| 134th Running of the Roses |
| Post - Horse |
Trainer - Jockey |
Pros |
Cons |
1 - Cool Coal Man
 |
Nick Zito (2-19)
Julien Leparoux (0-1) |
Has won around Churchill going two turns.
Should work out one of the better trips, somewhere in behind the first group of speed horses and in front of the off the pace runners.
Zito has won two of these while Leparoux has some of the best hands in the game.
Had three preps this season, winning the two run over dirt.
Broke maiden over a wet track, so a little rain wouldn't bother him.
Has done some of his best work from his rail draw. |
Had dream trip when winning Fountain of Youth two back. If he doesn't get the trip, then what?
Is 1 1/8 miles his limit? |
2 - Tale of Ekati
 |
Barclay Tagg (1-3)
Eibar Coa (0-1) |
Showed determination when running down gritty War Pass in Wood Memorial.
Is making his third start off the layoff.
Bred to handle the distance.
Should work out a good trip from inside post.
Tagg won this in 2003 with Funny Cide. |
Came home last 3/8 of a mile in a pokey :40 4/5 in Wood Memorial.
Was on best part of track that day.
Is only one for three around two turns.
Prado chose Adriano over him. |
3 - Anak Nakal
 |
Nick Zito (2-19)
Rafael Bejarano (0-3) |
Won G2 Kentucky Jockey Club over this course, around two turns last year. Is training very well since returning to Churchill.
Sire Victory Gallop won 1998 Belmont Stakes so distance shouldn't be a problem.
Closed well on a speed biased course in Wood Memorial last out when racing with blinkers for first time.
Zito has won two derbies and is only one of three trainers to have won the Derby with a runner this year.
Has had three preps this season. |
Hasn't finished better than fifth in three starts this year.
Exits races that have been deemed on the slow side.
Deep closers like him tend to encounter trouble in these 20 horse fields.
Not a huge fan of Bejarano. |
4 - Court Vision
 |
Bill Mott (0-4)
Garrett Gomez (0-4) |
Won Iroquois over this course last year.
Won Remsen around two turns as a two-year-old.
Will be making his third start off a layoff, one of my favorite handicapping angles.
Another who figures to benefit from fast fractions early on.
Adds blinkers after dropping further off the pace than usual in his first two starts this year; worked bullet :46 1/5 and solid five eights in 1:00 4/5 at Churchill with them on since shipping in.
Gomez chose him over Colonel John last out, realizing he'd probably be back aboard in here; Gomez said that he was never in the bridle and was slipping over a drying out track in Wood Memorial yet he was beaten less than two lengths.
Dam is a half sister to Summer Squall and A.P. Indy so the distance shouldn't be a problem and his running style leads you to believe the |
Exits what many feel was a slow, unimpressive prep in the Wood Memorial.
May get caught in serious traffic should he be at back of pack like he was in prior two starts this year.
Is two preps enough for him?
Though they're two of the best at what they do, Mott and Gomez haven't had any Derby success thus far. |
5 - Eight Belles
 |
Larry Jones (0-1)
Gabriel Saez (Debut) |
Has won all four starts this year, including G2 fantasy last out.
Is tremendous in stature and looks more like a colt than a filly.
Sire Unbridled's Song was one of the best I've ever seen; distance shouldn't be a problem.
Should be sitting a good trip in mid-pack |
SHE IS A FILLY!!!
She hasn't really beaten much
Jockey is inexperienced in these pressure situations
Largest field she was ever in had eight fillies; now she's taking on nineteen colts.
This is her G1 debut. |
6 - Z Fortune
 |
Steve Asmussen (0-7)
Robby Albarado (0-9) |
Ran race of his life and was probably best in Arkansas Derby when finishing second last out.
Made up ground on a speed biased racetrack after racing wide on both turns.
Drew well and should work out a good trip. |
Is a serious bounce candidate off his last effort.
Not really bred to go this far.
Hasn't trained all that well over the course. |
7 - Big Truck
 |
Barclay Tagg (1-3)
Javier Castellano (0-2) |
Closed determinedly to win Tampa Bay Derby two back after putting in similar effort in Sam F Davis in previous start.
Sports solid 5 furlong move in :59 2/5 over the course.
Hasn't had an extended layoff since debuting last August.
Tagg won the 2003 Derby with Funny Cide. |
Didn't face much in either start at Tampa Bay Downs.
Another whose races are a bit on the slow side.
New York bred whose sire was primarily a sprinter may have trouble with the added distance.
Coa chose other Tagg trainee over him.
Hasn't had an extended layoff since debuting last August. |
8 - Visionaire
 |
Michael Matz (1-1)
Jose Lezcano (0-1) |
Not a single thing to like about this horse |
Hasn't beaten much and hasn't made much of an impact against the big boys.
Best race came over a sloppy track against nothing in the Gotham.
Isn't bred to go this far. |
9 - Pyro
 |
Steve Asmussen (0-7) Shaun Bridgmohan (0-2) |
Has hit the board in all six starts on dirt.
Looked sensational winning the Risen Star with a last to first run in the stretch in what could have been the most impressive prep of the season.
Win in Louisiana Derby showed his professionalism.
One of the better bred horses to handle the distance. |
Never lifted his leg in Blue Grass; trainer blames Polytrack.
Hasn't trained all that well in the weeks since that flop.
Rumors abounding that he's not 100% for this.
Not the biggest Bridgmohan fan.
Where is he going to be? |
10 - Colonel John
 |
Eoin Harty (Debut)
Corey Nakatani (0-13) |
Has never been worse than second in six career starts, including win in Santa Anita Derby last out.
