This Saturday 20 hopeful horses will enter the starting gate at Churchill Downs. One of these 3-Year-olds will forever etch his name into racing folklore. This is the 143rd year of the Kentucky Derby and it begins the best 2 months of horse racing. The Triple Crown, which ends with the Belmont Stakes on June 10th, will be the true test of 3-year-old horses. It is one thing to win the Kentucky Derby, but it is another to capture the elusive Triple Crown.
Rain is in the forecast all weekend. Therefore, we are expecting sloppy conditions for the race. Handicappers like myself use this information to help us make a bet on who we think will win. The first thing you want to do is look for which horse has run in the slop and which haven’t. If a horse has been successful in the slop then they don’t mind it and it won’t be a negative factor for them. If a horse has not been in the mud then you will want to look at their bloodlines. Look to see if their sire or dam were good in the slop. Don’t want to do the research have no fear keep reading I will give you the information in the article.
Without the rain, this was a 4 horse race McCraken, Always Dreaming, Irish War Cry and Classic Empire. They were chosen as the morning line favorites by Mike Battaglia. Morning line favorites are 10-42 since 1974 which gives Classic Empire a nod in the right direction. But keep in mind that the last 4 favorites have won and not since 1891-1896 has a run of 5 straight favorites won. So he will have that going against him.
Now with the rain, it throws a little bit of a wrench into things. The trainers bred McCracken for sloppy tracks so therefore with the rain it makes him the favorite. If you want one of the longer shots who will have a chance to score the victory. Look no further than Gunnevera, he can handle sloppy tracks and is currently sitting at 15-1 and is in the 10 post which is the most successful starting post for Derby Winners. Classic Empire broke his maiden at Churchill Downs in the slop so he won’t be bothered by the slop either.
On Friday the females will have their day in the limelight with the running of the Kentucky Oaks. The track will usually do a Kentucky Derby/Oaks Double where you bet the winner of both and you get a bigger payout. There are 2 horses I like in the Kentucky Oaks. Farrell and Daddy’s Little Darling both have won and won big in the slop and should show up on Friday.
I will take them with my picks for the Derby for my Kentucky Derby/Oaks Double. Predictions I believe it will be Classic Empire for the win in the Derby just slightly ahead of Gunnevera. What I will be betting, $1 Exacta Box for the Derby 10,14,5,1,15,17. 2$ Derby/Oaks Double 12,7/14,10,5. Either way, may the odds ever be in your favor and may you cash all your bets this weekend.