Friday, May 6, 2011

Take Your Pick!

And here they are in post position order, the twenty horses in the Kentucky Derby as of Thursday AM, when I wrote this blog.

Note Calvin Borel close to rail on a 25-1 shot; Archarcharch likely to be socked in on the rail; don't rule out Pants on Fire at #7 or Master of Hounds at #11--both good posts in a field this large.

The other place to keep your eye is on the 16, 17 and 18 posts--three horses with good chances right in a row. Can Uncle Mo win from that far out? It all depends on how they break and how quickly they get to the rail, a feat made much more difficult by the sheer number of horses in their respective paths.

So how does this change the way you see the race?

DERBY 137 Post Position Draw - with comments from announcers/attendees

#1 Archarcharch

#2 Brilliant Speed - good spot for a closer

#3 Twice the Appeal - Calvin Borel close to the rail! 25-1

#4 Stay Thirsty Pletcher - wry smile - was hoping for #11

#5 Decisive Moment - Gary Stevens says this not ideal - set up for early speed duel

#6 Comma To The Top

#7 Pants On Fire R. Napravnik

#8 Dialed In J. Leparoux

#9 Derby Kitten Ken Ramsey - BIG smile

# 10 Twinspired Mike Smith

#11 Master of Hounds

# 12 Santiva S. Bridgmohan

#13 Mucho Macho Man Cheers from Cathy Ritvo

#14 Shackleford

#15 Midnight Interlude Baffert fist in air - happy

# 16 Animal Kingdom - Robby Albarado - good spot for a horse not used to dirt kickback

# 17 Soldat A. Garcia Mclaughlin happy to be outside of the speed

#18 Uncle Mo J. Velasquez Pletcher & Repole seem okay with it G. Stevens says post not bad

#19 Nehro - no Derby ever won from this post - not bad post for a closer

#20 Watch Me Go - R. Bejarano - tough spot

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