2010 Kentucky Derby Contenders: Who’s Your Pick?
The 136th running of the Kentucky Derby is tomorrow! Millions will gather around television sets to watch for 2 minutes as the following 20 horses Run for the Roses.
If you know more about any of the horses, please share in the comments and I’ll add it to their bios. And don’t forget to get your thoroughbred racing questions in to be answered by former jockey Frankie Lovato!
Lookin At Lucky
Post Position: 1
Major Wins: Rebel Stakes, CashCall Futurity
Earnings: $1,480,000
Odds: 3-1
By Smart Strike out of Private Feeling, Lookin At Lucky is currently one of the favorites going into the Derby despite a bad post position draw. He’s won 5 out of 8 starts on both synthetic and dirt footing and was last year’s Eclipse award winning 2-year-old. Lookin At Lucky needs a chance to find his pace, and will likely settle towards the front half of the pack.
Lookin At Lucky’s Rebel Stakes Win
Ice Box
Post Position: 2
Major Wins: Florida Derby
Earnings: $457,500
Odds: 10-1
It took Ice Box four starts to gain his first win as a two-year-old, but he comes into the Derby as the long-shot victor of the Florida Derby and with wins in 3 of his last 4 starts. Ice Box does well as a closer, so will benefit from getting a good position with a clear path to the front.
Ice Box Winning The Florida Derby
Noble’s Promise
Post Position: 3
Major Wins: 1st Breeder’s Futurity, 2nd Rebel Stakes, CashCall Futurity
Earnings: $738,000
Odds: 12-1
By Cuvee out of The Devil’s Trick, Noble’s Promise has been running well despite losses in his 3-year-old prep races. He does best sitting just off the pace and making a late run.
Super Saver
Post Position: 4
Major Wins: 1st Kentucky Jockey Club, 2nd Arkansas Derby
Earnings: $363,832
Odds: 15-1
By Maria’s Mon out of Supercharger, Super Saver is a horse who runs in the money no matter the conditions. While he’s only got one win, he’s never finished out of the top 4 in any of his starts and runs well on a fast or sloppy track. We’re likely to see him in the speed group leading the Derby.
Line Of David
Post Position: 5
Major Wins: Arkansas Derby
Earnings: $600,000
Odds: 30-1
Line of David is quick from the gate, which will be important in this field of speed horses, and seems to be peaking at the right time in his career. He’s showed a lot of gameness and determination in his races to date, particularly his Arkansas Derby win. When he can get straight to the lead, he wins.
Arkansas Derby
Stately Victor
Post Position: 6
Major Wins: Blue Grass Stakes
Earnings: $451,112
Odds: 30-1
By Ghostzapper out of Collect the Cash, was the big upset winner of the Blue Grass Stakes. He likes to settle in early and make one big run, which could be at issue with the fast pace and traffic issues.
Blue Grass Stakes
American Lion
Post Position: 7
Major Wins: Illinois Derby, Hollywood Prevue
Earnings: $378,000
Odds: 30-1
By Tiznow out of Storm Tide, American Lion has won 3 of his last 6 races but has never run on dirt. He has a big reputation out west and seems to be on his way up at just the right time. He shows a lot of game when holding his lead as he heads towards the wire.
Illinois Derby
Dean’s Kitten
Post Position: 8
Major Wins: Lanes End Stakes
Earnings: $326,475
Odds: 50-1
From his career debut in April of his 2-year-old season, right up until a Grade 2 score in the Lane’s End, Dean’s Kitten has continually improved, and his best races may still be in front of him. In his last two starts, he has shown improved positional speed, and that’s always a fine quality to own when the gates spring open on a crowded field in the Kentucky Derby.
Lane’s End Stakes
Make Music For Me
Post Position: 9
Major Wins:
Earnings:
Odds: 50-1
By Bernstein out of Miss Cheers, Make Music for Me is multiple Grade 1-placed and finished right behind Eclipse champion Lookin At Lucky three times as a 2-year-old. He’s starting to focus as he matures, but this will be his first start on dirt.
Paddy O’Prado
Post Position: 10
Major Wins: 2nd Blue Grass Stakes
Earnings: $250,950
Odds: 20-1
By El Prado out of Fun House, Paddy O’Prado has the benefit of having started his racing career at Churchhill downs. He’s had some unlucky issues in previous races, but could be peaking at the right time for the Derby.
