2012 Kentucky Derby: I'll Have Another Wins Run For The Roses

Triple Crown 2012: I'll Have Another Eyes Preakness After Kentucky Derby Win

Kentucky Derby winner I'll Have Another embarks on a journey to become the first Triple Crown winner in 34 years. Up next: The Preakness.

Kentucky Derby 2012: Television Ratings Dip Slightly For 138th Run For The Roses

Overnight television ratings for the 2012 Kentucky Derby fell slightly compared to 2011 numbers. NBC pulled in a 7.2 rating for its two-hour telecast from 5-7 p.m. ET on Saturday, earning the attention of 17 percent of households watching television at that time. In 2011, derby coverage earned a 7.4 rating, though still held a 17 share.

The actual race portion of the telecast, from 6-7 p.m., earned a 9.0 rating and a 20 share. Those numbers were also down from the previous year. Animal Kingdom's win in 2011 produced a 9.7 rating and a 22 share. Each ratings point represents roughly 770,000 households, meaning over 500,000 fewer televisions tuned in to I'll Have Another's long-shot victory over Bodemeister.

The 138th Run for the Roses still did well relative to other sporting events. Ratings were reportedly higher than this year's final round of the Masters Tournament and Final Four matchup between Louisville and Kentucky.

For more on the Derby, check out SB Nation's 2012 Kentucky Derby StoryStream. SB Nation's horse racing blog And Down The Stretch They Come will have analysis of (winner's) Triple Crown chances, and has A Beginner's Guide To Following Horse Racing and a glossary of horse racing terms.

Like this post? You can like SB Nation on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.

Want more video on the Kentucky Derby? Check out SB Nation's Kentucky Derby playlist on YouTube.

2012 Kentucky Derby: I'll Have Another Prepares For The Preakness

As soon as I'll Have Another crossed the finish line to win the 138th Kentucky Derby, people began to look ahead to the Preakness Stakes.

Just a day later, we may have an idea of the competition I'll Have Another will face as it tries to win the second leg of a possible Triple Crown. A lot can change between now and the May 19 race, but the Chicago Tribune has the initial list of possible entrants into the Preakness.

The list includes Kentucky Derby second-place finisher Bodemeister as well as Went the Day Well, who finished fourth in the derby. Other possible entrants include Creative Cause, Liason, Hansen and Optimizer. Union Rags, one of the pre-race favorites in the Kentucky Derby, is not likely to race in the Preakness.

For more on the Derby, check out SB Nation's 2012 Kentucky Derby StoryStream. SB Nation's horse racing blog And Down The Stretch They Come will have analysis of I'll Have Another's Triple Crown chances, and has A Beginner's Guide To Following Horse Racing and a glossary of horse racing terms.

Like this post? You can like SB Nation on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.

Want more video on the Kentucky Derby? Check out SB Nation's Kentucky Derby playlist on YouTube.

Kentucky Derby 2012: Body Found At Churchill Downs, Police Investigating Homicide

The joyous wake of the 2012 Kentucky Derby has been shattered by the discovery of a body in the Churchill Downs barns, not far from where winner I'll Have Another was kept. According to a report from WAVE in Kentucky, Louisville police are investigating the death as a homicide.

Louisville Metro Police Department spokesperson Alicia Smiley says that a security guard discovered the body before 5 a.m. Sunday morning, and that it is of an unidentified Hispanic male. The LMPD has no suspects, but "suspects foul play," and has ruled the death a homicide. An autopsy on the body will be performed Monday.

Saturday's Derby was a record day for Churchill Downs, with the track setting records for attendance and amount wagered, and I'll Have Another electrified fans in attendance with a come-from-behind victory. Sunday's story is significantly grimmer.

For more on the Derby, check out SB Nation's 2012 Kentucky Derby StoryStream. SB Nation's horse racing blog And Down The Stretch They Come will have analysis of (winner's) Triple Crown chances, and has A Beginner's Guide To Following Horse Racing and a glossary of horse racing terms.

Like this post? You can like SB Nation on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.

Want more video on the Kentucky Derby? Check out SB Nation's Kentucky Derby playlist on YouTube.

Kentucky Derby 2012: I'll Have Another Attempts To End Triple Crown Drought

Six months of preparation. Two minutes of racing. The winner of the Kentucky Derby secures a place in the annals of horse racing history, while those that finish behind can only wonder "what if"? The connections of 2012 Kentucky Derby winner I'll Have Another will bask in their Derby glory for a short amount of time and then begin preparations for the Preakness on May 19^th, in an attempt to become the first horse since Affirmed in 1978 to win all three legs of the Triple Crown.

A horse gets one shot to win the biggest prize in American racing but their Derby fate is determined in a matter of seconds. A bad start, traffic problems, racing wide on the turns - any number of factors can render a top contender to also-ran status in the blink of an eye during the Kentucky Derby. The horses that are able to avoid or overcome those problems are the ones that get their picture taken at the end of the race.

Below is a look at the racing fate of several horses in this year's Derby, including the top 3 finishers: I'll Have Another, Bodemeister and Dullahan.

1^st - I'll Have Another: In his previous races this spring, I'll Have Another raced right up near the lead in the early stages, never more than a couple of lengths behind the frontrunners. In the Derby, he was able to employ different tactics by sitting roughly six lengths behind the leaders in the opening six furlongs and commencing a run once the field hit the top of the stretch. The ability to run a different kind of race is what allowed I'll Have Another to win the 2012 Kentucky Derby.

If you're looking for reasons to be optimistic about I'll Have Another's chances to win the Triple Crown, there are several that you should take note of:

• He's a lightly raced colt (just five starts prior to the Derby) which suggests that there is still room for improvement as he continues to mature.
• His ability to successfully employ a different running style in the Derby makes him a much more dangerous colt to defeat. Versatile horses have much more room for error, allowing them to adapt to the conditions that the race throws at them.
  
• There is a lot of good stamina in his pedigree, both from the sire Flower Alley, and the dam sire Arch; if he makes it to the Belmont, the distance shouldn't be a huge problem.

2^nd - Bodemeister: While I'll Have Another receives the majority of the praise and press for winning the Derby, Bodemeister should receive additional praise just for the fact that he set some of the fastest fractions in the history of the Derby and only lost inside the final furlong. Bodemeister ran the opening six furlongs in 22.32, 45.39 and 1:09.80. If you don't follow horse racing, those numbers don't mean a lot to you, but here's a clue as to their importance: sprint races run over six furlongs (three-quarters of a mile) generally see a final time of 1:09 to 1:11, depending on the speed of the specific track.

Bodemeister's six furlong time of 1:09.80 would have been fast for a horse running in a sprint race. For a horse running in the mile and a quarter Kentucky Derby, it's considered suicidal. Yet Bodemeister not only set these torrid fractions, but he pulled away from the field at the top of the stretch and only surrendered the lead just before the wire. No matter how you look at Bodemeister's race, it's hard not to be extremely impressed with the performance of this Bob Baffert trainee.

3^rd - Dullahan: Just like his race in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile last November, Dullahan got bumped around at the start. Unlike his juvenile race, he was able to overcome the early trouble to race in the middle of the pack, as opposed to finding himself at the rear.

Dullahan had a rough trip in the Derby, getting boxed in as the field moved on the turn and then fanning seven wide as he came into the stretch, but that is the life of a closer in the Kentucky Derby. What's impressive about this colt is that he's able to work his way through the trouble and still finish with a flurry in the final furlongs. Many horses would just quit if the race isn't going their way. Dullahan finds a way to still run a big race in spite of the traffic trouble he may encounter.

7^th - Union Rags: Not much went right for the Michael Matz trainee in this year's Derby. Union Rags got bumped at the start and then was shuffled back towards the rear of the field in the opening furlongs. Jockey Julien Leparoux attempted to make a move heading into the far turn but he found considerable traffic trouble and was able to find clear racing room until it was too late to make any sort of meaningful challenge on the leaders. Union Rags trip in the Derby is Exhibit #1 as to why this is the toughest race in all of America to win. A horse that gets knocked around at the start, or is boxed in along the rail, has very little chance to run a big race.

5^th - Creative Cause: The connections of Creative Cause are probably pretty happy with the way their colt ran in the Derby, despite the fact that he wasn't able to win. He raced mid-pack in the early stages, moved to within striking distance of the leaders while entering the final turn and finished strongly well in the final furlong to finish in fifth.

9^th - Hansen: The Juvenile winner was able to stalk the early speed from his outside post position, but he faded in the stretch when he couldn't keep up with Bodemeister. Considering how fast the fractions were in the early stages, it's pretty remarkable that this colt finished in the top half of the field.

10^th - Daddy Nose Best: There was a lot of talk about Daddy Nose Best prior to the Derby, with many handicappers extremely high on his chances after a couple of weeks of strong works at Churchill Downs. Like many horses in the field, he got shuffled around in the early stages of the race. He soon found clear racing room in the middle stages of the race andhe had every opportunity to mount a final charge over the last quarter mile. Instead, he faded to a non-threatening tenth.

12^th - Alpha: In the days leading up to the Derby, I noted that Alpha tends to have trouble getting out of the gate cleanly, yet he's usually able to still run a big race despite his troubles at the start. In the Derby, Alpha once again failed to exit the gate cleanly but, unlike his previous races, he wasn't able to run much of a race after finally settling in; a disappointing effort from the Wood Memorial runner-up.

Below are the full pari-mutuel payouts, fractions, internal splits and complete running order for the 2012 Kentucky Derby.

WIN: 19-I'll Have Another ($32.60, $13.80, $9.00)
PLACE: 6-Bodemeister ($6.20, $5.60)
SHOW: 5-Dullahan ($7.20)

$2.00 Exacta: $306.50
$0.50 Trifecta: $766.40
$1.00 Superfecta: $48,046.40
$1.00 Double: $408.80
$1.00 Oaks/Derby Double: $365/6-
$0.50 Pick 3: $824.35
$0.50 Pick 4: $7,781.10
$0.50 Pick 5: $23,923.80
$2.00 Pick 6: $675,148.00

Fractions
1/4: 22.32
1/2: 45.39
3/4: 1:09.80
Mile: 1:35.19
Finish: 2:01.83

Internal Splits
1/4: 22.32
1/2: 23.97
3/4: 24.41
Mile: 25.39
Finish: 26.64

Full Order of finish:

1st: 19 - I'll Have Another
2nd: 6 - Bodemeister
3rd: 5-Dullahan
4th: 13-Went the Day Well
5th: 8-Creative Cause
6th: 20-Liaison
7th: 4-Union Rags
8th: 7-Rousing Sermon
9th: 14-Hansen
10th: 10-Daddy Nose Best
11th: 2-Optimizer
12th: 11-Alpha
13th: 16-El Padrino
14th: 17-Done Talking
15th: 18-Sabercat
16th: 15-Gemologist
17th: 9-Trinniberg
18th: 12-Prospective
19th: 3-Take Charge Indy
20th: 1-Daddy Long Legs

Kentucky Derby 2012: I'll Have Another Becomes First Winner From 19th Post Position

History was made Saturday as I'll Have Another became the first horse to win the Kentucky Derby starting from the 19th post.

Since 2000, 11 different post positions have won the Kentucky Derby with both the 16th and eighth post positions serving as the starting gate twice. Last year's winner, Animal Kingdom, started from the 16th post. Bodemeister, who finished second to I'll Have Another, started the race from the eighth post this year.

For more on the Derby, check out SB Nation's 2012 Kentucky Derby StoryStream. SB Nation's horse racing blog And Down The Stretch They Come will have analysis of I'll Have Another's Triple Crown chances, and has A Beginner's Guide To Following Horse Racing and a glossary of horse racing terms.

Like this post? You can like SB Nation on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.

Want more video on the Kentucky Derby? Check out SB Nation's Kentucky Derby playlist on YouTube.

Kentucky Derby Winner 2012: I'll Have Another Creates Huge Pick 6 Payout

The 2012 Kentucky Derby brought a huge payday to the Pick 6 play at Churchill Downs, thanks not only to the win of I'll Have Another in the Kentucky Derby (the 11th race of the day at Churchill), but a collection of upset wins. A $2 Pick 6 play that hit all six winners of today's races correctly will pay out $675,148.00 to any bettor lucky enough to hit it.

A Pick 6 play picks the winner of six races -- bets can start as cheap as $2, but bettors may pick as many horses as they'd like to win each race at a higher cost. I'll Have Another went off with 15-1 odds, far from the favorites Bodemeister (4-1) and Union Rags (5-1). Combined with the win of Little Mike, a a 12/1 winner in the G1-Woodford Turf Classic, the Pick 6 payout surged.

I'll Have Another's relatively long odds also made all the other 2012 Kentucky Derby payouts lucrative.

