Kentucky Derby: Top Storylines to Watch in 139th Run for the Roses

When it comes to the first Saturday in May, there's nothing more important to horse racing fans than determining what's important when tuning into the Kentucky Derby. 

2013 marks the 139th such "Run for the Roses" and brings a new 20-horse field of jockeys, owners and trainers all looking to take the first step toward the elusive Triple Crown. 

As the race for the Kentucky Derby heated up in the form of qualifying races over the past few months, those capable and willing to participate on May 4 have emerged from a larger field of competitors. Leading the pack right now are Orb, Verrazano, Revolutionary and Goldencents, but the other 16 horse all have a great chance to capture this year's rose bouquet. 

With less than a week before the Derby kicks off and horses entering the final stretch of their preparation for post time, let's take a look at a few of the biggest storylines heading into this epic American classic. 

Race Information

When: Saturday, May 4

Where: Churchill Downs, Louisville, Ky.

Post time: Approximately 7 p.m. ET

TV: NBC

Live stream: NBC Sports

The Current Layout

Horse	Trainer	Jockey	Odds
Verrazano	Todd Pletcher	John R. Velazquez	7-2
Orb	Claude R. McGaugheyIII	Joel Rosario	5-1
Goldencents	Doug O'Neill	Kevin Krigger	7-1
Java's War	Kenny McPeek	Julien Leparoux	30-1
Revolutionary	Todd Pletcher	Calvin Borel	7-1
Overanalyze	Todd Pletcher	Rafael Bejarano	40-1
Lines of Battle	Aidan O'Brien	Ryan Moore	20-1
Vyjack	Rudy Rodriguez	Garrett Gomez	15-1
Will Take Charge	D. Wayne Lukas	Jon Court	20-1
Itsmyluckyday	Eddie Plesa, Jr.	Elvis Trujillo	12-1
Black Onyx	Kelly Breen	Joe Bravo	33-1
Palace Malice	Todd Pletcher	Mike Smith	33-1
Normandy Invasion	Chad Brown	Javier Castellano	8-1
Frac Daddy	Kenny McPeek	Victor Lebron	33-1
Mylute	Tom Amoss	Rosie Napravnik	33-1
Oxbow	D. Wayne Lukas	Gary Stevens	20-1
Falling Sky	John Terranova II	—	50-1
Charming Kitten	Todd Pletcher	—	66-1
Golden Soul	Dallas Stewart	—	100-1
Fear The Kitten	Mike Maker	Alan Garcia	40-1

Top Storylines to Watch

Jockey Intrigue

While the long-lasting effect of the Derby will always be the horses who wind up in the winner's circle, you can't discount the jockeys who help get the most out of their steeds during the two-minute sprint at Churchill Downs. 

This year, the jockey field has almost as much intrigue as the horse one. 

Calvin Borel is in position to add another Derby win to his already-impressive three-win total, a feat that is certainly possible as he jockeys a horse, Revolutionary, with good odds in the early going. 

From Hall of Fame trainer John Velasquez taking aim at his second career Derby victory to the absence of last year's champion, Mario Gutierrez, this year's class of jockeys presents plenty of chances for us to capitalize on the humans that help make these horses great. 

And we aren't even to the real stories yet. 

Kevin Krigger, an African-American jockey fresh off a win at the Santa Anita Derby and the jockey for Goldencents on Saturday, is looking to become the first black male to win the Derby since 1902—a stretch that would make a win at Churchill Downs one of the most epic ones in the illustrious history of the event. 

Jimmy Winkfield was the man who won the Derby in 1901 and 1902, and he's the inspiration for Krigger's motivation to be the best jockey he can be, as categorized by this excerpt from Melissa Hoppert's piece on Krigger for the New York Times:

"

When he reached the jockeys’ room, where a photo of Winkfield hangs in his locker, he was greeted by his 5-year-old son, Kunzai. Asked what he wanted to be when he grew up, Kunzai did not hesitate: a jockey. Because of his father, the boy knows being a successful jockey is possible, no matter the color of his skin.