One of the best bred horses to handle the Derby distance.
Running style fits winners' profile and he should benefit immensely from sharp early pace.
Worked brilliant five furlongs in :57 3/5 over the course on 4/27 |
Has raced and trained exclusively on synthetic surfaces prior to his arrival at Churchill late last week; took him a few days to get used to the surface.
Gomez chose Court Vision over him last out; Nakatani hasn't had much luck.
Trainer is making his Derby debut. |
11 - Z Humor
 |
Bill Mott (0-4)
Rene Douglas (0-1) |
Showed signs of life when third in Illinois Derby last out after also-ran efforts in prior two starts this year.
Sheds blinkers; he broke his maiden and was third in pair of stakes, including Champagne behind War Pass and Pyro; in three starts without them.
Sire Distorted Humor sired Funny Cide; dam is by A.P. Indy so he's bred to handle the distance.
Seems to be rounding into form and has worked well since arriving at Churchill. |
" Beat little in his lone win around two turns in five tries.
Seems to be one paced; will need the speed to back up and the closers to flatten out to have a serious chance to win this.
Not a big Douglas fan.
Not sure what kind of trip he'll work out. |
12 - Smooth Air
 |
Bennie Stutts (Debut)
Manoel Cruz (Debut) |
Not a single thing to like about this horse. |
Best races have come in sprints over wet tracks.
Isn't bred to go this far.
Someone had to be second in the Florida Derby; there was nothing behind him.
Connections have never competed at a level close to this.
Was questionable earlier this week due to a fever. |
13 - Bob Black Jack
 |
James Kasparoff (Debut)
Richie Migliore (0-5) |
Not a single thing to like about this horse |
Will be part of the early pace.
Has never won going past seven furlongs.
Has never raced on dirt.
Has finished behind the other, better Californians.
Trainer is making Derby debut; jock is 0 for 5. |
14 - Monba
 |
Todd Pletcher (0-19)
Ramon Dominguez (0-4) |
Owns win over the course. |
Does best work over synthetic surfaces.
Sat dream trip in Blue Grass win last out.
Not sure whether he wants to go this far. |
15 - Adriano
 |
Graham Motion (0-1)
Edgar Prado (1-8) |
Has closed well in all three career wins.
Sire A.P. Indy won 1992 Belmont and B.C. Classic, grandsire is Mr. Prospector so he should love the added distance.
Prado chose him over both Blue Grass winner Monba and Wood Memorial winner Tale of Ekati. Prado won this in 2006 aboard Barbaro.
Has had three preps this season and has raced at distances of 1 1/6 miles or better throughout his career so fitness and foundation shouldn't be a problem |
Was well beaten in Fountain of Youth, his lone start on dirt.
Got worked up in paddock that day; what's going to happen in front of the huge Derby Day crowd?
While solid, Motion has started just one horse in the Derby; more of a turf trainer. |
16 - Denis of Cork
 |
David Carroll (Debut)
Calvin Borel (1-5) |
Overcame speed biased course to win Southwest at Oaklawn from far back in impressive fashion two back.
Broke his maiden in debut over the Churchill strip.
Reunited with Borel, who won 2007 Derby aboard Street Sense.
Sports a pair of sharp drills over the course for this. |
Can't explain what happened when fifth as even money chalk in Illinois Derby last out.
Is a deep closer and may encounter trouble in large, twenty horse field.
There's a good chance he has distance limitations. |
17 - Cowboy Cal
 |
Todd Pletcher (0-19)
John Velazquez (0-9) |
Bred to handle distance and like the dirt.
Has one of the toughest trainer/jockey combos in his corner. |
Will be part of hotly contested pace.
Has done best running on turf and Polytrack.
Off the board in lone dirt start. |
18 - Recapturetheglory
 |
Louie Roussel (0-2)
Eddie Baird (Debut) |
Has won two of three on dirt and was second behind Cool Coal Man in allowance race over this course.
Won only dirt start since Roussel took over his training in Illinois Derby last out.
Could work out a good stalking trip in here. |
No one else ran a step in Illinois Derby.
Trainer has stated that he may just send this colt to the front; he'll get cooked.
Both dirt wins have come at Hawthorne; is he a horse for the course?
Not bred to handle the distance. |
19 - Gayego
 |
Paulo Lobo (Debut)
Mike Smith (1-14) |
Successfully made the transition from synthetic surfaces to dirt when winning Arkansas Derby in his last start.
Should be able to work out a stalking trip just off the main group of speed horses like he did last out.
Mike Smith won this aboard 50-1 Giacomo in 2005; this colt looks much better; trainer is one of the sharper guys on the West Coast. |
"Bounce" candidate after running race of his life last out.
Didn't beat much at Oaklawn.
Was aided by meet long speed bias at Oaklawn.
Pedigree suggests he wants no part of the 1 ¼ miles.
His post is going to hurt his chances greatly. |
20 - Big Brown
 |
Rick Dutrow Jr. (Debut)
Kent Desormeaux (2-14) |
Undefeated in three starts.
Has shown ability to lead from start as well as rate just off the early pace.
Was the most visually impressive prep winner this season in his Florida Derby romp.
Desormeaux won this in 1998 with Real Quiet and in 2000 with Fusaichi Pegasus. |
Is making just the fourth start of his career; Curlin tried and failed last year.
Will have plenty of company on the front end should he try to wire the field.
Sire was primarily a sprinter and miler.
Really hasn't beaten much.
He'll be the clear cut favorite.
Has suffered from quarter cracks throughout his career; Churchill figures to be rock-hard on Saturday, like it is every Derby Day.
His connections pompously chose the 20 post. |
