The Grade 1 $2,000,000 Kentucky Derby presented by Yum! Brands will run Saturday, May 3, 2014 under the historic twin spires of Churchill Downs race track in Louisville, Ky. It is the one race every owner, trainer and jockey strives to win. Since the race is restricted to horses three years old, a horse and its connections only get one chance to run in horse racing’s premier event.
Through a series of 34 pre-selected races under the Kentucky Derby points system, Kentucky Derby hopefuls have competed for points with the hope of being one of the top 20 points holders. This year, California Chrome topped the leaderboard with 150 points. Several horses on the leaderboard have defected due to personal choice or injury, which puts Commanding Curve in the 20th position with 20 points. For a full list of the horses on the leaderboard click here.
Handicapping the Kentucky Derby can be almost as difficult as it is for an owner to have a horse good enough to make it into the Kentucky Derby starting gate. Each of the contenders has earned his way into the field and could come up with a big effort. However, one thing to consider is the fact that none of the contenders has ever faced a field size this large and has never run at the 1 ¼ mile distance of the race. There are factors in play that could prevent the best horse from winning and most people realize that, so the race means big money can be made if you can pick the right horse or combination of horses.
Typically, in my race previews I give some info on the favorites and likely top three finishers, but with the 20-horse field in the Kentucky Derby, you might still be reading this after they’ve run! Therefore, I’m just going to tell you about the horses I think have the best opportunity to hit the board and offer a good pay-off.
