Kentucky Derby Picks 2012: Why Dullahan Will Win 138th Run for the Roses

In Celtic mythology, a dullahan is a headless fairy that rides a black horse and carries its head under one of its arms, with a whip in the other.

Pretty scary, I know.

At this year's Kentucky Derby, Dullahan is a horse with 8-1 odds that is sitting at Post 5, an absolutely perfect draw for one of the field's elite horses to begin with.

If you're an opposing jockey or trainer, that's about as scary as an actual dullahan would be.

Sure, Bodemeister and Union Rags are lovely specimens and capable of running away with this thing if they are on their game. Sure, Gemologist has the perfect draw on Post 15, and Hansen might get out early and never look back.

But Dullahan is my horse, and I'm sticking with him.

The thing is, Dullahan has the short track at Post 5, which perfectly fits his style of hanging around early before kicking it into high gear and stealing the race late.

Dullahan can keep just that extra little bit in reserves early on as the field gallops to the pole, and then BAM—hit his stride and blow the field away at the very end.

Plus, with Union Rags and Bodemeister on either side, Dullahan can keep an eye on the top contenders and not fall too far behind early on.

Dullahan won't have a jockey without a head at this year's Kentucky Derby, but by the time the race is over, he will have a Derby trophy and garland of roses to call his own.