Kentucky Derby Entries 2015: Horses in the Field Best Suited for Churchill Downs

Sometimes, the right fit can level the playing field between the heaviest of favorites and the biggest of underdogs. The 2015 Kentucky Derby will be no different.

Since each track has its own eccentricities, thus demanding its own strategy, some horses and jockeys simply aren't suited to certain locations. Maybe it's the surface or the distance or something else entirely.

Churchill Downs isn't exempt from that list.

The three horses below should take to the track the best for the Kentucky Derby.

American Pharoah

Garry Jones/Associated Press

According to Odds Shark, American Pharoah and Dortmund are the top two favorites to win the Derby. The former has 5-2 odds to prevail, while the latter is coming in strong with 4-1 odds.

The one thing that scares you about Dortmund is his size. He's such a big horse that if he gets stuck on the rail, he could be in serious trouble. So much of a horse's performance can hinge on the jockey's ability to navigate through traffic.

That's why American Pharoah should be considered the better suited of the two Saturday.

The three-year-old colt has won all four of his graded stakes races, with his performances in the Rebel Stakes and Arkansas Derby standing out. American Pharoah coasted to the finish line in what could be a preview of the Kentucky Derby.

If you're on the fence about whether to choose American Pharoah or Dortmund, go with American Pharoah.

Carpe Diem

David Stephenson/Associated Press

How can you not get behind a horse whose name translates to "seize the day"?

Of course, Carpe Diem is more than just a name. The three-year-old has won three out of his four stakes races, with the lone blemish a runner-up finish at the Breeders' Cup Juvenile.

Trainer Todd Pletcher couldn't have been happier with how the colt worked out in one of his final practice runs before the Derby, per Claire Novak of Blood-Horse:

"

I thought he breezed great. There's very little I would change about the work. Sometimes in the dark they'll be a little more settled and last time we were out there around 10:15 a.m. or whatever it was, there was a little bit of a crowd there and he was probably just a little excited about that.

But (today) he was very settled, (in a) very good, progressive breeze. He picked it up each eighth, finished very well, galloped out good, and got it in over a perfect surface, so we're happy with it.

"

In general, Carpe Diem is more of a front-runner who stays near the head of the pack before turning on the jets right around the final turn. On a longer track such as Belmont Park, that might be a problem. With the shorter distance of Churchill Downs, Carpe Diem is built for success.

Long Shot: El Kabeir

When you're going into the Kentucky Derby, it's nice to have a little experience at Churchill Downs under your belt.

El Kabeir placed first in the Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes last November. While that's nowhere near the stage of and a tad shorter than the Run for the Roses, at least El Kabeir is no stranger to the track. He has that advantage on most of the competition—for whatever it's worth.

Of course, El Kabeir isn't considered a favorite for a reason. He may have finished third in the Wood Memorial, but that was essentially a two-horse race between Frosted and Tencendur.

With that said, another reason to back El Kabeir despite what are long odds is jockey Calvin Borel. The 48-year-old is a three-time winner of the Kentucky Derby. In 2009, he jockeyed Mine That Bird, a 50-1 underdog, to success.

Count out El Kabeir at your own peril.