Kentucky Derby - Top Contenders

Derby's Top 8 Contenders

These eight contenders have the best shot of winning the 135th running of the Kentucky Derby on May 2. Note that the horses are listed in alpabetical order and do not reflect our preference to win the 2009 Kentucky Derby.

Chocolate Candy

• Trainer: Jerry Hollendorfer
• Jockey: Mike Smith
• Owner: Sid & Jenny Craig Trust
• Sire: Candy Ride
• Dam: Crownette
• Record: 9-4-2-1
• Career earnings: $532,500
• Last Start: Second in Santa Anita Derby (G1)
• Odds from Pool 3 of Derby Future Wager: 18/1

Comments: The son of Candy Ride has not run over conventional dirt in his career…Since breaking his maiden in his fourth career start, only two horses have finished ahead of him, and they are pretty good: Pioneerof the Nile and I Want Revenge…Hollendorfer is the king of Northern California trainers.., He has collected 32 training titles at Golden Gate Fields and 37 titles at Bay Meadows…The colt is owned and bred by the Sid and Jenny Craig Trust…His mare Crownette was a stakes winner and has produced five winners including Grade 3 stakes-placed Crowning Storm…

Desert Party

• Trainer: Saeed bin Suroor
• Jockey: Ramon Dominguez
• Owner: Godolphin
• Sire: Street Cry
• Dam: Sage Cat
• Record: 6-4-1-0
• Career earnings: $688,467
• Last start: second in the UAE Derby (G2)
• Odds from Pool 3 of Derby Future Wager: 16/1

Comments: Was purchased out of the 2008 Fasig-Tipton Calder sale of selected two-year-olds in training for $2.1 million…The colt was the more highly regarded of the duo of Godolphin runners going into the UAE Derby (G2) but was upset by Regal Ransom…The sire Street Cry Sire was a Grade 1 winner and earned $5,150,837…The mare also produced stakes winner Elliecat…Godolphin has had no luck in the Derby, Their last Derby runner was Essence of Dubai, who ran ninth in 2002…Previous Godolphin starters were Worldly Manner (seventh in 1999), China Visit and Curule (sixth and seventh, respectively in 2000) and Express Tour (eighth in 2001)…

Dunkirk

• Trainer: Todd Pletcher
• Jockey: Edgar Prado
• Owner: Michael Tabor & Mr. John Magnier
• Sire: Unbridled's Song
• Dam: Secret Status
• Record: 3-2-1-0
• Career earnings: $193,200
• Last Start: second in the Florida Derby (G1)
• Odds from Pool 3 of Derby Future Wager: 11/1

Comments: The late blooming colt was sitting on the bubble for a few weeks after his runner up finish in the Florida Derby but is now safely in the field…The colt was purchased out of the 2007 Keeneland September yearling sale for $3.7-million…The colt is out of the G1 winner Secret Status, who earned over $1 million in her career. Among her wins were the Mother Goose Stakes (G1) and Kentucky Oaks (G1)…It is tough to win the Derby off just three career starts but Big Brown showed last year it could be done…Hall of fame rider Edgar Prado booted home the 2006 Derby winner Barbaro…

Friesan Fire

• Trainer: Larry Jones
• Jockey: Gabriel Saez
• Owner: Vinery Stables & Fox Hill Farm
• Sire: A.P. Indy
• Dam: Bollinger
• Record: 7-4-11
• Career earnings: $603,265
• Last Start: Won Louisiana Derby (G2)
• Odds from Pool 3 of Derby Future Wager: 8/1

Comments: This colt swept the three Derby preps at Fair Grounds for trainer Larry Jones, who sent out the ill fated Eight Belles to a runner up finish in last year's Derby…The colt has the pedigree to handle the distance, by leading sire A.P. Indy out of a Group 1 winning mare Bollinger…The colt seems to have the compete package, a solid two year old foundation, comes into the Derby off sharp efforts, has a top notch trainer, and a top notch pedigree…Jock Saez got his first taste of the Derby last year with Eight Belles…

