Oddsmakers Still Favor Big Brown
Brown's Inexperience Can't Match Colonel's Moxy; Final Derby Lineup
Records many times go by the wayside, but experience is seldom a losing proposition. Big Brown takes a three-race career against Colonel John, 6-4-2-0-0, Saturday.
How far can Big Brown's three-race career take him in Saturday's Kentucky Derby? Colonel John, a winner 4 times in 6 starts, with 2 seconds, isn't saluting the Big Brown Machine.
Second favorite Colonel John has all positives, except one. He starts on dirt for the first time. Thus far, his races have been on synthetic surfaces.
Here's the Final Set Lineup:
PP One -- Cool Coal Man, 8-4-1-0-3 -- Odds, 20-1. Last start, 9th Blue Grass Stakes. Rider, Julien Leparoux (5th in Derby 2007 with Sedgefield). Trainer, Nick Zito (won Derby 1991 with Strike the Gold and in 1994 with Go for Gin). Owner, Robert LaPenta.
PP Two -- Tale of Ekati, 6-3-1-0-2 -- Odds, 15-1. Last start, won Wood Memorial. Jockey, Eibar Coa (2nd Derby start). Trainer, Barclay Tagg (won Derby 2003 with Funny Cide). Owner, Charles Fipke.
PP Three -- Anak Nakal, 6-2-1-0-3 -- Odds, 30-1. Last start, 5th Wood Memorial. Rider, Rafael Bejarano (3 Derby starts). Trainer, Zito. Owner, Four Roses Thoroughbreds.
PP Four -- Court Vision, 6-3-1-2 -- Odds, 20-1. Last start, 3rd Wood Memorial. Jockey, Garrett Gomez (8th in Derby 2007 with Any Given Saturday). Trainer, Bill Mott (4 winless Derbies). Owner, IEAH Stables and WinStar Farm.
PP Five -- Eight Belles, 9-5-2-1-1 -- Odds, 20-1. Last start, won Fantasy Stakes. Rider, Gabriel Saez (1st Derby ride). Trainer, Larry Jones (2nd in Derby 2007 with Hard Spun). Owner, Fox Hill Farms.
PP Six -- Z Fortune, 6-3-2-0-1 -- Odds, 15-1. Last start, 2nd Arkansas Derby. Jockey, Robby Albarado (9 winless Derbies). Trainer, Steve Asmussen. Owner, Zayat Stables.
PP Seven -- Big Truck, 8-3-1-1-3 -- Odds, 50-1. Last start, 11th Blue Grass Stakes. Rider, Javier Castellano (15th in Derby 2007 with Bwana Bull). Trainer, Tagg. Owner, Eric Fein.
PP Eight -- Visiionaire, 6-3-1-1-1 -- Odds, 20-1. Last start, 5th Blue Grass Stakes. Jockey, Jose Lezcano (2nd Derby ride). Trainer, Michael Matz (won Derby 2006 with Barbaro). Owner, Team Valor International.
PP Nine -- Pyro, 7-3-2-1-1 -- Odds, 6-1. Last start, 20th in Blue Grass Stakes. Rider, Shaun Bridgmohan (2 winless Derbies). Trainer, Asmussen. Owner, Winchell Thoroughbreds.
PP Ten -- Colonel John, 6-4-2-0 -- Odds, 4-1. Last start, won Santa Anita Derby. Jockey, Corey Nakatani (13 winless Derbies). Trainer, Eoin Harty (1st Derby entry). Owner, WinStar Farm.
PP Eleven -- Z Humor, 8-2-0-3-3 -- Odds, 30-1. Last start, 3rd Illinois Derby. Rider, Rene Douglas (18th in Derby 2002 with Wild Horses). Trainer, Mott. Owner, Zayat Stables.
PP Twelve -- Smooth Air, 7-3-2-2 -- Odds, 20-1. Last start, 2nd Florida Derby. Jockey, Manoel Cruz (1st Derby try). Trainer, Bennie Stutts, Jr. (Derby debut). Owner, Mount Joy Stables, FL.
PP Thirteen -- Bob Black Jack, 7-3-2-1-1 -- Odds, 20-1. Last start, 2nd Santa Anita Derby. Rider, Richard Migliore (winless 4 Derbies). Trainer, James Kasparoff (1st Derby). Owner, Jeff Harmon and Tim Kasparoff.
PP Fourteen -- Monba, 5-3-0-0-2 -- Odds, 15-1. Last start, won Blue Grass Stakes. Jockey, Ramon Dominguez (2nd in Derby 2006 with Bluegrass Cat). Trainer, Todd Pletcher (0 for 19 in Derbies). Owner, Starlight Stable, Lucarelli, Saylor.
PP Fifteen -- Adriano, 7-3-1-0-3 -- Odds, 30-1. Last start, won Lane's End Stakes. Rider, Edgar Prado (won 1st Derby in 2007 with Barbaro). Trainer, Graham Motion, (2nd Derby entry). Owner, Courtlandt Farms.
PP Sixteen -- Denis of Cork, 4-3-0-0-1 -- Odds, 20-1. Last start, 5th Illinois Derby. Jockey, Calvin Borel (1st Derby win 2007 with Street Sense). Trainer, David Carroll (1st Derby try). Owner, Mr. and Mrs. William K. Warren.
PP Seventeen -- Cowboy Cal, 6-3-2-0-1 -- Odds, 20-1. Last start, 2nd Blue Grass Stakes. Rider, John Velazquez. Trainer, Pletcher. Owner, Stonerside Stable.
PP Eighteen -- Recapturetheglory, 6-2-1-2-1 -- Odds, 20-1. Last start, won Illinois Derby. Jockey, E.T. Baird (1st Derby attempt). Trainer, Louie Roussel (3rd in Derby 1988 with Risen Star). Owner, Louie Roussel and Ronald Lamarque.
PP Nineteen -- Gayego, 5-3-2-0 -- Odds, 15-1. Last start, won Arkansas Derby. Rider, Mike Smith (won Derby 2005 with Giacomo). Trainer, Paulo Lobo (BRZ) (Derby debut). Owner, Cubanacan Stables.
PP Twenty -- Big Brown, 3-3-0-0 -- Odds, 3-1. Last start, won Florida Derby. Jockey, Kent Desormeaux (won Derby 2000 with Fusaichi Pegasus and Derby 1998 with Real Quiet). Trainer, Richard Dutrow, Jr. (Derby debut). Owner, IEAH Stables and Paul Pompa, Jr.
