Blue Grass Stakes 2012: Hero of Order and Good Non-Hansen Horses to Bet on

The best horse in the 88th running of the Toyota Blue Grass Stakes is Hansen, who is using this race as a preview for the Kentucky Derby.

(See, I'm smart, too.) 

However, if betting on the ponies is something that wets your whistle, Hansen's 6-to-5 odds doesn't make for the best bet.

In fact, because Hansen is such a favorite, you can pretty much go with any other horse for good value. Here's a look at which ones to target.

Hero of Order (12/1)

What better horse to bet on than the one who overcame 109-to-1 odds to win the Louisiana Derby.

Yes, 109-to-1.

Raut LLC's horse clearly has a knack for defying the odds, so 12-to-1 is hardly something Hero of Order can't overcome, especially with his recent success and ability to get out in front and control the pace.

In his last thirteen starts, Hero of Order has been on or near the lead in all of them.

The early pace will likely mess with the favorites, and if he can keep up the early speed he has constantly displayed in the past, don't be surprised if Hero of Order pulls off the upset. 

Dullahan (6/1)

If there is a favorite to beat the favorite, it's Dullahan.

In his only other start this year, Dullahan finished second and has historically performed well on surfaces similar to what Keeneland will provide today. 

Still, there's a good chance that Dullahan and more notably, his rider, Kent Desormeaux, are looking forward to the Kentucky Derby and might not put forth the best race in this one.

Holy Candy (30/1)

At 30-to-1, Holy Candy presents great value.

What makes the offspring of Candy Ride so intriguing is his ability to compete in any situation or on any surface. Whether it's dirt, turf or synthetics, which is what Keeneland is made up of, Holy Candy will make a race out of it.

He has had trouble getting a good start in the past, but if Joel Rosario can get him out of the gates quickly at the No. 9 position, he has a good chance of making some noise.