And At The Wire, It's...

It's official. Nobody wins the 2008 Kentucky Derby.

Yipee! Go Nobody!

I have never seen such a mess. First, there was War Pass, the undefeated two-year old champ, who this year won one, then finished dead last, then came back for a second place on polytrack and is now out with an injury.

Then Pyro, who was (again) undefeated before his last race in which he finished 10th.

And those were the two horses at the top of everyone's lists.

That is, before the Florida Derby. Big Brown looks like a monster. No, really. Only one little problem - he's only run three times in his life. Yes, he won them all, but "all" three? And only one of them a graded stakes? I hope he wins the Derby though cause he's the only one who looks like he deserves it.

Then there's Colonel John, the only other horse who has actually won more than one stakes race - and he won them consecutively - and he won them on polytrack... He's never even raced on dirt before - who knows what that means.

After War Pass (who is out), Pyro (who threw a clunker), Big Brown (undefeated in *three*!), and Colonel John (what's dirt?), the rest of this year's Derby contenders are out to lunch. Half of them are going into the Derby having never run on dirt while the other half is going in having only run twice this year!

It's possible Eight Bells will run in the Derby instead of the Oaks. If so, she'll be the second or third betting choice - which is probably the highest a filly has ever been (but I don't know that, I'm just guessing).

Who is waiting for Derby day to be "discovered"?

Could be anyone.

Or maybe Nobody.

posted by Headless-in-GR @ 4/19/2008 10:21:00 PM