For more on the Derby, check out SB Nation's 2012 Kentucky Derby StoryStream. SB Nation's horse racing blog And Down The Stretch They Come will have analysis of I'll Have Another's Triple Crown chances, and has A Beginner's Guide To Following Horse Racing and a glossary of horse racing terms.

Like this post? You can like SB Nation on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.

Want more video on the Kentucky Derby? Check out SB Nation's Kentucky Derby playlist on YouTube.

2012 Kentucky Derby Winner I'll Have Another Should Be Fresh For Preakness Stakes

I'll Have Another won the Kentucky Derby and should be fresh for the Preakness Stakes thanks to a light race schedule in 2012.

VIDEO: I'll Have Another Trainer Doug O'Neill's Son Is Getting A Hot Tub

Kentucky Derby 2012 Payouts: I'll Have Another Triggers Huge Prices

I'll Have Another used the entire length of the Churchill Downs stretch to run down Bodemeister on the lead to win the 2012 Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs. Bodemeister broke quickly from the gate and set very fast fractions, opened up by five lengths at the top of the stretch, but couldn't hold off I'll Have Another inside the final furlong.

I'll Have Another is a three-year-old son of Flower Alley out of an Arch mare (Arch's Gal Edity). He is trained by Doug O'Neill, ridden by Mario Gutierrez and owned by Reddam Racing. This is the first Kentucky Derby victory for both the trainer and jockey.

For more on the Derby, check out SB Nation's 2012 Kentucky Derby StoryStream. SB Nation's horse racing blog And Down The Stretch They Come will have analysis of I'll Have Another's Triple Crown chances, and has A Beginner's Guide To Following Horse Racing and a glossary of horse racing terms.

Like this post? You can like SB Nation on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.

Kentucky Derby 2012 Video: I'll Have Another Passes Bodemeister

I'll Have Another made a late run to overtake Bodemeister to win the 138th running of the Kentucky Derby.

It was the first Kentucky Derby win for a horse starting from the 19th gate. Bodemeister, one of the pre-race favorites, looked strong early pulling out to a five-length lead but, as they came down the stretch, I'll Have Another came on strong to take the lead.

It was the first Kentucky Derby victory for I'll Have Another trainer Doug O'Neill and jockey Mario Gutierrez. In the video below you can see the late run that won the 2012 Kentucky Derby.

For more on the Derby, check out SB Nation's 2012 Kentucky Derby StoryStream. SB Nation's horse racing blog And Down The Stretch They Come will have analysis of I'll Have Another's Triple Crown chances, and has A Beginner's Guide To Following Horse Racing and a glossary of horse racing terms.

Like this post? You can like SB Nation on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.

Kentucky Derby 2012 Winner: I'll Have Another Chases Down Bodemeister For Win

Entering the 2012 Kentucky Derby, Bodemeister and Union Rags — who went off at 4-1 and 5-1, respectively — were expected to duel for the win in the 128th Run for the Roses. But I'll Have Another, far less popular at at 15-1, closed hard in the final lengths to score an upset.

Bodemeister had the lead heading around the back stretch, setting an excellent pace, with Trinniberg and Hansen behind, and all three horses stayed near the front of the pack into the race's final furlongs, but I'll Have Another stalked Bodemeister and pipped him by half a length at the finish.

I'll Have Another will have a chance to continue the pursuit of the 2012 Triple Crown at the 2012 Preakness Stakes.

For more on the Derby, check out SB Nation's 2012 Kentucky Derby StoryStream. SB Nation's horse racing blog And Down The Stretch They Come will have analysis of I'll Have Another's Triple Crown chances, and has A Beginner's Guide To Following Horse Racing and a glossary of horse racing terms.

Like this post? You can like SB Nation on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.

Want more video on the Kentucky Derby? Check out SB Nation's Kentucky Derby playlist on YouTube.

Kentucky Derby 2012 Results: Little Mike Wins Woodford Turf Classic

Update: Full Derby results here.

Ten races are in the books at Churhill Downs as we near post time for the Kentucky Derby.

Shackleford won the seventh race of the day followed by Amazombie and Gantry in second and third. The eighth race of Derby Day was won by Hungry Island with Tapitsfly finishing second and La Reine Lionne coming in third.

Groupie Doll took home the victory in the seven furlong Humana Distaff. Musical Romance finished second folowed by Magical Feeling in third. The victory was Groupie Doll's second first place finish in five 2012 races.

The Woodford Turf Classic, the final undercard race of the day, was won by Little Mike. Slim Shadey finished second while Brilliant Speed finished third. It was Little Mike's fifth victory in it's last six races dating back to 2011.

Click here for a recap of the earlier undercard races or here for real-time results from SB Nation's horse racing expert Matt Gardner.

For more on the world of horse racing, head to And Down The Stretch They Come. For more on the 2012 Kentucky Derby, keep it locked to this StoryStream.

Kentucky Derby 2012: Potentially Massive Payout In The Pick 6

Update: Derby payouts are here.

The Pick 6 is one of the most difficult wagers to hit in all of horse racing. The bet, which costs a minimum of $2 to place, involves picking the winners of six consecutive races. Today at Churchill Downs, the Pick 6 ends with the 20-horse Kentucky Derby, adding even more difficulty to an already tough wager. Due to a couple of long-shot winners on the under card, including a 12/1 winner in the G1-Woodford Turf Classic, the potential payouts for the Pick 6 are quite large.

Below is a summary of the will-pays for today's $2 Pick 6 at Churchill Downs.

The low payouts above represent a 5-of-6 scenario in which most of the pool carries over to the next day of racing at Churchill Downs.

Horseplayers can use as many horses as they want in each race but, the more horses you use, the more expensive your tickets becomes. It's not unusual for big-time Pick 6 players to spend more than $1,000 on a ticket, if they believe the payouts will be worth the investment.

For more on the world of horse racing, head to And Down The Stretch They Come. For more on the 2012 Kentucky Derby, keep it locked to this StoryStream.

Kentucky Derby 2012 Odds: Union Rags, Bodemeister Still The Favorites

After a morning's worth of money flooding in to bet on the 2012 Kentucky Derby, there's been little change in the core favorites. Union Rags is still a strong 9-2, with Bodemeister holding at 7-1 after moving down from 8-1 early in the day (the horse started the morning at 4-1), while Gemologist has slid from 6-1 to 8-1.

The influx of betting has even out the field somewhat -- a few of the larger longshots have dropped throughout the day, including Rousing Sermon (50-1 to 35-1), Done Talking (50-1 to 32-1) and Optimizer (50-1 to 35-1).

As a reminder, you can click here for live odds.

Daddy Long Legs 23-1
Optimizer 35-1
Take Charge Indy 10-1
Union Rags 9-2
Dullahan 10-1
Bodemeister 7-1
Rousing Sermon 36-1
Creative Cause 11-1
Trinniberg 39-1
Daddy Nose Best 12-1
Alpha 21-1
Prospective 56-1
Went the Day Well 26-1
Hansen 13-1
Gemologist 8-1
El Padrino 26-1
Done Talking 32-1
Sabercat 32-1
I'll Have Another 12-1
Liaison 51-1

For more on the world of horse racing, head to And Down The Stretch They Come. For more on the 2012 Kentucky Derby, keep it locked to this StoryStream.

2012 Kentucky Derby Picks: Expert Predictions From Around The Web

We're just a couple hours away from post time at the Run for the Roses at Churchill Downs. The Woodford Turf Classic is the only race left on the card before the Derby, and the experts have narrowed their picks for the 138th running. While many rave about the ability of Bodemeister, the field is extremely deep and handicappers' predictions have varied throughout the week. A collection of some picks and plays below:

Matt Gardner of SB Nation:

The majority of my plays on Saturday are going to involve putting Dullahan and Alpha in the top spot, with Union Rags, Creative Cause, I'll Have Another, and El Padrino on the bottom. In Pick 4 and Pick 5 wagers, I'll use all of those horses, along with Bodemeister.

Jared Christopher of And Down The Stretch They Come:

The horses lock eyes and drive to the wire. Creative Cause hits the wire a neck in front with Gemologist and Bodemeister in a photo finish for second. Hansen hangs on for fourth.

Gene Menez of Sports Illustrated:

1. Dullahan
2. Union Rags
3. Bodemeister
4. Daddy Nose Best

Pat Forde of Yahoo!:

1. Bodemeister
2. Take Charge Indy
3. Hansen
4. Union Rags

Jay Cronley of ESPN:

1. Union Rags
2. Creative Cause
3. Gemologist
4. El Padrino

For more on the world of horse racing, head to And Down The Stretch They Come. For more on the 2012 Kentucky Derby, keep it locked to this StoryStream.

Kentucky Derby 2012: Aaron Rodgers Loves Boyz II Men, Slow Jams

2012 Kentucky Derby Results: Undercard Races Underway At Churchill Downs

Update: Latest Derby results are here.

We're halfway through the day at Churchill Downs, and less than four hours away from post time at the Kentucky Derby. Seven of the races on the card are complete, with just three more until the 138th Run for the Roses. The main track is fairly sloppy after thunderstorms rolled through and canceled morning practices. However, the turf course is in good shape.

Atigun, who dropped down in class after failing to make the Derby, opened Derby Day just after 10:30 a.m. with a win in Race 1, as Politicallycorrect and Slamit finished second and third, respectively. Big Ring took home the second race of the morning, beating Vasten and Kingwood in the 6 furlongs dirt run. Skyring captured the third race, edging out the favorite Golden Ticket on the outside and Agent Di Nozzo, who crossed the line third.

Race 4 was off the turf, and Night Party finished with the win as The Program and Stay Put followed. It was the third win of the year for Night Party, who stole the race on the turn and cruised to win by two lengths. It was Macho Macho in the fifth race of the day, the favorite coming through against Thermal Cat and Mile High Magic.

The 5 furlong Twin Spires Turf Sprint was won by Great Attack, who raced through a tight group to win on the final stretch with a burst past Bridgetown, who lead for much of the race. Shackleford, who many predicted would win last year's Derby, came through with the win one year later in the Churchill Downs, beating Amazombie and Gantry.

Click here for real-time results and updates from SB Nation's horse racing expert, Matt Gardner.

For more on the world of horse racing, head to And Down The Stretch They Come. For more on the 2012 Kentucky Derby, keep it locked to this StoryStream.

Kentucky Derby 2012: Colts Owner Jim Irsay Will Pay For Your Winning Picks

Kentucky Derby 2012: Morning Practices Canceled Due To Weather

The morning training session for the 2012 Kentucky Derby was canceled Saturday morning by the Churchill Downs track superintendant due to inclement weather. There were a series of thunderstorms through the night which had the main track labeled as "sloppy" at 8 a.m. ET.

Fortunately for race-goers, the main attraction isn't until 6:24 p.m. ET, so the dirt track should have plenty of time to dry up before the race. The National Weather Service also is forecasting mostly cloudy skies, a 30 percent chance of pop-up rain and a high near 85 for the day.

The over 100,000 expected attendants to the race don't look like they'll have to worry about much rain and the races throughout the day shouldn't be put in jeopardy.

For more on the world of horse racing, head to And Down The Stretch They Come. For more on the 2012 Kentucky Derby, keep it locked to this StoryStream.

Kentucky Derby 2012 Odds: Union Rags Now Heavy Favorite

More: Derby betting guide for beginners.

The 2012 Kentucky Derby odds have been moving the past 24 hours and have once again changed. There has been some action early on Saturday morning that have adjusted the odds once again and Union Rags continues to be the favorite and now building to be a heavy favorite thanks to the morning betting. Union Rags is now a 9-2 favorite as Bodemeister climbs just a bit from 8-1 on Friday to now 7-1 on Saturday morning.

Take Charge Indy was originally set at 15-1, but action late in the week move the horse to 8-1 and Take Charge Indy slipped back a bit in the morning odds now at 10-1.

As a reminder, here are the current morning line odds:

Daddy Long Legs 23-1
Optimizer 35-1
Take Charge Indy 10-1
Union Rags 9-2
Dullahan 10-1
Bodemeister 7-1
Rousing Sermon 36-1
Creative Cause 11-1
Trinniberg 39-1
Daddy Nose Best 13-1
Alpha 20-1
Prospective 63-1
Went The Day Well 25-1
Hansen 12-1
Gemologist 8-1
El Padrino 26-1
Done Talking 31-1
Sabercat 33-1
I'll Have Another 13-1
Liaison 65-1

For more on the world of horse racing, head to And Down The Stretch They Come. For more on the 2012 Kentucky Derby, keep it locked to this StoryStream.

Watch Kentucky Derby 2012 Online: Live Races Begin At 10:30 A.M. EDT

Update: Latest odds and results are here | Watch the 2012 Kentucky Derby again

Activities at the 2012 Kentucky Derby are set to get started at 10:30 a.m. EDT on Saturday, and although you can watch most of the races on various television networks, the 138th Run for the Roses can also be viewed live on your Internet-enabled device of choice. As with most online sports, there are a few official websites you can use to stream the races.

