Kentucky Derby Contenders

Prepping the 2009 Kentucky Derby Contenders: Getting Ready for the Run for the Roses

Also called the Run for the Roses, the Kentucky Derby is held annually on the first Saturday of May at Churchill Downs Race Track in Louisville, Kentucky and is the first leg of the Triple Crown Races. This year's event will run on May 3, 2008 and along with a trophy, the winner of the Kentucky Derby also pockets a large portion of the $2 million purse. What does it take to win the 2009 Kentucky Derby? Here are a few insider tips:

Santa Anita Derby: A Grade 1 thoroughbred horse race for 3-year-olds run each April at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, California, this race has gone on to produce six Kentucky Derby winners since its inception in 1935. Chances are good the 2009 Kentucky Derby winner will have also put in a good finish at the Santa Anita Derby.

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Speed: A fast start doesn't necessarily guarantee a first place finish at the Kentucky Derby. Look for a horse that can hold its own and rally from behind to win it in the end. Pressers (within 2-4 lengths of the lead) have won the Derby five times in the last 20 years; horses that rally from behind have won it 12 times.

Career Races: Over the last 20 years only one horse with less than six career starts has won the Kentucky Derby. Look for a horse that has at least five starts to its name.

Stakes Races: It takes a stakes winner to win the Kentucky Derby. Sixteen of the last 20 Kentucky Derby winners have won at least one stakes race as a 3-year-old. The same doesn't hold true for 2-year-olds, however. Eight of the last 20 Kentucky Derby winners won a stakes race at age 2.

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Workouts: Pay close attention to the pre-Derby workouts. Horses that put in a slow run or poor workout at Churchill Downs may not turn it around in time for the big race. Over 60 percent of the Kentucky Derby winners in the last 20 years worked out more than once at the track and over 70 percent of the Derby winners in the last 20 years "breezed" through their final pre-race workout.

Beyer Speed Figure: A system for rating the performance of thoroughbred racehorses in North America (designed by Andrew Beyer); reflects the time of the race and the inherent speed of the track over which it was run. In order to win the Kentucky Derby a horse should be capable of breaking the 100 Beyer mark in most of their racing lines prior to the Derby.

Trainer and Jockey: How well do the trainer and jockey perform under the pressure? Not only is experience important for the horse, but it's also important for the trainer and the jockey to have a few tough races under his belt. Better yet - a winning jockey and trainer make for a likely Kentucky Derby winner.

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