"

His story is great, but he's not the only jockey aiming to make history. 

Rosie Napravnik, riding on Mylute on Saturday (h/t KentuckyDerby.com), will look to turn her 2012 Kentucky Oaks win into one of the big-sister variety at Churchill Downs in the 2013 Derby. A woman has never finished higher than ninth in the Kentucky Derby, a mark Napravnik set back in 2011. 

With the recent strides taken by women participating in the UFC and Danica Patrick's strong stretch in motor sports, Napravnik could put her stamp on being a top-tier athlete in her sport with a win on Saturday afternoon. 

One final jockey that could capture some headlines is 50-year-old Gary Stevens getting back into the saddle to race Oxbow on Saturday. Stevens, as noted by Tim Sullivan of The Courier-Journal online, is only back to competition because he feels like he can win the race:

"

I don’t know how long it will last...I’m hoping for five more years, but if this was to end next week and I had to call Wayne up and say, ‘I can’t do you justice.’ ... I’m not going to go out there and not give the fans what they deserve and not give trainers what they deserve and owners what they deserve, and most of all myself.

“ won’t embarrass myself. And that’s the thing I told myself with this comeback, and allowing myself to do it: I have to know in my head that I was at least as good as I was when I retired.

"

Krigger, Napravnik and Stevens are just three of 20 jockeys aiming to etch their names into Derby folklore, but each of them have a little something extra riding on their races this weekend. 

A Baffert-less Derby

While Bob Baffert's success at the Derby has been one of the most harrowing aspects of his illustrious horse racing career, it will still be strange to see the field without one of his thoroughbreds lining up at the starting gate. 

As noted by Jerry Bossert of the New York Daily News, the Derby will be without a Baffert horse for the first time since 2008 after Govenor Charlie and Code West both were late scratches as the final field was being determined. 

Baffert's absence doesn't mean the usual suspects aren't at play this week at the track. 

Doug O'Neill, Todd Pletcher and D. Wayne Lukas all have big-time horses racing on Saturday, and the firepower is there for these three to completely dominate the field by the time the last horse crosses the finish line at Churchill Downs. 

While the trainer storyline won't make anyone lose any sleep, Baffert's absence does, however, lead us into another storyline for the Derby that should make things interesting during the most exciting two minutes in sports. 

An Even 20-Horse Field

Paul Moran of ESPN simply can't decide on which horse is his favorite this year. 

His theory is one that could make the betting lines on Saturday extremely hard to sift through. 

In a year in which Pletcher has six horses lined up for a Derby appearance (roughly a third of the entire field, mind you), there simply isn't an overwhelming favorite when it comes to placing a bet for the race. 

That might not scare away hardcore lovers of Derby betting, but it should make you second-guess how important the training sessions and early runnings of these horses will be as the week goes on. 

Without that clear-cut favorite, plenty of horses who wouldn't be considered strong enough to win this sprint in other years, jockeys with history riding in (and against) their favor and a list of powerhouse trainers who are all looking to make their mark on the Derby, it's simply too early to crown any horse a champion or even a top favorite. 

It will likely be that way until post time. 

A Triple Crown Winner?

It's been 35 years since Affirmed completed the first leg of the Triple Crown and went on to capture both the Belmont and Preakness Stakes, and we'll be looking for another three-race winner until the feat happens again. 

Last year, I'll Have Another was two-thirds of the way home when tendonitis took him out of the running for the Belmont Stakes, ensuring that the streak would live on and we would not be able to add a 12th horse to the elusive list of horse racing's best. 

After the disappointing and heartbreaking events of the 2012 Triple Crown race piled on top of the lack of a winner over the past 35 years, we're getting as antsy as ever when trying to peg which horse has the pedigree to get the job done. 

Will the 139th running finally give us the dozen?

Make sure you are watching on Saturday to find out the only horse that will have a chance to do so this year. 

For a complete look at the 2013 Kentucky Derby horses, click here. 

Follow Ethan Grant on Twitter: Follow @DowntownEG