You can watch the 2012 Kentucky Derby live online by following this link. The first race begins at 10:30 a.m. EDT and can be seen here. You can also watch up to five races at once on the same screen live.

You can also view the main races live online from NBC by following this link, starting at 4:30 p.m. EDT.

For more on the world of horse racing, head to And Down The Stretch They Come. For more on the 2012 Kentucky Derby, keep it locked to this StoryStream.

Kentucky Derby 2012: Post Time, TV Coverage, Video And More

The contenders are ready for the 138th Run for the Roses, but the 2012 Kentucky Derby isn't the only big race at Churchill Downs on Saturday.

2012 Kentucky Derby Odds: Union Rags Now Favored; Bodemeister Slips

The Kentucky Derby odds are changing, thanks to early action on the race that has rearranged the contenders. When the morning line was released, Bodemeister was a slim favorite, holding 4-1 odds to Union Rags' 9-2 odds. Now, Union Rags is favored in the race, and Bodemeister has fallen off considerably.

As of now, Bodemeister is in a group at 8-1, joined by Take Charge Indy -- formerly at 15-1 -- and Gemologist -- formerly at 6-1. Union Rags is at 6-1 now, the favorite as the race approaches.

As a reminder, here are the morning line odds. These were released at the same time as the draw:

Daddy Long Legs 30-1
Optimizer 50-1
Take Charge Indy 15-1
Union Rags 9-2
Dullahan 8-1
Bodemeister 4-1
Rousing Sermon 50-1
Creative Cause 12-1
Trinniberg 50-1
Daddy Nose Best 15-1
Alpha 15-1
Prospective 30-1
Went The Day Well 20-1
Hansen 10-1
Gemologist 6-1
El Padrino 20-1
Done Talking 50-1
Sabercat 30-1
I'll Have Another 12-1
Liaison 50-1

Now compare those to the latest odds and a few things emerge.

Daddy Long Legs 26-1
Optimizer 31-1
Take Charge Indy 8-1
Union Rags 6-1
Dullahan 10-1
Bodemeister 8-1
Rousing Sermon 19-1
Creative Cause 12-1
Trinniberg 41-1
Daddy Nose Best 14-1
Alpha 22-1
Prospective 69-1
Went The Day Well 20-1
Hansen 7-1
Gemologist 8-1
El Padrino 33-1
Done Talking 34-1
Sabercat 38-1
I'll Have Another 17-1
Liaison 60-1

It's worth noting these will change, perhaps drastically, as betting begins on Saturday. With action coming in heavy on race-day, it's likely everything goes out the window as the Kentucky Derby nears. But if you're looking for a value bet, Bodemeister has to be enticing right now.

2012 Kentucky Oaks Result: Believe You Can and Napravnik Are The Queens Of Churchill Downs

Believe You Can, ridden by Rosie Napravnik, engaged in a stretch-long duel with Broadway's Alibi and John Velazquez, pulling away inside the final furlong to win the $1 million Grade 1 Kentucky Oaks. With the win, Napravnik became the first female jockey to win the Kentucky Oaks in the history of the race. Broadway's Alibi finished second after setting testing fractions in the early stages and gamely dueling the length of the stretch.

Javier Castellano, the jockey on morning line and post time favorite Grace Hall, fell off of his mount in the race prior to the Oaks, the American Turf, but came back to ride in the big race. Grace Hall came three wide off the top of the stretch but drifted out and never threatened the winners. She held on to finish third.

Believe You Can is a three-year-old filly by Proud Citizen out of an El Prado (IRE) mare (El Fasto) trained by Larry Jones and owned by former Kentucky Governor Brereton Jones.

Rain held off for most of the afternoon in Louisville, but a thunderstorm before the G2-American Turf dumped rain on the Churchill Downs main track. Maintenance officials sealed the track before the weather hit, minimizing the impact of the rain.

The Kentucky Oaks, run over 138 consecutive years, is the second longest consecutively run sporting event in America. The first Oaks was run on May 19, 1875, two days after the first Kentucky Derby, thereby giving the title to the Derby by just a few days.

Below are the payouts for the 2012 Kentucky Oaks. The $2 Pick Six was not hit on Friday ($874.20 was paid to those holding 5-of-6), triggering a $268.897.47 carryover into Saturday's pool.

Thunderstorms Threatening 2012 Kentucky Oaks, Churchill Downs Recommends Evacuating Infield

There's some severe weather in Louisville on the day before Derby day. Pat Forde is at Churchill Downs and doesn't think this will go well:

Churchill has suspended the card and asked people in the infield "to calmly exit" due to impending thunderstorm. Welcome to anarchy.

— Pat Forde (@YahooForde) May 4, 2012

Humongous, plastered crowd here. If they think they're getting people to do anything in an orderly fashion, good luck.

— Pat Forde (@YahooForde) May 4, 2012

Joe Reedy tweeted a picture of the crowd, and, well, yeah, that might not be the most cooperative bunch.

As of now, it's unclear whether or not the Kentucky Oaks is going to happen: Reedy said that there's a "weather delay," so it looks like the race will take place behind schedule. And if they do race, it'll be kinda muddy.

For more on the world of horse racing, head to And Down The Stretch They Come. For more on the 2012 Kentucky Derby, keep it locked to this StoryStream.

2012 Kentucky Derby Betting Guide: How To Bet On The Horses

So, you watch this Kentucky Derby thing once a year, and it looks interesting and all. You are also known to place a bet once and a while, maybe when you're down in Vegas on a trip with the boys, girlfriend or wife. You're not averse to gambling, but you've never bet on a horse race in your life and the only thing you know is "Win, Place, Show".

You want to bet on the 2012 Kentucky Derby, or any other horse race? Below is everything you need to know but were afraid to ask.

First things first, it's entirely legal to wager on horse racing through the internet in the United States; you don't have to be at the track, OTB or Vegas. I know, I know, there's that internet gaming act passed a decade or so ago that rained on the parade. Horse racing is an exception to that law and is a completely legal method of on-line gambling in this country. What's the catch? The state you live in must permit such wagering to take place, and not all do. Most states do allow on-line wagering on horses (called ADW - Advance Deposit Wagering) which can be done through a variety of companies - TwinSpires.com, TVG.com, Express Bet.com, and DRFBets, are just a few of the U.S.-based companies that are licensed to provide ADW services. If your state permits you to bet through an ADW, you are free to bet the ponies from the comfort of your own home on your computer or mobile device.

How do you know if your state allows you to bet through an ADW? Simply go to one of the licensed ADWs and try to sign-up; if you live in a state where it's illegal (like Hawai'I or Georgia), you won't be able to create an account. if you can, it's time to fund the account and get down to the business of playing the horses. If you can't ... well, call a friend who lives in a state that can.

Betting Terminology

Okay, with that little bit out of the way, let's take a look at the betting lingo and the types of wagers one can make on an equine athlete. Below is the smorgasbord of wagering opportunities offered by Churchill Downs on Derby Day 2012:

WIN: A bet on a horse to win (if you don't know this you probably shouldn't be betting)
PLACE: A bet on a horse to finish either 1^st or 2^nd.
SHOW: A bet on a horse to finish 1st, 2^nd or 3^rd.

Those are the standard bets that everybody is familiar with. They are simple, straight forward, it's easy to calculate the cost, and they are easy to make. Where things start to become more complicated is with what are known as the exotic bets. Below are the exotic wagers offered by Churchill Downs this weekend.

EXACTA: A bet picking the 1^st and 2^nd place finishers in a race.
TRIFECTA: A bet picking the 1^st, 2^nd and 3^rd place finishers in a race.
SUPERFECTA: A bet picking the 1^st, 2^nd, 3^rd, and 4^th place finishers in a race.
DAILY DOUBLE: A bet picking the winners of two races, usually two consecutive races.
PICK 3: A bet picking the winners of three consecutive races.
PICK 4: A bet picking the winners of four consecutive races.
PICK 5: A bet picking the winners of five consecutive races.
PICK 6: A bet picking the winners of six consecutive races.

The Odds - How Much Will You Win

Betting on horses is done via pari-mutuel wagering, a system of wagering where each player is betting against other players, not the house. The track takes a percentage of the total pool (usually 15 to 20%) and the rest of the money is paid out to all players that hold the winning tickets. The odds represent what percentage of the total pool each horse is receiving. The total generally adds up to more than 100% because it includes the track take. Below is an odds-percentage conversion chart for typical odds in horse racing.

To figure you how much you'll get paid if you hit your win bet, simply divide the numerator of the odds by the denominator, multiply that number by the amount bet, and then add the amount bet.

A $2 win bet on a horse at 4/1 odds:
4 x 2 + 2 = $10

A $10 win bet on a horse at 7/2 odds:
3.5 x 10 + 10: $45

Place and Show payouts are more difficult to calculate since tracks don't display the odds on those bets. Usually, they pay less than half what the winning odds play (unless the horse is a huge longshot and the favorite doesn't finish in the top three).

Figuring out the payouts on exotics are a mixed bag; tracks display the "Will Pays" for exactas and daily doubles, but you won't have a clue as to what your trifecta, superfecta, Pick 3, etc., will pay until the sequence is over. Generally speaking, trifectas and superfectas will return larger amounts, but be careful, playing all the favorites in a trifecta is likely going to return a small amount especially when compared to how much your bet cost. If you spend $120 on a superfecta box that includes a bunch of low priced horses, you're going to be very disappointed if it hits. The key to hitting larger scores is to find some longer priced horses to play along with shorter priced ones.

How Much Will It Cost? - Bet Calculation

Okay, so we've got all of these exotic bets where you're trying to pick the order of finish or the winners in multiple races. Many first time bettors think that to play a exacta (or tri or any other exotic) requires you to use just two (or three or four) horses in your play. You can select as many horses as you want but the more horses you select, the more expensive your ticket becomes. The first step in determining what a specific bet will cost is to know the minimum amount required for each bet. At Churchill Downs tomorrow, here are the minimum amounts required for each bet offered:

Win, Place, Show: $2
Exacta: $2 Straight; $1 Wheels and Boxes
Trifecta: $0.50
Superfecta: $1.00 on Derby Day (All other days the minimum is $0.10)
Daily Double: $1
Pick 3, Pick 4, Pick 5: $0.50
Pick 6: $2

Two additional exotic betting terms that are relevant to wager cost are "BOX" and "WHEEL", and they apply specifically to exactas, trifectas and superfectas.

A bet that is BOXED means that your selections can finish in any order. For example, say you like the #1, #2, and #3, you want to play them in an exacta but you don't know which one you want to pick on top (to win). You could "BOX" those three horses in an exacta and you would win if any of those three finish first and second.

A WHEEL (or PART WHEEL) is different than a box in that it involves selecting different horses in each position of the wager. For example, let's say you like the #1 to win, but think the #2, #3 and #4 might finish second. In that situation you would bet an exacta wheel where the bet would be set up to pay if the #1 wins and either 2-3-4 finish second. If any of 2-3-4 win and the #1 finishes 2^nd, you would not win with that exacta wheel.

You might be thinking, "Why would anyone NOT box an exacta, trifecta, or super since my picks can finish in any order, while with a wheel there is less margin for error?" The short answer: because boxing a bet costs more.

Straight wagers are easy to calculate: a $20 win bet costs $20. No issue there.

A box bet is calculated by multiplying the bet amount by the total number of horses selected, and then multiplying that by the total number of horses selected, minus one. Or, stated another way:

Selections: 1-2-3-4-5 (five horses)
$1 Exacta Box Cost: $1 x 5 x 4: $20

Make sense? For trifecta and superfecta boxes you calculate the cost the same way but keep subtracting one from the total number of horses in each leg. For example:

Selections: 1-2-3-4-5
$1 Trifecta Box Cost: $1 x 5 x 4 x 3: $60

Selections: 1-2-3-4-5
$1 Superfecta Box Cost: $1 x 5 x 4 x 3 x 2: $120

You can see how the costs start to escalate in a box situation since you're playing every possible combination with those numbers.

With a WHEEL bet, the cost is kept down but you need to decide which horses you like in certain positions. Let's take the above situation again. Let's say you like the #1 and #2 to win, but think any of those five could finish 2^nd. Here is how you would calculate that bet cost:

Selections: 1-2 to finish 1st, 1-2-3-4-5 finish 2nd
$1 Exacta Wheel Cost: $1 x 2 x 4: $8

Because you are using the 1 and 2 in both the win and place slots, you calculate the wager by multiplying the number of horses in the first leg by the number of horses in the second leg, minus one. If you excluded the 1 and 2 from the second position but still used five horses, the bet would calculate as below:

Selections: 1-2 to finish 1st, 3-4-5-6-7 to finish 2nd
Cost: $1 x 2 x 5: $10

Right away you can see that an exacta wheel bet costs about half as much as the box situation since you are playing less combinations. There's a higher risk, but the rewards (and profit margin) are better since you are not wasting money on combinations that you don't believe will come in.

