The 2012 Kentucky Derby has arrived, and experts across the nation have listed their picks an predictions for the Run of the Roses on Saturday afternoon. SB Nation's Matt Gardner of And Down The Stretch They Come previewed the race, and while he wouldn't be surprised if Bodemeister wins the Derby, the wagering odds have him eyeing other combinations in the big race. Specifically, Garnder says the majority of his plays on Saturday will involve "putting Dullahan and Alpha in the top spot, with Union Rags, Creative Cause, I'll Have Another, and El Padrino on the bottom" and then Bodemeister will be paired in Pick 4 and Pick 5 wagers to attract bigger potential payouts.
Looking around the web: (1) Joe Drape of The New York Times has Union Rags, Creative Cause and Went the Day Well listed as his top three finishers, (2) The staff at Churchill Downs has picked Union Rags, Creative Cause and I'll Have Another in the top three, and (3) The Courier-Journal of Louisville, Kentucky has gone with an order of Union Rags, Creative Cause and Gemologist.
Listed below are the entries, post positions, morning line odds and updated odds. Click on the name of each horse for a complete profile.
PP | NAME | TRAINER | JOCKEY | MORNING LINE | CURRENT ODDS |
1 | Daddy Long Legs | Aidan O'Brien | Colm O'Donoghue | 30/1 | 24/1 |
2 | Optimizer | D. Lukas | Jon Court | 50/1 | 36/1 |
3 | Take Charge Indy | Patrick Byrne | Calvin Borel | 15/1 | 10/1 |
4 | Union Rags | Michael Matz | Julien Leparoux | 9/2 | 5/1 |
5 | Dullahan | Dale Romans | Kent Desormeaux | 8/1 | 10/1 |
6 | Bodemeister | Bob Baffert | Mike Smith | 4/1 | 7/1 |
7 | Rousing Sermon | Jerry Hollendorfer | Jose Lezcano | 50/1 | 34/1 |
8 | Creative Cause | Mike Harrington | Joel Rosario | 12/1 | 10/1 |
9 | Trinniberg | Bisnath Parboo | Willie Martinez | 50/1 | 40/1 |
10 | Daddy Nose Best | Steven Asmussen | Garrett Gomez | 15/1 | 13/1 |
11 | Alpha | Kiaran McLaughlin | Rajiv Maragh | 15/1 | 20/1 |
12 | Prospective | Mark Casse | Luis Contreras | 30/1 | 65/1 |
13 | Went The Day Well | G. Motion | John Velazquez | 20/1 | 26/1 |
14 | Hansen | Michael Maker | Ramon Dominguez | 10/1 | 11/1 |
15 | Gemologist | Todd Pletcher | Javier Castellano | 6/1 | 8/1 |
16 | El Padrino | Todd Pletcher | Rafael Bejarano | 20/1 | 27/1 |
17 | Done Talking | Hamilton Smith | Sheldon Russell | 50/1 | 30/1 |
18 | Sabercat | Steven Asmussen | Corey Nakatani | 30/1 | 33/1 |
19 | I'll Have Another | Doug O'Neill | Mario Gutierrez | 12/1 | 14/1 |
20 | Liaison | Bob Baffert | Martin Garcia | 50/1 | 55/1 |
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