Kentucky Derby 2012: Scouting Front-Runners in Historic Race

Pegging down the favorites this year at the Kentucky Derby has proven to be more difficult than in years past. There is a lot of depth in this year's 3-year-old class, with multiple horses in viable contention.

Union Rags is largely considered the favorite, but the historic race could easily go to another horse. 

Here's a look at my top three horses heading into May 5 at Churchill Downs.

3. Bodemeister (Bob Baffert, Mike Smith)

Well, Bob Baffert is at it again. His latest 3-year-old, Bodemeister, has the makings of a horse poised to capture the Derby. The bay colt has placed first or second in all four his races, capped off by a monumental victory at the Arkansas Derby, in which he won by 9 1/2 lengths. Bodemeister worked five furlongs in just over a minute on Tuesday and if he can keep it up, he could blow past the competition.

2. Gemologist (Todd Pletcher, Javier Castellano)

Gemologist is coming off a hard-fought victory in the Wood Memorial and is unbeaten in all five of his starts. Castellano used a fine approach in the Wood Memorial, holding back in third place before blasting past the front-runners down the stretch at Aqueduct and edging Alpha. The combination of poise and determination displayed by Gemologist will do him well in the Derby.

1. Union Rags (Michael Matz, Julien Leparoux)

Union Rags won at the Fountain of Youth, then placed third at the Florida Derby, but he will be the freshest of all the horses at Churchill Downs. He finished with a flourish in the Florida Derby after a tough trip early on and could have easily won that race. Union Rags worked a respectable four-furlongs time of 47.40 seconds in Keeneland last week and, with a strong week leading up to the Derby, has a chance to take home the trophy.

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