Devil May Care
Post Position: 11
Major Wins: The Bonnie Miss Stakes
Earnings:
Odds: 10-1
By Malibu Moon out of Kelli’s Ransom, Devil May Care is the lone filly vying for the Roses. She’s run just as fast as the boys in her previous races, and could be a legitimate contender if her jockey can get her to focus. Her three victories have come from stalking positions two to three lengths off the pace.
The Bonnie Miss Stakes
Conveyance
Post Position: 12
Major Wins: The Southwest, San Rafael Stakes
Earnings: $386,000
Odds: 12-1
By Indian Charlie out of Emptythetill, Conveyance is full of natural ability. He won his first four starts, and does well when he can get straight to the lead. And he has 3-time Derby winning trainer Bob Baffert to his advantage.
Jackson Bend
Post Position: 13
Major Wins: 2nd Wood Memorial and Fountain of Youth
Earnings:
Odds: 15-1
By Hear No Evil out of Sexy Stockings, Jackson Bend was the leading 2-year-old in Florida last year and has never placed out of 1st or 2nd in any of his nine starts.
Mission Impazible
Post Position: 14
Major Wins: Louisiana Derby
Earnings: $473,434
Odds: 20-1
By Unbridled Song out of Hold Your Peace, Mission Impazible is one of the few contenders with experience running at Churchill Downs. He’s been consistently improving all year.
2010 Louisiana Derby
Discreetly Mine
Post Position: 15
Major Wins: Risen Star Stakes
Earnings: $340,000
Odds: 30-1
By Mineshaft out of Pretty Discreet, Discreetly Mine is known for being a speedster and for running well at all the tracks on which he’s raced. He needs to break fast; in both his wins he’s led from wire to wire.
Discreetly Mine wins Risen Star
Awesome Act
Post Position: 16
Major Wins: 1st Gotham Stakes, 3rd Wood Memorial
Earnings: $285,000
Odds: 10-1
By Awesome Again out of Houdini’s Honey, Awesome Act overcame traffic issues to win the Gotham, showing that he’s nimble enough to find running room. As a closer, he is set up to do well in the Derby this year which boasts quite a few speed horses who will likely set a fast pace but tire early. The Derby will be his third start off the layoff, many times the best effort of a horse’s form cycle.
2010 Gotham Stakes
Dublin
Post Position: 17
Major Wins: 2nd Southwest
Earnings: $373,208
Odds: 12-1
By Afleet Alex out of Classy Mirage, Dublin He appears to be making the kind of steady progress often associated with a Kentucky Derby winner – a horse who is percolating during the spring and comes to Churchill ready to boil over. He has a G1 win under his belt last fall and rarely finishes out of the money.
Backtalk
Post Position: 18
Major Wins: 3rd Illinois Derby
Earnings:
Odds: 50-1
By Smarty Jones out of Apasionata Sonata, Backtalk won a couple of graded 2-year-old stakes and went on to be favored in the Breeders’ Futurity at Keeneland, but finished eighth. He is lightly raced and would seem to have upset potential.
Homeboykris
Post Position: 19
Major Wins: 5th Holy Bull Stakes
Earnings: $250,500
Odds: 50-1
By Roman Ruler out of One Last Salute, Homeboykris trains with Rick Dutrow of Big Brown fame. He has several G1 wins as a 2-year-old under his belt, but hasn’t raced in 9 weeks. He is also a gelding (Funnycide in 2003 was the only gelding in recent years to win the Derby).
Sidney’s Candy
Post Position: 20
Major Wins: Santa Anita Derby, San Felipe, San Vincente
Earnings: $630,000
Odds: 5-1
By Candy Ride out of Fair Exchange, this colt is one who knows how to get it done. he has a versatile running style; has beaten current favorite Lookin at Lucky already this year in one of four straight wins. Sidney’s Candy is owned by THE Jenny Craig, who named him after her husband who passed away in 2008.
2010 Santa Anita Derby
I am rooting for Ice Box – but a little bias there with Nick Zito being the trainer
[...] 2010 Kentucky Derby Contenders: Who’s Your Pick? | Regarding Horses [...]
I am hoping Devil May Care will take the win! The other horse I am cheering for is Homeboykris, but that is more because he and Gen are related then any real chance he may have (but hey, it is the derby…you never know).
Of course hindsight is always 20/20 but Calvin Borel really had a great day at the track before the derby ran. With that mud track and the jockey’s success figuring it out, I think the guy with the $100,000 on the nose did more than good. An exciting derby with no apparent crowd favorite makes for my kind of race.
I can’t help smiling when I read the names of the horses. I’d would be so cool to have a list with some of the best/worst/funniest names. Anybody seen such a list?