Arkansas Derby 2012 Winner: Bodemeister's Strong Run Makes Him Derby Contender

It was blowout city in the Arkansas Derby. Bodemeister started strong and finished even stronger. He blew away the field with a nine-lengths win in only his fourth race.

If people in the horse racing world weren't paying much attention to him before Saturday, they should be now.

He showed great poise, stride and endurance as he set the pace early, and exploded for the final quarter of the race.

Take a look at his dynamic finish:

Trainer Bob Baffert had to be looking at this horse almost like a proud father after a run this dominant. That of course is made a little easier because the horse is named after Baffert's son Bode.

Bodemeister's huge win marked the second impressive run by a three-year-old in a Kentucky Derby tune-up today. Earlier, Dullahan used a strong finish to best Hansen in the Blue Grass Stakes.

Just when horse racing fans thought they had been wowed for the final time, Bodemeister delivered his statement maker.

Group Bodemeister in with Gemologist (the Wood Memorial winner) and Dullahan, and this little race they run at Churchill Downs is getting pretty interesting.

The Derby is wide open to me.

It's hard to jump all over Bodemeister because he has very little experience. The field was not considered as tough in the Arkansas Derby as the field in the Blue Grass Stakes or the Wood Memorial.

That said, Bodemeister did blow away the competition. 

All three of the aforementioned horses has a legitimate shot to win, but we'll have to wait until May 4-5 to see who comes out victorious.