Entries will be taken today and post positions drawn for Saturday’s final round of major Kentucky Derby prep races, all at a mile and an eighth: the Blue Grass at Keeneland, the Wood Memorial at Aqueduct and the Arkansas Derby at Oaklawn Park.

A national wager – the “Big 3 Pick 3” – will be available, asking bettors to select the winners of all three events. The Blue Grass (post time 5:14 p.m.) and Wood (5:42) will be broadcast live by ABC. The Arkansas Derby (6:15) will appear on ESPN.

The Grade 1, $750,000 Blue Grass is the day’s marquee event. Vicar, winner of the Fountain of Youth and Florida Derby at Gulfstream Park, could emerge the favorite for the May 1 Run for the Roses with another victory. The son of Wild Again has been working brilliantly at Churchill Downs, zipping a half-mile yesterday in a “bullet” :48 with a final quarter in :23.2, galloping out five furlongs in 1:00.4.

But Vicar must hold off two horses he narrowly beat in Florida: Wondertross, who closed well to lose the Florida Derby by a nose, and Cat Thief, a neck back in the Fountain of Youth.

A field of 11 looks definite for the Grade 2, $600,000 Wood, with runaway Gotham winner Badge the likely favorite. Trainer Nick Zito’s uncoupled pair of Adonis and The Groom Is Red figure next in the betting.

Last year’s 2-year-old champ Answer Lively and the late-blooming Ecton Park, who finished a close-up second and third in the Louisiana Derby, head a field of seven or eight for the Grade 2, $500,000 Arkansas Derby. Other major players include Certain, third in the Fountain of Youth, and Rebel Stakes winner Etbauer.