Kentucky Derby Predictions: Top Horses That Will Disappoint

With the Kentucky Derby nearly upon us, there is plenty of speculation as to which horse might cross the finish line first and launch itself into horse racing lore. While it's somewhat safe to rule out a few of the longer shots, you simply never know what might happen during the run for the roses as track positions, jockeys and what the other horses do can all have a big effect.

There are several horses who seem to be a cut above the rest in the eyes of the oddsmakers, but since this is the first Triple Crown race of the season, it's tough to get a true read on any of them. There's a decent chance that the winner will come out of the top tier, but that means that several other are sure to fall short.

Here are three highly touted horses who seem destined to disappoint on Derby day.

Union Rags (9/2)

At 9/2 Union Rags is currently the odds-on favorite along with Bodemeister, and at first glance, it's easy to see why. Union Rags has struggled a bit as of late, though, as he surprisingly finished third at the Florida Derby in late March and was beaten by fellow Kentucky Derby hopeful Hansen in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile in November.

When you consider the fact that Union Rags has been beaten by seemingly lesser horses in lesser races, it's tough to have confidence that he will raise his level on the grandest stage of them all. Jockey Julien Leparoux has had some success at Churchill Downs over the course of his career, but he is still looking to win the big one, and at 9/2, it simply isn't a good bet.

Dullahan (8/1)

Although he wasn't getting much attention a few months ago, Dullahan is currently among the favorites to win it all on Saturday. He is coming off an extremely impressive win in the Blue Grass Stakes, but before that Dullahan had just one career victory. He was just fourth in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile as well, so he has a history of falling flat.

Jockey Kent Desmormeaux is one of the best in the business, and he seems to be extremely excited about Dullahan's chances, but that is par for the course with every jockey. The most concerning thing is that Dullahan has never finished better than third on a dirt track, and while some may find that to be insignificant, there is a big difference between dirt, turf and synthetic, and Dullahan doesn't seem to have a good feel for it.

Creative Cause (11/1)

Creative Cause has fallen off a bit as he was among the bettors' favorites early on, but at 11/1, he is still getting plenty of pay. Unlike Dullahan, Creative Cause has plenty of experience on dirt, so he has that to fall back on, but his results have been incredibly inconsistent as of late. He has had wins at Norfolk and San Felipe over the past several months, but he came up short as a big favorite in the Santa Anita Derby, finishing behind I'll Have Another.

Another thing working against Creative Cause is that he will be mounted by young jockey Joel Rosario. There is no doubt that Rosario has a ton of talent and promise, but he has yet to score a major victory and isn't nearly as savvy as some of his counterparts. Creative Cause has the ability to win the Kentucky Derby on his best day, but those have been too few and far between for my liking.