2011 Kentucky Derby Favorites: Meet the Top Contenders and Their Trainers
For two minutes, 20 horses will run the race of their lives as they try to win the most prestigious horserace in America, the Kentucky Derby.
The 137th Run for the Roses will feature a slower field than usua,l with no one horse expected to run away with the show.
Out of the horses slated for the run, some cannot even be classified as long shots. A few are, however, and a fewer still are considered contenders.
They have strong trainers who hold the key to the success of their horses. Of course, bloodlines from champions always help, as do jockeys who are matched with precision to their horse.
The field of horses for the running of this years Kentucky Derby will reveal either a superstar in disguise or simply a bunch of horses, most of which we won't hear much about ever again.
Four thoroughbreds are the cream of the crop, such as it is.
In no particular order, we will look at the four horses and their trainers, and mention the jockeys, so key to the outcome of the race.
It is my belief that one of these thoroughbreds will be draped in roses at the conclusion of the Kentucky Derby.
Your opinion may differ, so please don't hesitate to state your thoughts about my picks.
Archarcharch
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Archarcharch is one of the two faster thoroughbreds in the field for this year's Derby. He won the Arkansas Derby by a neck over the other horse, the equally fast Nehro.
Less than half of the field worked out on the cold, wet track Tuesday. He ran three furlongs in 38.60 seconds.
This horse should have no trouble with the demanding length of the Derby. His sire, Arch, was a fast distance runner.
The jockey is Jon Court, who began his riding career in 1980 and has over 3000 wins to his credit. He is working well with the horse, but will have to work a lot harder than he did in Arkansas to get to the front at the Kentucky Derby.
Court just happens to be the son-in-law of trainer, "Jinks" Fires.
William "Jinks" Fires
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"Jinks" Fires is making his first trek to the Kentucky Derby with Archarcharch. He is one of 11 children from an Arkansas family; eight of the sons have worked with horses.
Fires has been training horses for over 50 years. This is a man with a ton of knowledge about thoroughbreds and seeing his horse up front would be no surprise.
Uncle Mo
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Uncle Mo is a strong runner with a lot of stamina, but whether or not he has enough stamina for the Kentucky Derby is the big question.
His pedigree is nothing spectacular, but preparation for the big race is certainly in his favor. His wins have come on fast tracks, so a wet track could be problematic.
This horse is trained by Todd Pletcher, with jockey John Velazquez at the controls. Velazquez is a veteran with 11 runs at the Kentucky Derby, so he should be able to get the most out of Uncle Mo.
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Todd Pletcher
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Todd Pletcher is one of the most outstanding horse trainers in America, having garnered considerable recognition.
He won the Kentucky Derby in 2010 with Super Saver. Back-to-back wins at a race of this magnitude are rare, but not unprecedented. Trainer Bob Baffert is the only other person to have done so here.
Pletcher obviously sees something in Uncle Mo that makes him a contender in the Run for the Roses.
Dialed in
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Dialed In is the offspring of a horse that loved to run the distance, Mineshaft. The dam, Miss Doolittle, is the fast and fun-loving daughter of Storm Cat, a yearling who sold for $1,300,000.
The pedigree could carry this horse to the front of the field. Jockey Julien Leparoux has four mounts in the Kentucky Derby, with a best of fifth place in 2006.
Dialed In is trained by racing Hall of Famer, Nick Zito.
Nick Zito
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Nick Zito is a straight-talking trainer with two Kentucky Derby wins, 1991 and 1994. In 2005, he was inducted into the racing Hall of Fame and had five horses with five different owners in the Kentucky Derby that year.
Zito, 63, really wants to win a third Run for the Roses. He couldn't believe he didn't have a winner in 2005, but feels Dialed In may just be the horse to get the job done.
Nehro
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Nehro is one of the fastest thoroughbreds in the field for the 137th Kentucky Derby. This is another horse sired by Mineshaft, which gives him the genes to easily handle the length of this race.
He has sufficiently prepared for the Kentucky Derby and has displayed continued improvement. Nehro missed a win at the Arkansas Derby by a neck.
Some feel inexperience is a negative for this horse, but that may be one factor that ends up playing in his favor.
Jockey Corey Nakatani will be atop Nehro. He's recorded more than 3400 wins, with winnings in excess of $14,000,000. He has yet to win in 12 tries at the Kentucky Derby, but this may be his best chance.
Steve Asmussen
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Steve Asmussen is a thoroughbred trainer from a family that trains horses in Texas. At the age of 16 he tried to be a jockey, but his height and weight ended that goal.
He has major wins and awards, including the Eclipse Award for Outstanding Trainer in 2008 and 2009.
Asmussen may be best known as the trainer of Curlin, who finished third in the 2007 Kentucky Derby and second that year in the Belmont Stakes.
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