Kentucky Derby – Very Deep and Gifted Field

Kentucky Derby – Very Deep And Gifted Field At Churchill Downs

The most exciting two minutes in sports is ready to run as the 2015 Kentucky Derby is set for Saturday, May 2nd. While the sites and sounds of being at Churchill Downs is exciting, the first Saturday in May is always booming with betting action in Las Vegas. Contests, cocktails, parties and parlays are aplenty at the Hotels and Casino’s Race and Sportsbooks. At least six handicapping seminars are offered in Las Vegas with horse experts providing their thoughts and analysis along with various giveaways, promos and parties in Las Vegas.

Here is a look at the very deep and gifted field and this year’s 141st running of the Kentucky Derby.  Three favorites include trainer Bob Baffert’s  duo of American Pharoah and Dortmund and rival trainer Todd Pletcher’s graceful colt Carpe Diem.

“This is my 35th Derby, and I’ve been going through past performances trying to find a field with comparable talent and depth,” said NBC’s Randy Moss. “There are a few but not many.”

Listed below are the complete Kentucky Derby post positions and odds.

During my college years, I worked at a race track and learned to handicap the horses. While I no longer follow the action, I’ll likely have a little wager  on the race when the horses break from the gate. Despite strong favortism and support on the betting favorite American Pharoah, I’ll still have a few nickels on this most impressive colt.  Note too that humongous Dortmund is creating quite the backside buzz.

Following Sunday’s impressive workout, longtime clocker and blood stock agent Gary Young commented on American Pharoah.

“I have been doing this for 35 years, and he might be the best horse I’ve ever seen,” Young said. “He stays in the air longer than any horse, and you get the feeling that there’s not one gear left, but he may have two, three or four gears.”

As American Pharoah chases the racing crown at the Kentucky Derby, his owner Ahmad  Zayat says, “I would be lying if I didn’t tell you that this horse breathes a different air than any other horse that I have had,” Zayat said. “He is showing all signs of being a once in a lifetime horse.”

The Kentucky Derby (G1)

Post time: 6:34 p.m. Saturday at Churchill Downs. Purse: $2,203,800. Distance: 1 1/4 miles. TV: NBC. Radio: ESPN 680 in Louisville or HorseRacingRadio.net; Sirius 93 and XM 208.

PP horse (weight) jockey/trainer odds

1. Ocho Ocho Ocho (126) Trujillo/Cassidy 50-1

2. Carpe Diem (126) Velazquez/Pletcher 8-1

3. Materiality (126) Castellano/Pletcher 12-1

4. Tencendur (126) Franco/Weaver 30-1

5. Danzig Moon (126) Leparoux/Casse 30-1

6. Mubtaahij (126) Soumillon/de Kock 20-1

7. El Kabeir (126) Borel/Terranova 30-1

8. Dortmund (126) Garcia/Baffert 3-1

9. Bolo (126) Bejarano/Gaines 30-1

10. Firing Line (126) Stevens/Callaghan 12-1

11. Stanford (126) Geroux/Pletcher 30-1 (Scratched Thursday)

12. International Star (126) Mena/Maker 20-1

13. Itsaknockout (126) Saez/Pletcher 30-1

14. Keen Ice (126) Desormeaux/Romans 50-1

15. Frosted (126) Rosario/McLaughlin 15-1

16. War Story (126) Talamo/Amoss 50-1

17. Mr. Z (126) Vazquez/Lukas 50-1

18. American Pharoah (126) Espinoza/Baffert 5-2

19. Upstart (126) Ortiz/Violette 15-1

20. Far Right (126) Smith/Moquett 30-1

21. Frammento (126) Nakatani/Zito 50-1 (Entered field Thursday in place of No. 11 Stanford)

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22. (AE) Tale of Verve (126) Hernandez Jr./Stewart 50-1