Welcome to “Anthony’s Eleven,” your source for anything and everything leading up to Kentucky Derby 135 on May 2 at historic Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky. In the coming weeks, Anthony Stabile, best known for picking 2003 Kentucky Derby winner Funny Cide at odds of over 12-1, will break down the top contenders for this years Run for the Roses, exclusively on VegasInsider.com, culminating on Friday, May 1st with an extensive analysis of every runner that steps into the gate for the most exciting two minutes in sports. Anthony will be covering the Kentucky Derby LIVE from Churchill Downs with all of the latest information. To purchase Anthony Stabile products, click HERE.

Breakdown

Rank Horse Jockey Trainer Next Race Pool 2 Odds 1 Imperial Council Edgar Prado Shug McGaughey Wood Memorial, 4/11 at Aqu 20/1 2 Friesan Fire Gabriel Saez Larry Jones Undecided 8/1 3 Dunkirk Garrett Gomez Todd Pletcher Florida Derby, 3/28 at GP 7/1 4 Old Fashioned Terry Thompson Larry Jones Arkansas Derby, 4/11 at OP 8/1 5 Pioneerof the Nile Garrett Gomez Bob Baffert Santa Anita Derby, 4/4 at SA 12/1 6 I Want Revenge Joe Talamo Jeff Mullins Wood Memorial, 4/11 at Aqu 10/1 7 Theregoesjojo Kent Desormeaux Ken McPeek Florida Derby, 3/28 at GP 19/1 8 Hello Broadway Undecided Barclay Tagg Wood Memorial, 4/11 at Aqu 69/1 9 Terrain Julien Leparoux Al Stall Blue Grass, 4/11 at Kee 9/2 (Field) 10 Papa Clem Rafael Bejarano Gary Stute Arkansas Derby, 4/11 at OP 65/1 11 West Side Bernie Undecided Kelly Breen Wood Memorial, 4/11 at Aqu 43/1

This column is dedicated to Biagio Guadagno who died Thursday night at the age of 64. Biagio was one of the last of the old-school railbirds that was at the races whenever he could get there and watched them all outside and not on some "stupid monitor" as he would say. Aqueduct and Belmont won't be the same without him.

With just five week to go until Kentucky Derby 135, time is running out for those with aspirations of wearing the roses on the first Saturday in May. It's getting especially late for the runners that have yet to garner enough of those precious graded stakes earnings that you'll hear about repeatedly in the weeks to come. This week is no different as Dunkirk pretty much needs to win or place when he takes on seven or eight others in the $750,000 G1 Florida Derby going 1 1/8 miles on Saturday at Gulfstream Park.

Dunkirk debuted in a seven furlong maiden special weight contest at Gulfstream on 1/24 an immediately caught almost everyone's attention with an eye opening 5 ¾ length debut score that saw him get off a tad slowly and encounter some traffic trouble approaching the far turn.

Less than a month later, trainer Todd Pletcher stretched out this gorgeous son of Unbridled's Song, surely realizing that he was behind the eight ball as far as the Derby was concerned. For that allowance contest, Garrett Gomez was flown in to ride from California and it proved to be a wise move as Dunkirk broke much better and was closer to the pace than he was in his maiden score.

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Despite being caught seven wide on the first turn and forced to race five wide down the backside, Dunkirk forged to the leaders approaching the turn, battled briefly between horses turning for home then powered off to an almost 5 length score in his route debut. A few days after that race, Pletcher announced that he'd run him next in this spot. With $450K going to the winner, a win would assure him a spot in the Derby starting gate while a second place finish and the $150K attached to that could make things a bit dicey. Gomez returns to ride and they'll break from post 4.

Pletcher surprised some folks at the Florida Derby draw on Wednesday when he dropped an entry for the maiden Europe, who'll serve as a "rabbit" for Dunkirk, in the box as well. Purchased for $2.6 million as a yearling, also by Unbridled's Song, Europe would easily become the most expensive "rabbit" in the history of the sport should Pletcher go ahead and run him as well. In his lone start, Europe finished fourth in a maiden contest at Gulfstream after getting off slowly. Chris DeCarlo would ride from post 8.

