rosario, post 10) won the Grade III Las Flores last time out and the consistent Free Flying Soul (Mile Smith, post 9) has been on the board in all four starts this year.

Churchill Downs Stakes (GII)

The top three finishers from the Grade I Carter at Aqueduct all return in this competitive seven furlong event. Warrior’s Reward (Leparoux, post 7) is 2-for-2 this year and showed gameness winning the Carter in a photo. Musket Man (Dominguez, post 12) finished third in last year’s Derby and Preakness before taking the rest of the year off due to injury; he returned to win the Super Stakes at Tampa before losing the Carter. Todd Pletcher sends out Munnings (Johnny Velazquez, post 1) a multiple stakeswinner who won the Gulf¬stream Park Sprint Champi¬onship before finishing third in the Carter.

Kensei (Albarado, post 11) won the Dwyer and Jim Dandy last year and finished second in his comeback race at the Fair Grounds, the Kenner Memorial, after a long break. Wall Street Wonder (Channing Hill, post 3) comes off wins in the Pau¬monok and Grade III Toboggan at Aqueduct. Ventana (Gomez, post 8)won the Grade II Potero Grande in California and fin¬ished second in two other graded stakes this year to the likes of Kinsale King and Bob Black Jack. Hull (Shaun Bridgemohan, post 6) hasn’t won in over a year but is returning to the track he won the Derby Trial on last year.

Woodford Reserve Turf Classic (GI)

Court Vision (Albarado, post 3) is a Grade I winner at ages three, four and five and stands out in this nine furlong event immediately preceding the Derby. Winner of the Grade I Shadwell Mile last fall at Keeneland, he crossed the wire second in the Grade I Gulfstream Park Turf Handi¬cap earlier this year but was placed first by disqualification. Most recently, he finished sec¬ond in the Grade I Maker’s Mark Mile at Keeneland.

Battle of Hastings (Dominguez, post 6) has a pen¬chant for being involved in tight finishes. He’s been first or second in six of his last nine races. Five of those races were decided by ¾ of a length or less. The colt’s last win came in the Grade II Virginia Derby last July, but he’s been second in graded company twice in California this year.

The Irish-bred Loup Breton (Gomez, post 8) is 2-for-3 on the turf in California since arriving in America, with a win in the Grade III San Marcos. He faltered last time out over the ProRide surface in the Santa Anita Handicap, but returns to his favorite surface today.

General Quarters (Rafael Bejarano, post 2), last year’s Blue Grass winner, has been second in all four of his starts since returning from a layoff, but was soundly defeated in his only turf start.