Good choices are what life is all about. Of course, success is how you define it, but at the end of the day there is hope that the decisions we make yield the desired results. Now, you know you can pick your friends and you realize you can pick your clothes…but can you pick the winner of the Kentucky Derby?
Here is a quick look at the field for the world’s most famous race and a thought on each with the morning line, trainer, and jockey. Back a horse and get paid!
1 Citizen Bull (20-1 Bob Baffert Martin Garcia)-Juvenile champ has a tough post draw and faded to 4th in the Santa Anita Derby. Will be a tall task but never count out Bob Baffert in these type races.
2 Neoquos (30-1 Saffie Joseph Flavien Prat)-Florida-bred has never raced anywhere but Gulfstream Park and was third in both Fountain of Youth and Florida Derby. He should make the early pace lively.
3 Final Gambit (30-1 Brad Cox Luan Machado)-Jeff Ruby Steaks winner has never won on dirt but has a nice closing kick. Brad Cox is one of the hardest working guys in the game. Might be a horse to put in your exotics at a price.
4 Rodriguez (12-1 Bob Baffert Mike Smith)– Wood Memorial winner took’em gate to wire and has been in the money all five career starts. Not an ideal post but when you combine Big Money Mike and Big Race Bob there is always a real chance.
5 American Promise (30-1 D. Wayne Lukas Nik Juarez)– Ran big in his Virginia Derby win but has not raced since March 15. Nine career starts at five different tracks means he is seasoned but that likely means little here.
6 Admire Daytona (30-1 Yukihiro Kato Christophe Lemaire)-UAE Derby winner was very gutty in taking them all the way in Dubai. Japanese based and should be part of the early pace but this field is far deeper than the UAE.
7 Luxor Café (15-1 Noriyuki Cato Jaoa Moreira) Son of American Pharoah has never raced outside of Japan but has won four in a row. Is this the Godzilla that gives Japan its first Kentucky Derby champ?…hmmmm
8 Journalism (3-1 Michael McCarthy Umberto Rispoli) Having won four in a row he is the deserving morning line favorite. No doubt the horse to beat and has looked like a monster since arriving at Churchill. If he gets the trip look out.
9 Burnham Square ( 12-1 Ian Wilkes Brian Hernandez Jr) Bluegrass Stakes winner has a big late kick His Holy Bull Stakes win in January displayed that as well. Jock won Derby last year with a brilliant ride so this Square could make it to the circle.
10 Grande (20-1 Todd Pletcher John Velazquez)– Runner up in the Wood Memorial chased but was never close. Lightly raced with two wins and a second in three career starts. Trainer-Jockey combo is top notch but don’t think that will be enough in this one.
11 Flying Mohawk (30-1 Whit Beckman Joe Ramos) – Second place finish in Jeff Ruby Steaks earned him a spot. Has won at Churchill before but that was a maiden breaker as a two-year old. Probably a George Thorogood song…Get a haircut and get a real job
12 East Avenue (20-1 Brendan Walsh Manny Franco) -A very talented but sometimes mysterious colt, his runner-up finish in the Bluegrass was very promising as he just got nipped at the wire. A very live horse trained by an excellent horseman.
13 Publisher (20-1 Steve Asmussen Irad Ortiz Jr)– Trainer and Jockey are two big-time winners in the game but have never won the Derby. Publisher has never won a race but finished a closing second in Arkansas Derby. Do they break their maiden here?…not likely but ANYTHING can happen.
14 Tiztastic (20-1 Steve Asmussen Joel Rosario)-Louisiana Derby winner is a two-time Kentucky Downs graduate and has proven to be quite versatile. Asmussen has won more races than anyone anywhere. A very dangerous horse that could give him the big prize.
15 Render Judgement (30-1 Kenny McPeek Julien Leparoux)– Has only one career win but has five consecutive starts in stakes company. Trainer pulled a rabbit out of the hat with Mystik Dan last year but not sure this one can pass the Judgement
16 Coal Battle (30-1 Lonnie Briley Juan Vargas)-Was third in the Arkansas Derby but previously had won four stakes in a row and over $1 million. I love the morning line as this is my top pick and live longshot. Versatile with an explosive turn of foot.
17 Sandman (6-1 Mark Casse Jose Ortiz)-Arkansas Derby winner has a fantastic late kick and is a beautiful gray son of Tapit. Trip will be the key for him. Ortiz got him in the race earlier in Arkansas Derby and that will be important here too. Has a real shot to be there at the end.
18 Sovereignty (5-1 Bill Mott Junior Alvarado)-Has been highly thought of since winning Street Sense Stakes at Churchill last October. Won the Fountain of Youth and was second in Florida Derby this year. Post draw is a bit challenging but talent is there.
19 Chunk of Gold (30-1 Ethan West Jareth Loveberry)-Second place finishes in Risen Star Stakes and Louisiana Derby have landed him here. As a stalker that rallies late he might shock a few and get a piece of the pie, just not the big piece.
20 Owen Almighty (30-1 Brian Lynch Javier Castellano) As a guy that likes to be on or near the lead the outside draw means he could make things interesting early. Runs very gutty but the distance appears to be just too much for him here.
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