Triple Crown Watch Kentucky Derby Watch Juvenile champion War Pass' fortunes continued to decline when the colt was discovered to have a small fracture in his left front leg, which will force him to the sidelines for the Derby. His withdrawal can only further the chances of the sensational Big Brown. With all preps completed and the Derby just 11 days away, the race is expected to have a full 20-horse field again, with several hopefuls likely to be excluded because of limited graded-stakes earnings. Here is a look at Craig Donnelly's top 10 leading contenders:
2. Pyro Asmussen Bridgmohan After a pair of terrific victories in Louisiana, he was a dull 10th on Polytrack in the Blue Grass. He regains his closing kick on conventional dirt surface. 3. Colonel John Harty Nakatani By far the best with impressive closing punch in Santa Anita, he has the pedigree and running style to pose a threat. 4. Cool Coal Man Zito Desormeaux He suffered his first two-turn defeat in the Blue Grass, in which all major players backfired. Look for a rebound in Louisville. 5. Visionaire Matz Lezcano He failed to give true measure over Polytrack after Gotham win, and may need a dream trip like Street Sense last year. 6. Tale of Ekati Tagg Prado He benefited from a dream trip to win the Wood after a poor showing at Fair Grounds. His trainer won the Derby in 2003 with Funny Cide. 7. Gayego Sherriffs Smith He appeared strong taking the Arkansas Derby, but the field was softer than in most recent years. He should run all day. 8. Court Vision Mott Gomez Racing into peak form after a layoff, he had no excuse being behind the hot pace in the Wood Memorial. 9. Smooth Air Stutts Cruz Easily the second best to Big Brown in the Florida Derby in his best effort yet, he needs further development. 10. Eight Belles Jones Dominguez She gained a hard-earned triumph in the Fantasy at Oaklawn. Her connections will consider the Derby if they get a favorable post position, but the filly is better suited for the Oaks. © Copyright 2008 by Thoroughbred-World.com, Inc. |