(Side note: if you were at the track or an OTB and wanted to make either of those exacta bets in person, you would walk to the window and say: "Track Name, Race Number: $2 Exacta Box, 1-2-3-4-5" or "Track Name, Race Number: $2 Exacta, 1 and 2 with 1-2-3-4-5". Saying "with" is how you separate horses from the first, second, third or fourth positions to the clerk. And always check your ticket before you walk away.)

Calculating trifecta and superfecta wheels follows the same formula as the exacta bet above. However, if you want an easier way to calculate your wagers, you can find a variety of waging calculators on the web, including a nice one at WinningPonies.com.

So we've discussed the intra-race exotics (exacta, trifecta, superfecta), let's talk about the multi-race bets, which are some of the most popular bets at the track. A multi-race wager is any bet that involves betting on a series of races, rather than just one specific race. A Pick 4, where you try to pick the winners of four consecutive races, is a multi-race wager and can pay very nicely, depending on the odds of the horses that win during the sequence. As with all wagers, you can select as many horses as you want but the cost of your ticket increases with every horse added into the mix.

Let's say you are looking at a four race sequence where you like the following horses in each race:

Race 1: 1-2
Race 2: 1-2-3-4
Race 3: 1
Race 4: 1-2-3-4-5-6-7

To collect on a Pick 4 wager using the horses above, you would need at least one of your selections to win in each leg; pretty simple. Using only one horse in a specific race, as is done in the 3^rd race in our example, is called "singling" a horse. Singles are important because they help to reduce the cost of your ticket.

Calculating the cost of a multi-race wager is easy: simply multiply the bet amount by the number of selections in each leg. Using our above example, that Pick 4 ticket would cost the following amount.

$0.50 Pick 4: $0.50 x 2 x 4 x 1 x 7: $28

The power of the "single" should be obvious; if we had selected two, three or four horses in that 3^rd race, our ticket would have doubled, tripled or quadrupled in cost. It's not required that you use a single; if you have the money to spend and you want better coverage, spend away. But most players like to try and find one race where they have a prime single so they can use more horses in the races where things appear more wide-open.

Additionally, you don't have to play each wager to the minimum amount. Our Pick 4 example above could be played to a $1 base, or $2, or whatever you want. Of course, the higher the base amount, the more expensive your ticket becomes.

Selecting The Right Wager

If you're a little overwhelmed with the sheer amount of betting options you can take heart with the fact that you don't need to play them all. In fact, the best wagering strategy usually involves finding a solid win bet before doing anything else. If you can't figure out which horse is going to win a race, you probably shouldn't be diving into bets requiring you to also pick horses in 2^nd, 3^rd or 4^th. But if you find a solid play for the win, then you can start to branch out into the more complicated wagers. Like poker, you need to go "all in" when you feel you have the advantage, not because you want the action.

Kentucky Derby 2012: Breaking Down The Top Horses, Trainers And Jockeys

Horses will post for the 2012 Kentucky Derby at 6:24 p.m. ET on Saturday, leaving you a full day-plus to get caught up on this year's most intriguing story lines among the horses, trainers and jockeys. Thankfully Matt Gardner, SB Nation's resident horse racing expert and blogger at And Down The Stretch They Come, is here to give us a last minute primer on what to watch for this year at Churchill Downs:

Bodemeister is still your odds-on favorite at 4-1 to win this year's Kentucky Derby, though in a close field his lack of experience as a juvenile could work against him. Union Rags sits second on the money line with 9-2 odds. His trainer, Michael Matz, won the Kentucky Derby in 2007 with Street Sense. Finally, expect a lot of eyes to be locked on Take Charge Indy out of Hole 3 at 15-1 odds. He is being ridden by Louisville darling Calvin Borel, who is shooting to move into second place all-time among jockeys with a fourth career Derby victory.

Kentucky Derby Prop Bets: Secretariat Record Time Safe According To Odds

Kentucky Derby 2012: How To Make The Perfect Mint Julep

2012 Kentucky Derby: Picks And Predictions

The 2012 Kentucky Derby is Saturday. Our horse racing expert makes his picks and predictions for the race.

Kentucky Derby 2012: Dullahan Behind-The-Scenes Documentary

Kentucky Derby 2012: Jockey Robby Albarado Arrested For Assault And Domestic Violence; Off His Friday Mounts

Not a good start to Derby weekend for jockey Robby Albarado.

BREAKING: Jockey Robby Albarado arrested, according to Acting Chief State Steward Barbara Borden. He’s off today’s mounts. #KyOaks

— Gregory Hall (@gregoryahall) May 4, 2012

Albarado was slated to ride Hard Not To Like in today’s Kentucky Oaks. He did not have a mount in Saturday’s Kentucky Derby but was slated to ride some horses on the undercard, including Sassy Image in the G1-Humana Distaff (race 9).

Robby Albarado is a native of Lafayette, Louisiana, and was the jockey for two-time Horse of the Year Curlin. Curlin won the 2007 Preakness and Breeders’ Cup Classic, and lost by a head to Rags to Riches in the Belmont Stakes.

This is the second year in a row that Albarado has suffered through a bad Derby weekend. In 2011, Albarado was slated to ride Animal Kingdom until he fell during a race and was replaced by John Velazquez. Albarado felt he was fit to ride in the Derby, but the connections decided not to take a chance and made the change to Velazquez. Animal Kingdom went on to win the Derby.

According to Gregory Hall of the Louisville Courier-Journal, Albarado was arrested for fourth-degree assault and domestic violence.

Kentucky Oaks 2012: Post Time, TV Schedule And More

It's Oaks Day 2012! Churchill Downs presents a 12 race card on Friday afternoon, featuring the $1 million Grade 1 Kentucky Oaks (post time: 5:45pm Eastern: TV: NBCSN). The Oaks undercard features five excellent stakes races: G2-La Troienne, G2-Eight Belles, The Edgewood, G2-Alysheba, and G2-American Turf. There is an all-stakes Pick 4, Pick 5 and Pick 6 on the wagering menu, along with the popular Oaks/Derby Daily Double.

You can find the results of all of today's races at Churchill Downs via the spreadsheet at the link below (Google Docs).

2012 Kentucky Oaks Results

Below is an overview of today's card at Churchill Downs, including post times, TV schedule and race conditions. All times are Eastern

2012 Kentucky Derby Contenders: Optimizer

Horse: Optimizer
Trainer: D. Wayne Lukas
Pedigree: By English Channel out of an A.P. Indy mare (Indy Pick)
Career Record: 9-1-2-1
Career Earnings: $215,619
Notable Races: G1-Arkansas Derby (9^th); G2-Rebel (2^nd); G2-Risen Star (9^th); G2-Kentucky Jockey Club (4^th); G1-Breeders' Cup Juvenile (8^th); G1-Breeders' Futurity (3^rd); G2-With Anticipation (2^nd)

Can He win The 2012 Kentucky Derby?

If the Kentucky Derby were run over grass, Optimizer might have a punchers chance at the win. Sired by Breeders' Cup Turf champion English Channel, and with noted stamina influence A.P. Indy on the bottom half of the pedigree, Optimizer is bred to run long and to run over non-dirt surfaces. He's won one race in his career, his debut at 8 ½ furlongs on the turf at Saratoga. He closed decently in the Rebel to finish 2^nd, causing a bunch of players to put serious money on him in the Arkansas Derby. If you would have lit your money on fire instead of betting on Optimizer in the Arkansas Derby, you had about as much of a chance of earning a profit as the D. Wayne Lukas trainee. Optimizer never ran a lick that day, finishing 9^th, over 20 lengths by Bodemeister.

Optimizer is a deep closer, so any kind of chaotic pace that causes a major meltdown in the stretch increases his chances of running a winning race. However, it's difficult to envision a horse that hasn't won a race since last August (and got beat by over 20 lengths in his last start) as a legitimate threat to win the Derby.

Cyndi Lauper Left Her Mic On, F'n Idiots

2012 Kentucky Derby Contenders: My Adonis

Horse: My Adonis
Trainer: Kelly Breen
Pedigree: By Pleasantly Perfect out of a Elusive Quality mare (Silent Justice)
Career Record: 9-2-4-1
Career Earnings: $311,000
Notable Races: G1-Wood Memorial (7^th); G3-Gotham (2^nd); G3-Holy Bull (3^rd); G3-Delta Jackpot (9^th)

Can He Win The 2012 Kentucky Derby?:

In order for My Adonis to win the Derby, he first needs to actually get into the field. This year, for the first time, Churchill Downs has added "also eligible" or "alternate entries" to the Kentucky Derby field. In order for My Adonis to make the Derby field on Saturday, one of the other 20 horses must scratch before Friday morning when advance wagering on the Derby will open.

As for the chances of My Adonis if he gets into the field; he's got some work to do. He was a decent 2^nd to Hansen in the Gotham, and his 3^rd in the Holy Bull wasn't that bad. But he was simply awful in the Wood and you hate to see a Derby contender go into the biggest race of the year off of a really poor performance.

2012 Kentucky Derby Contenders: Went The Day Well

Horse: Went The Day Well
Trainer: Graham Motion
Pedigree: By Proud Citizen out of a Gone West mare (Tiz Maie's Day)
Career Record: 5-2-2-0
Career Earnings: $315,345
Notable Races: G3-Spiral Stakes (1^st)

Can He Win The 2012 Kentucky Derby?:

Went The Day Well began his career in Great Britain on the turf where he finished second in a couple of maiden races before shipping to America. In his last race, Went The Day Well was an easy winner of the G3-Spiral Stakes over the Polytrack at Turfway Park in Kentucky.

The big negative on Went The Day Well coming into Saturday's Derby is the fact that he's yet to race against his top rivals. His wins at Turfway and Gulfstream Park were solid races but in each instance there weren't a lot of top Derby contenders running behind him. It's certainly possible that Went The Day Well could run a big race at Churchill Downs, after all, he's a lightly raced, improving colt that should have the stamina to handle the distance. The question is: is this colt ready to run his best race on the biggest stages against the strongest field he's faced in his career?

Went The Day Well is owned by Team Valor International and trained by Graham Motion, the same owner/trainer combination as Animal Kingdom, winner of the 2011 Kentucky Derby.

Kentucky Oaks 2012: Preview And Picks

Grace Hall, On Fire Baby and Broadway's Alibi lead a fantastic betting field of 14 fillies in Friday's 2012 Kentucky Oaks.

2012 Kentucky Derby Contenders: Sabercat

Horse: Sabercat
Trainer: Steve Asmussen
Pedigree: By Bluegrass Cat out of a Forty Niner mare (Miner's Blessing)
Career Record: 8-3-0-2
Career Earnings: $782,849
Notable Races: G1-Arkansas Derby (3^rd); G2-Rebel (8^th); G3-Delta Jackpot (1^st)

Can He Win The 2012 Kentucky Derby?:

Sabercat won the $1 million G3-Delta Jackpot as a juvenile, a win that firmly secured his spot in the 2012 Kentucky Derby due to the $600,000 in graded stakes earnings he picked up in the process. Since that race, this Steve Asmussen trainee a struggled to find his best racing form. He finished 3^rd in the Arkansas Derby in his most recent race but was almost 10 lengths back of winner Bodemeister. In the Rebel, he barely picked up his feet and finished well behind winner Secret Circle.

Sabercat, like Dullahan and Rousing Sermon, is a closer that should benefit from a fast pace in the early stages of Saturday's Derby. Additionally, this colt did improve in the Arkansas Derby after a poor effort in the Rebel, and it's always better to see a colt run an improving race going into Louisville.

At 30/1 on the morning line, this colt might a horse to include on trifecta and superfecta tickets in the hopes he can get a piece of the prize at a big price.

2012 Kentucky Derby Contenders: Hansen

Horse: Hansen
Trainer: Michael Maker
Pedigree: By Tapit out of a Sir Cat mare (Stormy Sunday)
Career Record: 6-4-2-0
Career Earnings: $1,623,305
Notable Races: G1-Blue Grass Stakes (2^nd); G3-Gotham Stakes (1^st); G3-Holy Bull (2^nd); G1-Breeders' Cup Juvenile (1^st); Kentucky Cup Juvenile (1^st)

Can He Win The 2012 Kentucky Derby?:

Winner of the Breeders' Cup Juvenile last fall at Churchill Downs, Hansen comes into the Kentucky Derby off of three solid prep races this winter/spring. The most impressive, and possibly important, race of his career was his win in the G3-Gotham back on March 3^rd. That race is particularly important because it was the first time Hansen displayed an ability to stalk the early leaders, instead of setting the pace himself. However, in his other two starts of 2012 - G3-Holy Bull and G1-Blue Grass - Hansen again had trouble settling in the early stages, fading in the final furlong of both races.

