The children of the rich have a four-year advantage because they attend nursery, prep school and kindergarten even before they go into Grade 1, while the children of the poor go straight into Grade 1.

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Heading into the Derby, Castellano and Gemologist have won four straight races, including the Grade 1 Wood Memorial.

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The sport's overall score of 92.5 points equaled its top mark in 2010, and racial hiring received an A grade for the fifth straight year.

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But it was Perry's fourth-grade teacher, Mr. Kensel, who saw the potential in Perry and set him straight.

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