Kentucky Derby Top 20

Here is a quick look at my Kentucky Derby 138 top 20 contenders. It’s been a crazy weekend with Take Charge Indy upsetting Union Rags in the Florida Derby at Gulfstream Park but that’s what makes thoroughbred horse racing great. Daddy Long Legs also won the UAE Derby and will be pointed to the Derby.

For those of you who are Union Rags fans, I don’t think you need to hit the panic button just yet. Jockey Julien Leparoux admitted it was his fault for not winning the Florida Derby and trainer Michael Matz chalked it up to a learning experience. “I’m not disappointed in the horse, I’m disappointed in myself,” said Leparoux. “He was the best horse in the race.” “The way the track is you need to be close to the pace. The others got a head start on me and he couldn’t get to them. It was one of those things today, unfortunate today but hopefully he’ll come out of it well and learn a lesson from it.” Said Matz.

With just 34 days until the 138^th running on the Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs the picture is starting to become clear as to who is going to be in the gate with only a couple weeks of racing left. If you haven’t been watching the Kentucky Derby Prep coverage live on NBC then be sure to catch this weekend’s Wood Memorial at Aqueduct and Santa Anita Derby at Santa Anita Park live on NBC.

Kentucky Derby Top 20 Contenders:

1)      Alpha

2)      Union Rags

3)      Hansen

4)      Creative Cause

5)      Take Charge Indy

6)      Gemologist

7)      Secret Circle

8)      Daddy Nose Best

9)      Went The Day Well

10)   Daddy Long Legs

11)   Bodemeister

12)   Ever So Lucky

13)   Ill Have Another

14)   Mark Valeski

15)   Optimizer

16)   Dullahan

17)   Reveron

18)   Sabercat

19)   Wrote

20)   Liason

Also worth mentioning are Midnight Transfer, Thunder Moccasin, News Pending, Prospective, Howe Great, Fly Lexis Fly.

Next week I will account for graded stakes earnings as a probable forecast for the 2012 Kentucky Derby gate will be reasonable.