Looking at his races from 2012, it appears Hansen has the difficulty setting in the early stages of a race when he's drawn inside of other speed. In both the Blue Grass and the Holy Bull, Hansen was drawn into post position #4, and each time he became headstrong in the early stages. In the Gotham, Hansen broke from the far outside in post position #12, and as a result, he was able to stalk the early leaders through the first half mile of the race.

Given Hansen's troubles with inside posts this spring, his chances for winning Saturday's Derby were given a much needed boost when he drew the #14 post position on Wednesday. While the Derby is going to be a difficult race for a speed horse like Hansen to win, he's got a much better shot now that he's drawn outside of the other speed horses in the race, especially Trinniberg.

2012 Kentucky Derby Contenders: Rousing Sermon

Horse: Rousing Sermon
Trainer: Jerry Hollendorfer
Pedigree: By Lucky Pulpit out of an Awesome Again mare (Rousing Awesome)
Career Record: 9-2-2-4
Career Earnings: $404,000
Notable Races: G2-Louisiana Derby (3^rd); G2-San Felipe (5^th); G2-Robert Lewis (4^th); G1-CashCall Futurity (2^nd); Cal Cup Juvenile (1^st)

Can He Win The 2012 Kentucky Derby?:

October 29^th, 2011. That's the last time that Rousing Sermon won a race. Since that race he's finished 2^nd, 2^nd, 4^th, 5^th and 3^rd. He's finished behind Liaison twice, I'll Have Another, Creative Cause and Bodemeister once, and was beaten by two lengths by the 100/1 winner of the Louisiana Derby, Hero of Order. What's that all mean? Quite simply, Rousing Sermon faces a serious class test in Saturday's Kentucky Derby.

If you're looking for reasons to place a bet on Rousing Sermon in the Derby, here's the best one that anybody can come up with: Rousing Sermon is a closer in a field that appears to have a great deal of early speed. If the race were to completely fall apart in the final furlongs, this colt should be able to gain some ground in deep stretch. If you're a Rousing Sermon fan, that's the scenario that you need to hang your hat on.

2012 Kentucky Derby Contenders: Daddy Long Legs

Horse: Daddy Long Legs
Trainer: Aidan O'Brien
Pedigree: By Scat Daddy out of a Meadowlake mare (Dreamy Maiden)
Career Record: 5-3-0-0
Career Earnings: $1,308,752
Notable Races: G2-UAE Derby (1^st); G1-Breeders' Cup Juvenile (12^th); G2-Royal Lodge Stakes (1^st); G2-Champagne (GB) Stakes (4^th)

Can He Win The 2012 Kentucky Derby?:

It's no secret what the biggest question mark is with Daddy Long Legs: can he win on a dirt surface? Five races into his career, the answer to that question is ‘no'. Looking just at this colt's pedigree, we wouldn't think that the dirt surface would be an issue. His sire, Scat Daddy, was a winner on dirt, as was his dam sire, Meadowlake. But the proof is in the pudding, and Daddy Long Legs has yet do much of anything on an American dirt surface.

Daddy Long Legs doesn't have much of an excuse for his poor performance in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile. Unlike several of his rivals, he had a relatively clean trip around the track and simply failed to mount a challenge at any point in the race. Things won't get a whole lot easier in the Derby after Daddy Long Legs drew the dreaded rail post.

Kentucky Derby 2012: Post Position Draw Winners And Losers

The post position draw for the Kentucky Derby is, in some ways, overrated. Many horses will run just fine from most of the spots in the starting gate. However, much of the impact of the draw is directly related to the running style of the specific horse. Speed horses don't want to be boxed in early. Closers tend to want to cover-up and save ground in the early stages. Mid-pack runners want to both be close enough to the leaders without running too hard, too early.

The 2012 Kentucky Derby possess several horses that have already experienced difficulties with specific post positions, which placed extra emphasis on this year's post position draw.

Below is a look at the winners and losers from the 2012 Kentucky Derby post position draw, along with a brief look at some of the odds that stand out from the morning line.

Winners

Hansen: The Breeders’ Cup Juvenile winner is a horse with a tremendous amount of natural speed. When he’s able to harness that speed in the early stages, he’s run big races, as he did in this spring’s G3-Gotham Stakes. When’s he’s drawn inside of other horses, like he did in the G2-Fountain of Youth and the G1-Blue Grass Stakes, he’s tended to become too headstrong, wasting valuable energy in the early stages. As a result, the #15 post position is everything the connections could have asked for, and more. Jockey Ramon Dominguez should be able to guide Hansen into a perfect stalking position in the first quarter mile, which should give his horse the best chance at a victory.

Gemologist: Like Hansen, Gemologist’s jockey will be able to pick and choose exactly how hard he wants to use his mount in the first hundred yards after leaving the gate. With the exception of the stalker, I’ll Have Another, Gemologist has essentially no speed to his outside.

Calvin Borel: I don’t know if the connections of Take Charge Indy really wanted to be drawn in the #3 spot, but you know that Borel prefers the rail at Churchill Downs. He’s not called Calvin Bo-rail for nothing.

The three-time Kentucky Derby winning jockey rode Take Charge Indy to his Florida Derby win and will be looking to move into second place on the list of all-time jockey wins in the Kentucky Derby.

Dullahan: The Blue Grass Stakes winner is a stone-cold closer with little to no gate speed. Jockey Kent Desormeaux should be able to let all of the early speed engage in the early race scrum while he saves ground along the rail for the first three-quarters of a mile. The #5 post position is a perfect spot for a closer like Dullahan.

Losers

Bodemeister and Union Rags: The #6 and #4 post positions that the two favorites drew aren’t a death knell, horse can and do win from those posts in the Derby. But drawing inside the sprinting speed of Trinniberg, the stalking speed of Creative Cause, and with a more than likely eager Take Charge Indy to the inside, Bodemeister and Union Rags can’t afford any delays coming out of the gate is they don’t want to get pinched back in the early stages.

Winning the Derby from these posts isn’t Mission: Impossible for either Bodemeister or Union Rags, but it’s a lot harder than if they drew a bit further to the outside.

Daddy Long Legs: The Irish-based colt doesn’t possess very much early speed, so his rail position isn’t as bad for him as it would be for a horse like Hansen. But at the same time, Daddy Long Legs is primarily a turf horse, and turf horses that run on the dirt tend not to like all the kick-back into their face as they race. Drawing post position #1 guarantees that Daddy Long Legs is going to get a ton of dirt thrown his direction the entire way around the track. If the surface were to come up wet, it’s only going to be worse.

Alpha: I hesitate to call the #11 post position for Alpha a bad spot, because on its face that post seems to be a great position. The problem with Alpha is that he’s had some issues leaving the starting gate in the past. He’s also had issues just standing in the starting gate. Prior to the start of last fall’s Breeders’ Cup Juvenile, Alpha was what we call in the horse racing world “fractious in the gate”. In other words, he threw a conniption fit.

What does Alpha gate problems have to do with the #11 post? Well, in the Derby, with a 20-horse field, they double load the starting gate, meaning they load horses two at a time, starting with the #1 and #11 spots. As a result, Alpha, a horse with questionable gate manners, will have to stand in the gate the longest of any Derby horse other than Daddy Long Legs.

The good news for Alpha backers is this colt repeatedly gets himself into trouble at the start of the race and still is able to run very well. If he can avoid some of his early race troubles, he could turn this “loss” into a “win”.

Some Brief Thoughts On The Morning Line Odds

I’ll Have Another at 12/1 is pretty enticing for the Santa Anita Derby winner. This colt has really improved as a three-year-old and could be great value at double-digits.

Daddy Long Legs, when you consider all the things that are working against him in this race, seems way too low at 30/1. 50/1 sounds more reasonable and you could make the case that 60/1 or higher would be more accurate.

Trinniberg at 50/1? A pure speed sprinter that has never run further than seven furlongs in his career? Every horse has a shot to win, but I wouldn’t be this horse if he was 100/1.

Sabercat really hasn’t run well this spring other than an okay 3^rd in the Arkansas Derby, but he’s a closer in a field littered with speed. 30/1 isn’t that bad of a price for a horse that should be running hard in the final furlongs.

2012 Kentucky Derby Odds: Morning Line Released Following Post Position Draw

With the 2012 Kentucky Derby post draw out of the way, the attention turns to the morning line odds. These are the odds set by the track, which will remain steady until race day. Once the books are open at Churchill Downs, the odds are subject to shift quickly, as action dictates the changes.

Until then, though, the morning line provides a window into which horses are favored, which may be good value bets and which are long-shots.

Here are the morning line odds.

Daddy Long Legs 30-1
Optimizer 50-1
Take Charge Indy 15-1
Union Rags 9-2
Dullahan 8-1
Bodemeister 4-1
Rousing Sermon 50-1
Creative Cause 12-1
Trinniberg 50-1
Daddy Nose Best 15-1
Alpha 15-1
Prospective 30-1
Went The Day Well 20-1
Hansen 10-1
Gemologist 6-1
El Padrino 20-1
Done Talking 50-1
Sabercat 30-1
I'll Have Another 12-1
Liaison 50-1

It's no surprise to see Bodemeister installed as the favorite, followed quickly by Union Rags. Those two will be starting two gates apart, with Union Rags in the No. 4 gate and Bodemeister in the No. 6 gate. Gemologist will be outside, and holds 6-1 odds. In between Union Rags and Bodemeister is another strong horse in Dullahan, who checks in at 8-1.

Kentucky Derby 2012 Post Positions Revealed During Ceremony At Churchill Downs

The post position draw is vital for the Kentucky Derby, with contenders chances partially dictated by where they will start the race on Saturday.

Draw on the rail and a horse risks being squeezed down the front stretch, losing position and having to back off going into the first turn. Draw too far outside and the race becomes that much longer, as everyone breaks for the rail early. Luck factors a bit into the equation at the Kentucky Derby, where a 20-horse field provides plenty of congestion on the track.

On Wednesday afternoon, the post positions for the 2012 Kentucky Derby were announced in a live show on NBC Sports Network. The draw is as follows:

1. Daddy Long Legs
2. Optimizer
3. Take Charge Indy
4. Union Rags
5. Dullahan
6. Bodemeister
7. Rousing Sermon
8. Creative Cause
9. Trinniberg
10. Daddy Nose Best
11. Alpha
12. Prospective
13. Went The Day Well
14. Hansen
15. Gemologist
16. El Padrino
17. Done Talking
18. Sabercat
19. I'll Have Another
20. Liaison

A few of the prominent horses to watch will be starting the the fourth, fifth and sixth gates. Dullahan, Bodemeister and Union Rags are all strong contenders, and will be running next to one another right out of the gates while also fighting for the rail.

We'll be back with further analysis of the post positions later.

2012 Kentucky Derby Post Position Draw Set For 5 P.M. On NBC Sports Network

Edit: Here are the 2012 Kentucky Derby post positions.

Kentucky Derby week begins in earnest on Wednesday evening as the post positions for the 2012 version of the race are revealed. As usual, the post positions are essentially drawn out of a hat, with envelopes for all 20 horses picked, along with post numbers. For competitors, it's a bit of a luck-of-the-draw event.

The post positions will be crucial with a full field of 20 horses. The Churchill Downs race is always incredibly crowded, with tons of traffic to navigate through, making it both a test of horse and jockeys. The middle, though counterintuitive, is a good place to be, while the inside and outside make life more difficult for a competitor.

The post draw will be televised live this year, with NBC Sports Network picking up the coverage. Here's all the information you need.

Time: 5 p.m. ET

Channel: NBC Sports Network

We'll be back after the draw with more on the post positions, including analysis of which contenders picked up good and bad draws.

2012 Kentucky Derby Contenders: Take Charge Indy

Horse: Take Charge Indy
Trainer: Patrick Byrne
Pedigree: By A.P. Indy (winner of the 1992 Belmont Stakes and Breeders' Cup Classic) out of a Dehere mare (Take Charge Lady)
Career Record: 6-2-2-0
Career Earnings: $721,000
Notable Races: G1-Florida Derby (1^st); G1-Breeders' Cup Juvenile (5^th); G1-Breeders' Futurity (4^th); G3-Arlington-Washington Futurity (2^nd)

Can He Win The 2012 Kentucky Derby?:

There are two words associated with Take Charge Indy that are sure to draw the attention of bettors on Derby Day: Calvin Borel.

The three-time Kentucky Derby winning jockey is especially well-loved at Churchill Downs, where his rail-skimming rides are etched in the history of the Twin Spires. He's back again in 2012, this time riding the G1-Florida Derby winner and looking to move into second place on the list of all-time jockey wins at the Kentucky Derby. Eddie Arcaro and Bill Hartack top the list with five Derby wins.

