Posted on 4/25/2008 2:10:58 PM

Online Kentucky Derby Betting - Updated Top 10 Contenders for the Derby

By Greg Melikov

My list of Top 10 contenders for the 134th Kentucky Derby has changed a bit as the 3-year-olds begin to arrive in Louisville. So Dave Letterman style, from the bottom, here we go again.

10. Denis of Cork/Cowboy Cal: Southwest Stakes winner Denis of Cork joins rankings off bullet breeze of a minute for five furlongs at Churchill Downs, the fastest of 23 clockings on Monday. Horses that work well at the track do well on the first Saturday in May. Jockey Calvin Borel, aboard in his debut victory last year at the track, won with Street Sense in ’07 after a bullet work. Cowboy Cat recorded another bullet breeze, 1:00 2/5 for five furlongs. He might do as well on dirt as he has on grass and synthetic surfaces.

9. Smooth Air: Ran second to the Florida Derby winner after finishing third in the Tampa Bay Derby. If you love Big Brown, then you should like the steadily improving son of Smooth Jazz to hit the board.

8. Recapturetheglory: Wire-to-wire win in Illinois Derby is reminiscent of War Emblem’s front-running victory in the ’02 Kentucky Derby. His speed figure was triple digit in the prep, just like the son of Our Emblem, but the son of Cherokee Run must overcome his breeding shortcomings.

7. Court Vision: Added blinkers and blazed four furlongs in 46 2/5 at Churchill Downs on April 17, the fastest of 25 works by a second. The son of Gulch has a solid juvenile foundation, won a graded ’07 stakes at Churchill Downs, is bred to go 1 ¼ miles and Garrett Gomez chose him over Colonel John.

6. Tale of Ekati: Take of the Cat sibling rebounded from fourth to Pyro in Louisiana Derby to take the Wood. Has solid foundation as a juvenile. Could surprise.

5. Monba: He comes off a Blue Grass victory and travels well on dirt and synthetic surfaces. Bred to go long, son of Maria’s Mon always encountered full fields in six career starts, capturing three.

4. Colonel John: Son of Tiznow closed like an express train to take the Santa Anita Derby. His pedigree indicates he’ll get the distance at Louisville, but the colt has a definite disadvantage having only raced on synthetic surfaces.

3. Gayego: California invader made debut on dirt a winning one in the Arkansas Derby with a four-length triumph. He covered the 1 1/8 miles at Oaklawn Park in 1:49 3/5 – two ticks faster than ’07 Horse of the Year Curlin who posted a record 10 ½-length victory. The son of Gilded Time jogged a mile and galloped another mile Thursday morning.

2. Pyro: He didn’t run a lick from the start of the Blue Grass and obviously didn’t care for the Polytrack. He ran 10th and beat only two horses. That ended his two-race streak in which he posted come-from-behind wins in stakes at Fair Grounds. Many experts say throw out the effort. At least his odds with go up in Louisville. Son of Pulpit still a major threat.

1.Big Brown: Huge Florida Derby victory from the No. 12 post in 1:48 for the 1 1/8 miles was the fastest since ’96 and only a fraction off Gulfstream’s track record. The son of Boundary on Thursday blazed five furlongs in 58 3/5 on Thursday at Palm Meadows Training Center in South Florida, but trainer Richard Trainer wasn’t concerned about the fast time. The colt’s in the catbird seat, but must over the decades-old curse that no runner with only four career outings has smelled the roses since Exterminator in ’18.

For More Kentucky Derby Power Rankings Click Here!

Keep checking the Locker Room all through the Triple Crown season, as we will cover the trainers, horses and jockeys in each race. You can get your early Kentucky Derby Odds at Churchill Downs bets in now in the BetUS sportsbook in the Future / props section, under Horse Futures: 2008 Kentucky Derby Betting.