General Quarters

• Trainer: Thomas McCarthy
• Jockey: Julian Leparoux
• Owner: Thomas McCarthy
• Sire: Sly Mesa
• Dam: Ecology
• Record: 11-3-3-1
• Career earnings: $641,735
• Last Start: Won Blue Grass Stakes (G1)
• Odds from Pool 3 of Derby Future Wager: 17/1 (part of field)

Comments: This colt will be saddled by the feel good story of this year's Derby, trainer Thomas McCarthy, who has a one horse stable…He claimed the colt for $20,000 out of his debut…The colt was originally purchased for just $20,000 at the 2007 Keeneland September yearling sale, making his first career start for Wesley Ward for owners Ken and Sarah Ramsey…The colt is by Grade 1 winner Sky Mesa and the first foal to race out of the Unbridled's Song mare Ecology…The colt was the upset winner of the Blue Grass, sent off at 14/1…He is proven on conventional dirt, taking the Sam F. Davis (G3) at Tampa Bay in February…

I Want Revenge

• Trainer: Jeff Mullins
• Jockey: Joe Talamo
• Owner: IEAH Stables, David Pugli
• Sire: Stephen Got Even
• Dam: Meguial
• Record: 8-3-1-4
• Career earnings: $816,000
• Last Start: Won Wood Memorial (G1)
• Odds from Pool 3 of Derby Future Wager: 9/2

Comments: Horseplayers are still talking about this colt's remarkable run in the Wood Memorial. The colt overcame a tardy start and a troubled trip to get up and win his first Grade 1 race…The colt is by Stephen Got Even, who went off as the second choice in the 1999 Derby but had a tough trip and checked in 14th…The mare was Group 1 placed in her native Argentina…The long winded pedigree makes him one of the top contenders in this year's race…Jockey Joe Talamo, one of the leading riders on the Southern California circuit will be riding in his first Derby…Trainer Jeff Mullins, who will start a suspension the day after the Derby for a detention barn infraction on Wood Memorial Day in New York is the trainer…Mullins won the Santa Anita Derby (G1), a major Derby prep three straight years but came up short in the Kentucky Derby with Buddy Gil (2003), Castledale (Ire) (2004) and Buzzards Bay (2005)…

Pioneer of The Nile

• Trainer: Bob Baffert
• Jockey: Garrett Gomez
• Owner: Zayat Stables
• Sire: Empire Maker
• Dam: Star of Goshen
• Record: 8-5-0-1
• Career earnings: $1,234,200
• Last Start: Won Santa Anita Derby (G1)
• Odds from Pool 3 of Derby Future Wager: 9/1

Comments: Trainer Bob Baffert has won two legs of the Triple Crown four times: with Silver Charm (1997 Kentucky Derby and Preakness), Real Quiet (1998 Kentucky Derby and Preakness), Point Given (2001 Preakness and Belmont) and War Emblem (2002 Kentucky Derby and Preakness)….Baffert will be inducted into the National Museum of Racing's Hall of Fame later this summer…The colt comes into the Derby riding a four race win streak but has not tried conventional dirt in his eight race career. His first two starts were on dirt, the last six on synthetic surfaces…The colt is by Empire Maker, winner of the 2003 Belmont Stakes (G1)…The colt has two sibs to race including graded stakes placed Forefeathers…

Quality Road

• Trainer: James Jerkens
• Jockey: John Velazquez
• Owner: Edward Evans
• Sire: Elusive Quality
• Dam: Kobia
• Record: 4-3-1-0
• Career earnings: $632,830
• Last Start: Won Florida Derby (G1)
• Odds from Pool 3 of Derby Future Wager: 6/1

Comments: The Florida Derby winner will be one of the favorites in the Derby if he runs…The colt has been battling quarter cracks…The colt is trained by Jimmy Jerkens, the son of legendary hall of fame trainer Allen Jerkens..,.If the colt goes, it will be the trainers' first Derby starter…The colt is by Elusive Quality, the sire of 2004 Derby winner Smarty Jones…The mare Kobia is by Strawberry Road is and is a full sister to the Grade 1 winner Ajina, who earned over $1.3 million in her career…The sky is the limit with this colt if his connections solve his foot problems before the first Saturday of May…