Take Charge Indy is by notable stamina sire A.P. Indy, winner of the Belmont Stakes, Breeders' Cup Classic and the Eclipse Award as Horse of the Year in 1992. The offspring of A.P. Indy sport an average winning distance of 8.2 furlongs, or just over a mile. When you consider that most races in the U.S. are listed at one mile or less, it's extremely impressive to see a sire with an average winning distance that high. In short, Take Charge Indy is bred to run well at the Derby distance of a mile and a quarter.

Perhaps the most appealing aspect of Take Charge Indy is the improvement he's made from his juvenile year to his three-year-old season. Take Charge Indy ran decently as a two-year-old, but his development in 2012 has put him squarely in the mix with this year's top Derby contenders.

Take Charge Indy won the Florida Derby in gate-to-wire fashion, but he's displayed the ability to sit just off the pace in prior races, if need be. He appears to be versatile enough to come from the middle of the pack if Borel chooses to employ those tactics on Saturday.

2012 Kentucky Derby Contenders: I'll Have Another

Horse: I'll Have Another
Trainer: Doug O'Neill
Pedigree: By Flower Alley out of an Arch mare (Arch's Gal)
Career Record: 5-3-1-0
Career Earnings: $634,000
Notable Races: G1-Santa Anita Derby (1^st); G2-Robert Lewis Stakes (1^st); G1-Hopeful (6^th); G2-Best Pal (2^nd)

Can He Win The 2012 Kentucky Derby?:

The Santa Anita Derby winner is a somewhat under-the-radar horse for a lot of players. There's not a huge buzz about this colt, especially considering he's won both of his starts in 2012 and he's shown significant improvement from his juvenile campaign. In his Santa Anita Derby win he stalked the early speed of Blueskiesnrainbows, watched as Creative Cause passed him to the inside at the top of the stretch, and then dueled with his two rivals inside the final furlong. It was a gutty, hard fought race that established I'll Have Another as a serious Kentucky Derby contender.

I'll Have Another's pedigree suggests he shouldn't have any problem with the Derby distance of a mile and a quarter. His sire, Flower Alley, won the ten furlong Travers Stakes and the nine furlong Jim Dandy in 2005. His dam sire, Arch, also won at ten furlongs during his career, and sired Blame, winner of the 2012 Breeders' Cup Classic by a head over Zenyatta.

Something to watch out for with I'll Have Another: his only race over a wet surface was an absolute disaster (G1-Hopeful; 6^th, 19 lengths back). If it rains on Derby day, his chances become a bit more unclear.

2012 Kentucky Derby Contenders: Dullahan

Horse: Dullahan
Trainer: Dale Romans
Pedigree: By Even the Score out of a Smart Strike mare (Mining My Own); half-brother to 2009 Kentucky Derby winner Mine That Bird
Career Record: 8-2-2-2
Career Earnings: $872,091
Notable Races: G1-Blue Grass Stakes (1^st); G3-Palm Beach (2^nd); G1-Breeders' Cup Juvenile (4^th); G1-Breeders' Futurity (1^st); G2-With Anticipation (3^rd)

Can He Win The 2012 Kentucky Derby?:

Dullahan is one of those horses that will create a lot of disagreement among the horseplayers handicapping the 2012 Kentucky Derby. Many believe that Dullahan is simply a turf/synthetic horse that will be unable to replicate his form on the dirt at Churchill Downs. Others believe that Dullahan's stone-cold closing running style is an excellent fit for this year's Derby. As usual, the truth generally lies somewhere in the middle.

All of Dullahan's best races have occurred over the turf or the Polytrack surface at Keeneland, so it's clear he has an affinity for non-dirt surfaces. However, his effort in last fall's Breeders' Cup Juvenile wasn't that bad. He never seriously threatened the top 3 finishers, but he appeared to handle the dirt surface after getting bumped while leaving the starting gate. In fact, if you go inside the Trakus statistics for the Juvenile, Dullahan ran the final 3/8ths of a mile faster than Hansen (31.99 vs. 32.16), and slightly slower than Union Rags (31.99 vs. 31.86). Normally, when a turf/synthetic horses doesn't like the dirt, they throw in the towel fairly early in the race and fail to make up significant ground in the final furlongs.

Dullahan is typically a deep closer, preferring to run six to ten lengths behind the leaders in the early stages. If the Derby pace is as fast as many are expecting, then Dullahan should be able to make up a good amount of ground in the final furlongs. The key for Dullahan, and for any horse coming from off the pace in the Derby, is to avoid falling too far behind in the early stages. If Dullahan is 15+ lengths back after a half-mile, it will be very hard to make up that much ground, while at the same time navigating all of the horses that are running in front of him.

2012 Kentucky Derby Contenders: Union Rags

Horse: Union Rags
Trainer: Michael Matz
Pedigree: By Dixie Union out of a Gone West mare (Tempo)
Career Record: 6-4-1-1
Career Earnings: $1,198,800
Notable Races: G1-Florida Derby (3^rd); G2-Fountain of Youth (1^st); G1-Breeders' Cup Juvenile (2^nd); G1-Champagne Stakes (1^st); G2-Saratoga Special (1^st)

Can He Win The 2012 Kentucky Derby?:

All winter long, Union Rags has been at the top of the Kentucky Derby top 10 lists and the Las Vegas future wagers. Union Rags closed at the 9/2 favorite in Pool 3 of the 2012 Kentucky Derby Future Wager and he is widely expected to vie with Bodemeister for the status of Kentucky Derby favorite on Saturday afternoon.

In his final pre-Derby race, Union Rags suffered through a bad trip in the G1-Florida Derby after getting boxed in during the early stages and only finding a clear running lane in the final furlong. In reality, the Florida Derby wasn't a bad prep race for Union Rages since he didn't need to win the race and wasn't extended in deep stretch. He finished up the race very strong, running the final 1/8th of a mile in 6.37 seconds, while racing 41 feet further than winner Take Charge Indy over the course of the trip. While his connections were likely disappointed with the final result, the performance of Union Rags in the Florida Derby suggests he could be sitting on a big race in the Kentucky Derby if he's able to get a clean trip.

On the negative side of the equation, Union Rags has never really run a "big number", as many horseplayers like to say. In other words, he's never run a race that, in retrospect, is significantly faster than his rivals. Additionally, while Union Rags has been very consistent since his debut at Saratoga in August of 2011, he hasn't displayed a significant improvement from 2011 to 2012. However, this colt is clearly one of the best horses in this three-year-old crop and can't be overlooked by any player in the Derby.

Union Rags will be ridden by jockey Julien Leparoux in Saturday's Derby. Leparoux is a patient rider that is typically very adept at judging the early pace, a trait that fits perfectly with the stalking running style of Union Rags.

Trainer Michael Matz won the 2006 Kentucky Derby with Barbaro.

2012 Kentucky Derby Contenders: Gemologist

Horse: Gemologist
Trainer: Todd Pletcher
Pedigree: By Tiznow out of a Mr. Prospector mare (Crystal Shard)
Career Record: 5-5-0-0
Career Earnings: $784,855
Notable Races: G1-Wood Memorial (1^st); G2-Kentucky Jockey Club (1^st)

Can He Win The 2012 Kentucky Derby?:

It's hard to find much fault with Todd Pletcher's Gemologist, a son of two-time Breeders' Cup Classic winner Tiznow. He's a perfect five-for-five in his career, and he was an impressive winner of the G1-Wood Memorial after it looked like Alpha was going to go right by him in the final furlong. He wins races and, at the end of the day, that's what this game is all about.

Gemologist has a good amount of natural speed but he's not a "need-to-lead" horse in any stretch of the work. In both the Wood and the Kentucky Jockey Club, Gemologist was able to stalk the early leaders before making his winning move as he came off the far turn. That's exactly the same running style that will suit him the best in Saturday's Derby.

If we are looking hard for negatives there are a couple that deserve attention. First, Gemologist has only raced twice in 2012, and his first race was really a glorified workout against allowance company at Gulfstream Park on March 16^th. Second, he had to dig deep to fend off Alpha in the Wood, suggesting that the colt might lack the necessary foundation to run his best race on the first Saturday in May.

Gemologist is owned by WinStar Farm and trained by Todd Pletcher, the same connections of 2010 Kentucky Derby winner Super Saver.

2012 Kentucky Derby Contenders: Alpha

Horse: Alpha
Trainer: Kiaran McLaughlin
Pedigree: By Bernardini (winner of the 2006 Preakness) out of a Nijinsky II mare (Munnaya)
Career Record: 6-3-2-0
Career Earnings: $500,000
Notable Races: G1-Wood Memorial (2^nd); G3-Withers (1^st); G1-Breeders' Cup Juvenile (11^th); G1-Champagne Stakes (2^nd)

Can He Win The 2012 Kentucky Derby?:

There are a lot of reasons to like the chances of Alpha in Saturday's Kentucky Derby. He's sired by Bernardini, winner of the Preakness and second in the Breeders' Cup Classic in 2005. Additionally, his dam sire, Nijinsky II, a British Triple Crown champion and one of the top sires in Europe and America, is a potent source of stamina. The distance shouldn't be a problem.

Alpha was a good second to Gemologist in the Wood Memorial back on April 7^th after suffering through a pretty rough trip around the track. He broke a bit slow, had to be steadied by the rider in the early stages, went three wide coming off the far turn, and still was able to fight neck and neck with the winner all the way to the wire. Finally, Alpha has shown steady improvement in all three of his races in 2012 and looks like a colt that could be sitting on a big race in the Derby.

On the negative side, there have been some health issues with Alpha since his run in the Wood Memorial and his recent works have received less than glowing reviews. Additionally, Alpha is one of those colts that seemingly finds trouble in every single race he runs. In the Gotham, he went wide. In the Count Fleet, he bobbled at the break. At the Breeders' Cup, he threw a fit in the starting gate. In the Champagne, he broke in at the start.

In a race with twenty horses and a typically grueling and demanding pace, Alpha can't afford to get into too much trouble is he is to have any chance to win the Run for the Roses.

2012 Kentucky Derby Contenders: Daddy Nose Best

Horse: Daddy Nose Best
Trainer: Steve Asmussen
Pedigree: By Scat Daddy out of a Thunder Gulch mare (Follow Your Bliss)
Career Record: 10-4-2-1
Career Earnings: $633,623
Notable Races: G3-Sunland Derby (1^st); G3-El Camino Real Derby (1^st); G1-Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf (6^th); G3-Summer Stakes (3^rd)

Can He Win The 2012 Kentucky Derby?:

Daddy Nose Best has turned into the "now" horse at Churchill Downs over the past couple of weeks, partially due to his sizzling work over the main track back on April 16^th (5f in 1:00.20; 1/20), and a second strong work on April 30^th (4f in 48.02; 29/57). Much of this colt's early career was spent running on the turf until trainer Steve Asmussen decided to give him another shot at running on the main track. His win the G3-El Camino Real Derby occurred at Golden Gate Fields over their synthetic surface. He followed that up with his first victory on a traditional dirt surface in the G3-Sunland Derby.

Daddy Nose Best generally does his best running by coming from off the pace, a running style that should fit in well with the expected fast early fractions of the Derby. On the downside, it's a bit difficult to assess how good this colt actually is when he really hasn't matched up against any of the top contenders this spring. The morning works are encouraging, suggesting Daddy Nose Best could be a long-shot to keep close tabs on prior to post time for Saturday's race.

2012 Kentucky Derby Contenders: Creative Cause

Horse: Creative Cause
Trainer: Mike Harrington
Pedigree: By Giant's Causeway out of a Siberian Summer mare (Dream of Summer)
Career Record: 8-4-2-2
Career Earnings: $869,000
Notable Races: G1-Santa Anita Derby (2^nd); G2-San Felipe (1^st); G2-San Vicente (3^rd); G1-Breeders' Cup Juvenile (3^rd); G1-Norfolk (1^st); G1-Del Mar Futurity (3^rd); G2-Best Pal (1^st)

Can He Win The 2012 Kentucky Derby?:

It's hard to find a horse in this year's Kentucky Derby that has been as consistent as Creative Cause over a longer period of time. Creative Cause made his debut at Hollywood Park on July 16^th of 2011, winning by over four lengths against an over-matched field of maidens at Hollywood Park. Since that time, he's won a Grade 1, two Grade 2s, and finished no worse than 3^rd in any of his eight lifetime starts.

Creative Cause is sired by Giant's Causeway, the 2000 European Horse of the Year and the leading sire in North America in 2009 and 2010. The only concern on the pedigree is on the dam's side where the bloodlines are littered primarily with sprinters and milers. So far, Creative Cause hasn't displayed any serious problems with distance but there's always a bit of a mystery when a colt tries a mile and a quarter for the first time.

If you like to play the exacta, trifecta or superfecta on Derby day, Creative Cause is a horse that will be difficult to leave out of your tickets. He's consistent. He's well bred. And he's run well previously over the Churchill Downs main track. That's a good combination heading into the Derby.

