Top Derby Starters all set with their latest wins and graded earnings

Looking at only two more weeks of wait before the highly anticipatory event, the Triple Crown

series of Thoroughbred Racing shall set off with its first and the most crucial race of all, the Kentucky Derby.

The race, with more than a century’s history to showcase, will be conducted on the magnificent

Churchill Downs racetrack on May 5th, the first Saturday of May and within a two weeks resting period, all contenders challenging the second leg of the TC will be off to Pimlico in an attempt to give their dreams wings in the Preakness, a real challenge to the TC aspirers as this takes place within the shortest wait duration.What I can infer from the current line up of the best contenders and what I have deduced from the performances of the contenders from last season and the prep races, these are a few of the very best starters this season who if not end up in the winner’s circle must prepare for draught ridden season of failed attempts at the Triple Crown winner title.

Hansen and Union Rags have throughout been the leaders in their category of dirt racers projected
for the Triple Crown right from the time they set foot for their first season last year. While Hansen,
trained by Michael Maker, won himself the Kentucky Cup and the Breeder’s Cup Juvenile, Union
Rags, a Michael Matz trainee, headed to win the Saratoga Special and the distinctive race for 2yo,
the Champagne Stakes at Belmont Park. Surprisingly, Hansen and Union Rags stand at almost the same score of 6 races each with 4-2-0 for the former while later feasts on 4-1-1 wins. Both the starters have been quite neck to neck until Daddy Nose Best interrupted the series with higher earnings than Union Rags climbing up by almost $100,000 and 10 starts. Though Daddy Nose Best at 15-1 has won only 4 of his 10 starts, the Asmussen trainee has been undefeated since his last two starts; the Grade 3 El Camino Derby and the Sunland Derby.

Bodemiester has come a long way on the Derby trail. Though lightly raced as compared to the top favourites Hansen and Union Rags, this Empire Maker colt, trained by Bob Baffert may be in for some special surprise on the day of the Derby, who knows? With his superbly winning stride on April 14th, at the Oaklawn Park’s Arkansas Derby, under the award winning jockey, Mike Smith, Bodemeister has established an alternative score of first and second, the last win being an un-challenged nine and a half lengths ahead of Secret Circle. He now stands at odds of 6-1.

Updated odds will soon be followed with here www.horseracegame.com

Another shocker was the Gemologist winning the Wood Memorial who shall be attempting another start from a thoroughbred into going for the Kentucky Derby while still undefeated. Gemologist has five wins from five starts. Casting from the Todd Pletcher brigade, Gemologist will create history if he upset the first leg of the TC standing at odds of 7-1 for May 5th.

Creative Cause, Alpha, Secret Cirlce and Take Charge Indy are also the hovering contenders with odds at 10-1 for the two former racehorses and 15-1 for the latter two.