Kentucky Derby 2012: I'll Have Another and Horses Who Will Thrive on Muddy Track

The 2012 Kentucky Derby is only hours away and it looks like the weather could throw a curve ball at Churchill Downs as the forecast is calling for rain.

A sloppy track will almost immediately erase any favorites and will certainly make a wide-open 2012 field that much more wide open.

Here are some horses that could take the most advantage of a muddy track.

I'll Have Another

This is my personal favorite if the track proves to be muddy at Churchill Downs.

In one of his last races before the Derby, I'll Have Another had to battle bad track conditions en route to a strong finish that had him looking like a real contender. The most telling thing from that race was that I'll Have Another didn't seem to miss a beat with his gallop despite poor conditions.

The worse the track conditions, the further up my list of top horses I'll Have Another will go.

Daddy Long Legs

One thing Daddy Long Legs has been noted for is his great closing speed that helps him finish races strong.

With a muddy track, most horses will have to hang back and stay conservative in order to keep themselves in the race. That's where Daddy Long Legs has the advantage.

If he can stick around long enough and run an equally conservative race as his competitors, Daddy Long Legs has the jets to turn it on down the stretch and grab the victory.

Bodemeister

Bodemeister might already be favored, but he is one of the favorites in this race that won't be affected by a sloppy track.

Nevermind him being one of the fastest horses in this race altogether, he is also from Empire Maker who won the Belmont Stakes on a sloppy track. Also, Bodemeister is inbred from In Reality who was also a great slop track horse.

If running on a sloppy track could run in the family, Bodemeister would be the perfect candidate to prove it.