2012 Kentucky Derby Contenders: Trinniberg

Horse: Trinniberg
Trainer: Bisnath Parboo
Pedigree: By Teuflesberg out of a Goldminer's Gold mare (Bella Dorato)
Career Record: 7-3-2-0
Career Earnings: $341,300
Notable Races: G3-Bay Shore (1^st); G3-Swale (1^st); G2-Nashua (2^nd); G1-Hopeful (2^nd); G2-Saratoga Special (5^th); Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Sprint (7^th)

Can He Win The 2012 Kentucky Derby?:

Speed, speed, speed.

Let’s just get a couple of things out of the way right off the bat with regards to Trinniberg. First, he’s a pure sprinter; he’s never run a race longer than seven furlongs (7/8^ths of a mile) in his career and he’s a horse that runs his best when he controls the pace from the lead. Second, his pedigree screams "SPRINTER" all over the place. His sire, Teuflesberg, was a sprinter. His damsire, Goldminer’s Gold, was a sprinter. The average winning distance for the offspring of his sire and damsire is approximately six and a half furlongs. The Kentucky Derby is 10 furlongs, or 1 ¼ miles. Do the math.

Is it impossible for Trinniberg to win the Derby? Certainly not. If the rest of the Derby field were to let this horse set a ridiculously easy pace there’s a possibility that he could take them all the way around the track. But the likelihood of Trinniberg obtaining an easy lead in the opening furlongs is slim, at best. Additionally, even if Trinniberg is able to set an easy and moderate pace, he’s still got a lot of pedigree working against him. Horses from sprint-dominant pedigrees just don’t win the Kentucky Derby.

Trinniberg is a good bet to set the pace but he’s a bad bet to be anywhere near the leaders when they cross the finish line.

2012 Kentucky Derby Contenders: Prospective

Horse: Prospective
Trainer: Mark Casse
Pedigree: By Malibu Moon out of a Awesome Again mare (Spirited Away)
Career Record: 8-4-2-0
Career Earnings: $443,192
Notable Races: G1-Blue Grass (6^th); G2-Tampa Bay Derby (1^st); G2-Sam F. Davis (2^nd); G1-Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (13^th); G3-Grey (1^st)

Can He Win The 2012 Kentucky Derby?:

In his final prep race prior to the Derby, Prospective ran a disappointing 6^th in the Blue Grass Stakes over the Polytrack at Keeneland. Given that the race came over a synthetic surface, it’s probably okay to just toss that race into the bin and judge this colt purely on his dirt form.

Prospective ran well at Tampa Bay Downs this spring, winning the Tampa Bay Derby and finishing second in the Sam F. Davis, but there are some major class issues with this colt as he heads into the Derby. The prep races at Tampa don’t look to be particularly strong this year and his only other attempt to run against the best of this year’s contenders was in last fall’s Breeders’ cup Juvenile, where he finished a distant 13^th. While juvenile form has little bearing on a horse’s chances of winning the Derby, this colt appears to be just a notch or two below the top contenders in this year’s race.

If you are thinking about making a bet on Prospective in Saturday's Kentucky Derby, make sure you get good odds on this colt. Anything less than 50/1 is probably not good value considering the question marks he's facing.

2012 Kentucky Derby Contenders: Liaison

Horse: Liaison
Trainer: Bob Baffert
Pedigree: By Indian Charlie out of a Victory Gallop mare (Galloping Gal)
Career Record: 7-3-0-1
Career Earnings: $487,560
Notable Races: G1-CashCall Futurity (1^st); G2-San Felipe (4^th); G1-Santa Anita Derby (6^th)

Can He Win The 2012 Kentucky Derby?:

Liaison has experienced what can only be described as a adventurous road to the 2012 Kentucky Derby. The Bob Baffert trainee was very consistent as a juvenile, winning the ungraded Real Quiet and the G1-CashCall Futurity at Hollywood Park. But ever since the calendar turned to 2012, things have been an adventure.

In his first start as a three-year-old in the G2-Robert Lewis Stakes, Liaison clipped heels with another horse in the stretch and dumped jockey Rafael Bejarano. He came back in the G2-San Felipe and ran credibly but never threatened the top two finishers, Creative Cause and Bodemeister. In his final Derby prep race, Liaison barely ran a lick and finished over nine lengths behind I’ll Have Another and Creative Cause in the G1-Santa Anita Derby.

There are just too many things working against this colt to see him as anything other than a very long shot to win the Kentucky Derby. Anything’s possible in horse racing; a super-fast early pace could set things up for Liaison to get a piece of the action at the wire. But as a handicapper, it’s hard to get past the fact that this horse hasn’t won a race since December and has actually run worse in each of his starts in 2012. Additionally, he hasn't been close to Creative Cause in either of his last two races. And finally, he’s a son of Indian Charlie, a sire that generally doesn’t product horses that excel at distances over a mile. It’s tough to back a horse like that in the biggest race of the year.

2012 Kentucky Derby Contenders: El Padrino

Horse: El Padrino
Trainer: Todd Pletcher
Pedigree: By Pulpit out of a Giant’s Causeway mare (Enchanted Rock)
Career Record: 6-3-1-1
Career Earnings: $316,100
Notable Races: G2-Risen Star (1^st); G1-Florida Derby (4^th); G2-Remsen (3^rd)

Can He Win The 2012 Kentucky Derby?:

El Padrino made his three-year-old debut at Gulfstream Park on January 29^th and dazzled race fans with a huge performance in a $75k Optional Claiming race, rocketing him into everyone’s Kentucky Derby Top 10 lists. He followed that up with a nose victory in the G2-Risen Star at the Fair Grounds, edging second place Mark Valeski by the slimiest of margins. His final Derby prep was a poor performance in the G1-Florida Derby, a race where he got a clean trip all the way around the track but had nothing in the tank when it came time to roll towards the judge.

There are two big issues with El Padrino that any handicapper must consider prior to Saturday’s Kentucky Derby. First, his most dominating performance came over a wet race track, and overall, two of his three wins were races over wet tracks. Can he run a big race on a fast track? Second, his one win over a fast track, the G2-Risen Star, looks very poor in retrospect when you consider that the Kentucky Derby preps at the Fair Grounds this spring were decidedly below par. On paper, the Fair Grounds had the weakest prep races of any circuit.

El Padrino is a talented colt but it remains to be seen whether he can perform at his best over a non-wet surface. If it rains on Saturday, he’s got to be in your tickets. If it doesn’t, he becomes a much more difficult horse to evaluate.

2012 Kentucky Derby Contenders: Done Talking

Horse: Done Talking
Trainer: Hamilton Smith
Pedigree: By Broken Vow out of a Dixieland Band mare (Dixie Talking)
Career Record: 7-3-0-2
Career Earnings: $301,000
Notable Races: G3-Illinois Derby (1^st); G3-Gotham (10^th); G2-Remsen (4^th)

Can He Win The 2012 Kentucky Derby?:

Done Talking used a long, grinding stretch drive to win the G2-Illinois Derby at Hawthorne Racecourse on April 7^th, securing a spot in the Kentucky Derby in the process. As good of a win as that was, it’s hard to see this horse as anything other than a long-shot that will need a lot of help to win the biggest race in America.

Done Talking's win in the Illinois Derby was visually impressive but it was the result of all of horses in front of him completely melting down in the final furlongs. When he faced off against much better competition in the G3-Gotham Stakes at Aqueduct on March 3^rd, he never even sniffed the lead and finished over twenty lengths back of winner Hansen.

Done Talking has a lot of improvement to make is he’s going to win Saturday’s Kentucky Derby, and he’ll likely need a suicidal pace on the front-end in order to set things up for his late running style.

2012 Kentucky Derby Contenders: Bodemeister

Horse: Bodemeister
Trainer: Bob Baffert
Pedigree: By Empire Maker (winner of the 2003 Belmont Stakes) out of a Storm Cat mare (Untouched Talent)
Career Record: 4-2-2-0
Career Earnings: $704,800
Notable Races: G1-Arkansas Derby (1^st, 9 ½ lengths); G2-San Felipe (2^nd)

Can He Win The 2012 Kentucky Derby?:

Of all the horses in this year’s Kentucky Derby, Bodemeister has consistently run the fastest races of any of his rivals. His nine and a half length win in the Arkansas Derby was, arguably, the best prep race by a Derby contender this year and he’s run a solid race in each of his four lifetime starts. Unraced as a juvenile, Bodemeister will be trying to overcome 100+ years of history on Saturday when he attempts to become the first horse since Apollo in 1882 to win the Kentucky Derby while never having raced as a two-year-old.

Bodemeister won the Arkansas Derby in gate-to-wire fashion, a running style that will be difficult to employ in the Kentucky Derby. If this colt can avoid becoming involved in a speed duel in the early stages of the race, he’ll have a huge chance to bring home the roses, and in the process, avenge the defeat of his sire Empire Maker in the 2003 Kentucky Derby.

Kentucky Oaks 2012: Entries, Post Positions And Morning Line Odds

It's ladies' first at Churchill Downs with Friday's running of the 2012 Kentucky Oaks (post time: 5:45pm Eastern; TV: NBCSN). Known as the "Lilies for the Fillies", the Oaks is a one and one eighth of a mile race for three-year-old fillies with a purse of $1,000,000.

The 2012 version of the Oaks has drawn an overflow field of 15 fillies (14 entries and one alternate entry ("AE")). Grace Hall, winner of the G2-Gulfstream Park Oaks and second in last fall's Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies at Churchill Downs, leads the field from post position number 2. Grade Hall is the 5/2 morning line favorite.

Below are the entries, post positions and morning line odds for the 2012 Kentucky Oaks.

For more on the world of horse racing, head to And Down The Stretch They Come. For more on the 2012 Kentucky Derby, keep it locked to this StoryStream.

Kentucky Derby 2012: Mark Valeski Out; Optimizer In

Mark Valeski, second in both the G2-Louisiana Derby and G2-Risen Star at the Fair Grounds earlier this spring, will skip Saturday’s running of the 2012 Kentucky Derby, according to his trainer Larry Jones.

The three-year-old son of Proud Citizen is not suffering from any injuries, instead Larry Jones didn’t feel that the colt ultimately belonged in the race.

The defection of Mark Valeski allows Optimizer to slide into the Derby field. Optimizer, trained by Hall of Famer D. Wayne Lukas, finished second in the G2-Rebel Stakes at Oaklawn Park before running a very disappointing ninth in the G1-Arkansas Derby. Prior to today, Optimizer sat at #21 on the graded earnings list; the Derby starters are limited to the top 20 horses based on earnings in graded stakes races. With Mark Valeski now out of the race, Optimizer will get a shot at the Run for the Roses.

Other Kentucky Derby news on Tuesday, May 1st:

• Rousing Sermon worked five furlongs in 1:00.40 under the Twin Spires on Tuesday morning, and galloped out in 1:14. The work was second fastest of the 17 to work the distance this morning, but one of only six horses to work five furlongs while the track was listed as “FAST”. Rain in Louisville created a wet track later in the morning.
• Four Derby contenders worked over the Churchill Downs main track on Monday:
  
  Liaison worked five furlongs in 1:00.80, seventh fastest of 28 at the distance.
  
  Creative Cause worked four furlongs in 47.80, third fastest of 57.
  
  Sabercat worked four furlongs in 48.40 (10/57).
  
  Daddy Nose Best worked four furlongs in 49.40 (29/57).
• Entries and post positions for Friday's 2012 Kentucky Oaks will be finalized this afternoon.

Kentucky Derby 2012: The Best Betting Race Of The Year

Year after year, the Kentucky Derby is the single greatest betting race in America due to it's large fields and somewhat unpredictable results. With a maximum of 20 betting interests in the start gate, the sheer number of exacta, trifecta and superfecta combinations keeps horseplayers up long hours during Derby week in order to prepare the best wagers possible. If you're a multi-race player, the Daily Doubles, Pick 3s, Pick 4s, Pick 5s and (if it's hit) the Pick 6 can result in huge scores, including some life-altering payouts.

There are a couple of different posts over at And Down The Stretch They Come that focus specifically on the boxcar payouts churned out at Churchill Downs on Derby Day. The post entitled Kentucky Derby Payouts: 2000 - 2011 provides a summary of the Win, Exacta, Trifecta, Superfecta, Pick 3, Pick 4, Pick 5 and Pick 6 payouts over the last decade, along with the median payouts for those wagers. The post Kentucky Derby: The Oaks/Derby Double Since 2000 provides a detailed look at a bet that tends to be very affordable for most players, yet still provides the allure of a big score., the Daily Double.

Some quick thoughts on the typical payouts from the Kentucky Derby over the last decade:

• A $2 Exacta bet is one of the best deals on Derby day, paying a median of $241.10 since 2000.
  
