Kentucky Derby Betting – Eskendereya Out, Derby Wide Open

The list of Kentucky Derby contenders is all up in the air after a couple of horses dropped out, including the horse was due to be the favorite, Eskendereya.  The Kentucky-bred horse has swelling in his front left leg and has been pulled from the “Run For The Roses” by trainer Todd Pletcher, who is still looking for his first win in the Kentucky Derby to add to a glittering resume. 

Back in February, Eskendereya romped to an eight-and-a-half-length victory in the Fountain of Youth Stakes at Gulfstream Park, and improved on that at the Wood Memorial Stakes at Aqueduct, routing the field by nine-and-three quarter lengths.

Eleven horses who have won the Wood have gone on to win at Churchill Downs, site of the Kentucky Derby, but there won’t be a 12^th . Here is a couple of horses to check out before you head to your book to check out the 2010 Kentucky Derby odds .

Lookin At Lucky: Lookin At Lucky won four stakes races last year, and took the American Champion Two-Year-Old honors for 2009.  Then he opened his 2010 campaign by winning the Rebel Stakes at at Oaklawn Park before finishing third in the Santa Anita Derby.  Lookin At Lucky is trained by Bob Baffert, who has three Kentucky Derby wins, most recently in 2002 with War Emblem.

Devil May Care: This filly won the Bonnie Miss Stakes at Gulfstream Park, and she would surely be one of the top contenders in the Kentucky Oaks, which was won by Rachel Alexandra last year. However, if she’s racing in the Derby, Pletcher said it’s unlikely that Devil May Care will run both. Devil May Care is another horse that Pletcher will look to for his first win in 24 years at the Kentucky Derby.

Jackson Bend: This horse finished second to Eskendereya at the Fountain of Youth and Wood Memorial Stakes, and he also finished second in the Holy Bull Stakes, which is also at Gulfstream Park.  Jackson Bend’s Kentucky Derby odds are similar to Philadelphia’s MLB betting odds: they finished second to the Yankees, but then they went out and got their ace in the hole, Roy Halladay. Jackson Bend may have their own ace in the hole: Calvin Borel, who has rode two of the last three Kentucky Derby winners, was the jockey at the Wood Memorial.

American Lion: American Lion won the Illinois Derby at Hawthorne after a fourth-place run in the San Felipe Stakes and a third-place result in the Robert B. Lewis, both of which were at Santa Anita Park. He won two of three races last year as a two-year-old, and he’s definitely would a sports betting shot.