Camarillo racehorse owner Carl Grether will be hoping for a little touch of Seabiscuit magic today when his thoroughbred filly Intangaroo walks out at Churchill Downs to compete in the 22nd running of the $300,000 Humana Distaff.

The Grade 1 stakes race over seven furlongs is the eighth race on the Kentucky Derby Day program and is scheduled at 12:50 p.m. PDT, two races ahead of the Derby.

"We're giving her a shot," Grether said of his 4-year-old horse who came from behind to win the Santa Monica Handicap at Santa Anita in February at odds of 26-1 and finished a close third in April's Las Flores Handicap.

He's also giving her jockey, 24-year-old Alonso Quinonez, a shot. Grether decided to stick with the young jockey, who completed his apprenticeship only last year but already has formed a bond with Intangaroo that Grether is reluctant to break.

"We watched her gallop over the track," said Grether, speaking by phone from Louisville, Ky., on Friday after Intangaroo's workout. "There's so much press here, and it's really exciting."

Grether, 51, runs Tom Grether Farms in Somis, which he inherited from his late father and which is adjacent to what formerly was the famous Binglin Stable, established in the 1930s by Bing Crosby and Lin Howard, son of Charles Howard, owner of the legendary racehorse Seabiscuit.

In 1950, after the death of Charles Howard and the sale of his northern California ranch, his life-size bronze statue of Seabiscuit was brought to his son's ranch. Grether said locals believe Seabiscuit is buried on the land he now uses to breed and train thoroughbreds.

Indeed, Grether has enjoyed almost a fairy-tale ride with Intangaroo, whom he bought for $37,000 in 2005.

The horse won her first race in June 2007 with rookie jockey Quinonez in the saddle on the same day that Grether and his family removed their father, Tom, from life support after he suffered a major stroke.

Tom Grether had bet $400 on Intangaroo to win at odds of 14-1, and he was buried with the winning ticket in his pocket.

After being sidelined for much of the rest of the year by injury, Intangaroo, who at 15.3 hands is on the small side for a racehorse, resumed training at Hollywood Park with trainer Gary Sherlock and became "a little horse that could," with her performances at Santa Anita this year.

Carl Grether said being at Churchill Downs for Kentucky Derby Day and having a horse in an undercard race is simply unbelievable, and he's happy to be there whether Intangaroo wins or not.

Bookmakers gave Intangaroo odds of 12-1 Friday. Grether acknowledged that she's up against stiff competition in the field of nine.

The Humana Distaff will be broadcast live on ESPN as part of its Kentucky Derby coverage.