• If you can hit the Superfecta, and that's something that is usually both very difficult and expensive to accomplish, you'll likely be rewarded with some serious cash. Since 2000, the median Superfecta payout is a "not-bad-for-a-day's-work" $71,799.10. If you were lucky enough to hit the Super the year Giacomo shocked the world at 50/1, you pocketed a cool $864,000 for your troubles, plus a date with the taxman.
• The Pick 6, a $2 minimum wager, is generally not a great play on Derby day given the risk and the cost of the bet. The new $0.50 Pick 5, however, is quite enticing. In it's debut year of 2011, the $0.50 Pick 5 paid a life-altering $213.895.35. That's good work, if you can get it.
• The Kentucky Oaks/Kentucky Derby Daily Double is one of the best bets of the weekend, paying out a median of $237.40 since the bet was introduced in 2001. Five times in ten years the wager has paid more than $300.00. Not to be forgotten, the Woodford Reserve Turf Classic (the race immediately preceding the Derby) / Kentucky Derby Daily Double also returns a healthy amount on a year-to-year basis.

Kentucky Derby 2012: Schedule For Derby Week

On Saturday, May 5th, Churchill Downs will run the 2012 Kentucky Derby, the 138th renewal of the "Greatest Two Minutes in Sports". The Derby is the longest consecutive running sporting event in the United States, run every year since Aristides won the first Derby in 1875.

The post position draw for the 2012 Derby will occur on Wednesday, May 2nd; the NBC SportsNetwork will have live coverage from Churchill Downs beginning at 5:00pm Eastern. The 2012 Kentucky Oaks, also known as the "Lillis for the Fillies" will run on Friday, May 4th, with coverage beginning at 5:00pm Eastern. Undercard races on both Friday and Saturday can be viewed on Horse Racing TV ("HRTV"), which is available on Dish Network and an assortment of cable systems, as well as NBCSN.

Below is the complete TV schedule for the 2012 Kentucky Derby and Oaks.

Kentucky Derby 2012: Post Position Will Determine Preliminary Favorite

Mike Battaglia, the Churchill Downs bookmaker in charge of setting the morning line, told USA Today in an interview on Sunday that Wednesday's post position draw will determine who he sets as the preliminary favorite in the 138th Kentucky Derby:

"If Bodemeister has a bad draw, then it's got to be Union Rags," Battaglia told USA TODAY Sports. "And if Union Rags has a bad draw, it would be the other way around."

With a full 20-horse field, the rail will be extremely difficult for anyone to overcome this year. However, Battaglia also revealed that the early odds on either of the two front-runners, Bodemeister and Union Rags, won't be higher than 4-1 regardless of where they draw.

But while those two horses have seemingly drawn ahead of the field, there are several who could very conceivably make a charge from the back in what has become an increasingly unpredictable event.

For more on the world of horse racing, head to And Down The Stretch They Come. For more on the 2012 Kentucky Derby, keep it locked to this StoryStream.

2012 Kentucky Derby: Bodemeister Zips Five Furlongs In The Mud

If the 2012 Kentucky Derby turns out to be a wet one, the connections of Bodemeister have to feel pretty good about the chances of their colt running a big race in the slop. Working over a muddy main track at Churchill Downs on Sunday morning, the Arkansas Derby winner zipped five furlongs in 59.48 seconds, the second fastest of 10 horses to work that distance. The Daily Racing Form describes Bodemeister’s work:

"Bodemeister worked five furlongs in 59.48 seconds … then continued boldly on the gallop out for another three furlongs and completed one lap around the track in 1:40.26. The track was rated muddy, after a fierce storm Saturday night, but it had a very firm bottom."

Speaking to the Blood-Horse, trainer Bob Baffert noted that he was pleased with the work of his top Derby contender:

“I’m glad I got the work in, I was a bit leery last night with all the rain and afraid about how the track would be. It turned out the track was in perfect shape. He got a hold of it; it was nice and firm. I was glad I didn’t work him yesterday when the track was dry and loose; I worry about stuff like that.”

Bodemeister is a son of Empire Maker, winner of the 2003 Belmont Stakes over a sloppy track in a race that denied Funny Cide the Triple Crown.

Other Kentucky Derby contenders to work Sunday morning:

• Optimizer, trained by Hall of Famer D. Wayne Lukas, breezed five furlongs at Churchill Downs, covering the distance in 1:00.40, fourth fastest of 10.
• Wood Memorial winner Gemologist breezed four furlongs in 50.39 over a muddy track at the Palm Meadows Training Center in Florida. El Padrino worked the same distance at the training center in 53.34.

For more on the world of horse racing, head to And Down The Stretch They Come. For more on the 2012 Kentucky Derby, keep it locked to this StoryStream.

2012 Kentucky Derby: Done Talking Will Arrive At Churchill Downs Sunday

The Kentucky Derby-bound Done Talking had his final pre-Derby workout in Baltimore Satuday morning at Laurel Park in Baltimore. The horse will ship to Churchill Downs on Sunday.

Sheldon Russell was the jockey as Done Talking ran five furlongs in a shade over one minute. Russell is the horse's regular rider and the top jockey in Maryland, according to Chris Korman of the Baltimore Sun.

Done Talking is the first Triple Crown horse trained by Hamilton Smith. Done Talking is likely to have 50-1 odds against him at the Derby, but Smith has high hopes.

"I am looking forward to a great race out of him. I really am," Smith said. "If we get pace up front that should help us. Naturally you need to have a good trip with all those horses in there. With his running style you worry about getting shut off but if we can be mid-pack early, about eighth or ninth and relax, we might shock everybody."

Done Talking may receive some additional looks at Churchill Downs over the next week, as the Derby draws closer.

For more on the world of horse racing, head to And Down The Stretch They Come. For more on the 2012 Kentucky Derby, keep it locked to this StoryStream.

Kentucky Derby 2012: Creative Cause Arrives At Churchill Downs

Derby Week has arrived! Churchill Downs begins it's 2012 Spring Meet on Saturday night with a twilight card beginning at 6:00pm Eastern. Over the next few days, contenders for the 2012 Kentucky Derby will arrive in Louisville from all over the country (and one colt from Ireland). Below is a look at some of the items making news on Saturday, April 28th:

• Creative Cause, a multiple stakes winner and one of the top West Coast contenders for the 2012 Kentucky Derby, arrived at Churchill Downs on Saturday morning after shipping in from California.
  
  Trained by Mike Harrington, Creative Cause is a son of European champions Giant's Causeway and a winner of four races from eight starts, including two seconds and two thirds. The grey colt has banked over $850,000 in earnings in his career.
• Another contender from the West Coast, Rousing Sermon, also arrived in Louisville on Saturday morning. Trained by Jerry Hollendorfer, Rousing Sermon finished third in the G2-Louisiana Derby on April 1^st after a couple of disappointing efforts at Santa Anita in February and March. As a juvenile, Rousing Sermon won the ungraded Cal Cup Juvenile at Santa Anita and was second by a neck to Liaison in the G1-CashCall Futurity.
• Union Rags, expected by many to be the morning line favorite for the Derby after the post positions are drawn on Wednesday, May 2^nd, put in a solid five furlong breeze over the main track at Churchill Downs on Saturday morning. Under regular rider Julien Leparoux, Union Rags worked the distance in 59.97 seconds, third fastest of the 53 horses to work that distance on Saturday morning.
  
  Other horses to work on Saturday morning were Dullahan (five furlongs in 1:01.20; 9/53) and Went the Day Well (five furlongs in 1:01.00; 6/53)

For more on the world of horse racing, head to And Down The Stretch They Come. For more on the 2012 Kentucky Derby, keep it locked to this StoryStream.

Kentucky Derby 2012: Isn't He Clever Will Skip First Triple Crown Race

Isn't He Clever won't be winning the Triple Crown in 2012 -- he won't be winning the 2012 Kentucky Derby, either. But the horse might yet prevent another thoroughbred from taking home the prize that has eluded every three-year-old since 1978.

Isn't He Clever will skip the 2012 Kentucky Derby and instead focus on the 2012 Preakness Stakes following a recent trend set by trainers who skip the longer Derby to give their charges a chance to come into the Preakness with fewer miles on their legs.

Isn't He Clever isn't quite on the level of the last horse to skip the Kentucky Derby and win the Preakness -- Rachel Alexandra in 2009 -- and was likely going to be one of the long shots in the Derby field, having failed to win a graded stakes race as yet in his career. But even a long shot becomes a slightly more dangerous Preakness contender on fresher legs.

For more on the world of horse racing, head to And Down The Stretch They Come. For more on the 2012 Kentucky Derby, keep it locked to this StoryStream.

2012 Kentucky Derby: Contenders Begin To Arrive At Churchill Downs

The 2012 Kentucky Derby is set to run on Saturday, May 5th, and the horses expected to compete in the biggest race of the year are making their way to Churchill Downs for final pre-Derby preparations. Below are a few of the items making news on Thursday, April 26th:

• This afternoon, Union Rags, second in the 2011 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile and one of the favorites for this year’s Derby, arrived at Churchill Downs after a short ride from Keeneland Racecourse in Lexington. Trainer Michael Matz expects Union Rags to put in his final workout this weekend over the Churchill Downs main track, depending on the weather.
• Joining Union Rags at Churchill is Went The Day Well, winner of the Grade 3 Spiral Stakes over the Polytrack at Turfway Park. Went The Day Well is owned by Team Valor and trained by Graham Motion, the same connections of last year’s Kentucky Derby winner, Animal Kingdom.
  
  Went The Day Well began his racing career in England, running twice in the fall of 2011 before shipping to America over the winter.
• Alpha, runner-up to Gemologist in the Grade 1 Wood Memorial, is expected to make his final pre-Derby work at Belmont Park on Saturday. He will ship to Kentucky on Monday morning.
• The 2012 Churchill Downs Spring Meet begins on Saturday following the conclusion of the Keeneland Spring Meet on Friday. Churchill will run an evening card for the first day of the meet; post time for the first race on Saturday night is 6:00pm Eastern.

2012 Kentucky Derby: Take Charge Indy Breezes In Florida

Take Charge Indy, winner of the Grade 1 Florida Derby at Gulfstream Park on March 31st, worked five furlongs in 1:00.47 at the Palm Meadows Training Center in Florida on Thursday morning. Trainer Patrick Byrne was extremely happy with the work, telling the Thoroughbred Times

"To sum it up in a word — magnificent … [t]he track here is in great shape. It was a super work. He couldn’t be doing any better. He’s ready to go. He was just stretching his legs this morning. Visually, it was very impressive. I’m delighted."

Take Charge Indy won the Florida Derby in gate-to-wire fashion under three-time Kentucky Derby winning jockey Calvin Borel. The son of A.P. Indy has raced six times in his career, with two wins and two seconds. He finished fifth in the 2011 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile at Churchill Downs.

In other Kentucky Derby news, the one mile Grade 3 Derby Trial will take place this Saturday at Churchill Downs. At one time, the Derby Trial was used as a serious prep race for the Kentucky Derby, although it’s been many years since the race has provided any meaningful impact. The last horse to win the Derby Trial and the Kentucky Derby was Tim Tam in 1958. Over the last 50 years, the race has faded to relative obscurity.

For more on the 2012 Kentucky Derby, keep it locked to this StoryStream and And Down The Stretch They Come.

Kentucky Derby 2012: Record Number Of Breeders' Cup Juvenile Entrants Dot Derby Field

The Breeders' Cup Juvenile is usually seen as one of the finest tuneups for 2-year-old thoroughbreds and one of the most-visited stops for next season's Kentucky Derby contenders. But the 2012 Kentucky Derby field is dotted with Breeders' Cup Juvenile horses in a way that no prior Derby has ever been.

As And Down The Stretch They Come explains, a record nine horses that ran in the 2011 Breeders' Cup Juvenile also made the 2012 Kentucky Derby field:

Since the inception of the Breeders' Cup in 1984, only one year had more than five Juvenile runners come back to run in the Kentucky Derby (2006 Juvenile: six horses in 2007 Derby, including Street Sense), and traditionally, only three or four Juvenile runners make it to Louisville in the spring. In 2012, however, a record nine horses are expected to run in the Derby after competing in the Juvenile last fall, including the second time in Breeders' Cup history that the top five finishers are probable entries in the Derby: Hansen, Union Rags, Creative Cause, Dullahan, Take Charge Indy, Optimizer, Alpha, Daddy Long Legs, and Prospective.

Only Street Sense, the 2006 Breeders' Cup Juvenile and 2007 Kentucky Derby winner, has swept the two races. Of the other 13 Breeders' Cup Juvenile champions to attempt it, only two have even taken third in the Derby.

For more on the 2012 Kentucky Derby, keep it locked to this StoryStream and And Down The Stretch They Come.

2012 Kentucky Derby: Contenders Making Final Preparations

A summary of news items leading up to the 2012 Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs on Saturday, May 5th.