The presence of G2 Fountain of Youth winner Quality Road is the main reason Europe has even surfaced in the Florida Derby as it appeared Quality Road would have been the controlling speed in the race. After breaking his maiden in gate-to-wire fashion at Aqueduct, Quality Road again found himself on the lead in an entry level allowance race at Gulfstream where he tired to be second at 3-5 behind fellow Fla. Derby starter Theregoesjojo.

After a brief freshening and the addition of Lasix, Quality Road sat just off the early pace in the Fountain of Youth before taking over on the turn and drawing off to a 4 ½ length win. That ability to rate may actually make Pletcher reassess running a rabbit as the Fla. Derby was easily Quality Road's best performance to date. His biggest knock is the fact that this will be his two turn debut and he'll have to prove that he can carry his speed around the extra turn and over the added distance. Adding even more intrigue is the fact that Pletcher's go-to rider John Velazquez will ride Quality Road for trainer Jimmy Jerkens. They'll break from post 2.

Getting back to Theregoesjojo, he too will be making his two turn debut in this event but if his running style is anything to go by, he should love the added distance. After breaking his maiden sprinting at Churchill back in late May of last year, Theregoesjojo was fourth as the chalk in the G3 Bashford Manor before getting a seven month rest.

He closed nicely to run down Quality Road in the aforementioned allowance contest before being left with too much to do when second in the Fountain of Youth. Kent Desormeaux returns for the red-hot Ken McPeek, who's winning at a 27% clip down at Gulfstream and they'll break from post 6.

The rest of the field, from the rail out is comprised of last out maiden winner Toby the Coal Man from Hall of Fame trainer Nick Zito; former McPeek runner Danger to Society who'll be making his first start for trainer Rick Dutrow; Sincero, who's adding blinkers after finishing third in Dunkirk's allowance score as well as longshots Casey's on Call and Stately Character.

The other prep of the week worth noting will happen halfway across the world as bakers' dozen have been entered for the $2 million G2 UAE Derby at about 1 1/8 miles at Nad al Sheba racecourse in Dubai.

Perhaps the Godolphin Derby would be a better name for the event as the international racing juggernaut has three colts entered in the event, including the top two choices Desert Party and Regal Ransom as well as Jose Adan.

While wagering is outlawed in the United Arab Emirates, you can bet all you want here and Desert Party figures to be the overwhelming favorite at post time. After campaigning in the U.S. as a juvenile, Desert Party has won both of his starts at three, including the G3 UAE Guineas in his most recent and figures to want to go longer. Frankie Dettori rides.

Stablemate Regal Ransom picks up the services of Alan Garcia after finishing second to Desert Party last out while Jose Adan finished second at the distance in his dirt debut last out and is making his third start off of a layoff.

As for the rest of "Anthony's Eleven," next Saturday's G1 Wood Memorial at Aqueduct is shaping up to be a major prep as far as I'm concerned with at least four list members slated to start, led by numero uno Imperial Council, who went a half mile in :51 4/5 at Payson Park on 3/21. Hello Broadway went a sharp half in :47 3/5 at Gulfstream on 3/24 and will look to get the first clean trip of his life in the Wood. G3 Gotham winner I Want Revenge flew through five panels in 1:58 1/5 at Hollywood Park on 3/22. West Side Bernie is also pointing towards the Wood after being a non-factor in last Saturday's G2 Lane's End at Turfway.

Out at Santa Anita, Pioneerof the Nile continues to train impressively for next Saturday's G1 Santa Anita Derby, going six furlongs in a quick 1:11 2/5 over the ProRide surface on 3/25 while G2 Louisiana Derby runner-up Papa Clem went five furlongs in 1:01 2/5 at Oaklawn as he gets ready for the G2 Arkansas Derby on 4/11.

For any questions and comments, email Anthony Stabile at VegasInsider.com today!