2013 Kentucky Free Picks: Vegas Odds, Favorites, Contenders and Sleepers

2013 Kentucky Free Picks: Vegas Odds, Favorites, Contenders and Sleepers: Whether you call it The Best Two Minutes in Sports, the Run for the Roses or something else entirely, the bottom line is that one of the most popular and well known sporting events is about to add another chapter to its storied legacy. This Saturday, Churchill Downs will play host to the 139th running of the Kentucky Derby, and while winning the Triple Crown is the ultimate goal, winning the first leg this weekend is hard enough in its own right. After all, the Kentucky Derby will mark the longest and toughest race for just about every horse in the field. With that in mind, here is a closer look at some of the horses that could have what it takes to add their name to the prestigious list of Kentucky Derby winners.

2013 Kentucky Free Picks: Favorites, Contenders and Sleepers

The Favorites

He rolls into Saturday’s race having won four straight races, and Orb has won all three of his starts in 2013. The Florida Derby and the Fountain of Youth Stakes are both among the three-year-old colt’s victories this year so his resume in the prep races is as impressive as any. Orb has continued to impress in the week leading up to the Kentucky Derby, turning heads in his workouts. This horse appears to be running well and has already delivered in big races against solid competition. Plain and simple, Orb has shown all the signs of becoming a winner at Churchill Downs.

While the impressive physical stature of Verrazano helps him stand out from the rest of the competition, the horse’s record on the track is what truly sets him apart from the pack. The horse is a perfect 4-for-4 in his career, including statement victories in the Tampa Bay Derby and the Wood Memorial Stakes. Throw in a potential X-factor in jockey John Velasquez, who won the Kentucky Derby in 2011 aboard Animal Kingdom. With a proven winner riding another proven winner, Verrazano’s potential is easy to see.

Other Contenders

He has made six starts in his career, and in all six starts, Revolutionary has finished in the money. More importantly, the colt has won his last three starts, including both starts in 2013. Revolutionary’s most-recent win came in the Louisiana Derby so he took care of in his prep race for the Kentucky Derby. His consistency has been his biggest strength, and he has only gotten stronger in the races leading up to Saturday’s main event at Churchill Downs. With a former Kentucky Derby winner in Calvin Borel pulling the reins, Revolutionary is almost sure to be making a charge to the front down the stretch, and it wouldn’t be a big surprise if he gets to the finish line first.

While a lot of hype has been heaped on Goldencents because one of the horse’s owners is Rick Pitino, the colt’s performances throughout his career are just as deserving of serious attention. Goldencents has won four times in six starts, and his last win came in the Santa Anita Derby. A victory in a Grade 1 prep race for the Kentucky Derby can’t be overlooked, especially from a horse that has plenty of other wins on his resume. Throw in the fact the horse’s trainer Doug O’Neill nearly won the Triple Crown last year with I’ll Have Another, and Goldencents has all the makings of a contender.

On one hand, Normandy Invasion has just a single win in five career starts. On the other hand, his last start was a close second-place finish to Verrazano in the Wood Memorial Stakes. Considering Normandy Invasion was able to push one of the Kentucky Derby favorites to the brink, there is reason to believe this horse is improving and hitting its peak just in time for the Run for the Roses. Strong times during warm-ups this week would seem to back that theory up, as well. Normandy Invasion could give Verrazano and the rest of the field a run for their money this weekend.

Sleeper Specials

After his third-place run in the Wood Memorial Stakes in his last start, many of Vyjack’s supporters jumped off the bandwagon. However, it was later discovered that the horse was being treated for a respiratory infection following the race. Not to mention the fact that the two horses that finished ahead of him are both potential Kentucky Derby winners in Verrazano and Normandy Invasion. Meanwhile, Vyjack won all four of his starts prior to the Wood Memorial, picking up a win in the Gotham Stakes. It isn’t a complete reach that the lung infection hindered his performance a bit in his last start, and if so, a healthy Vyjack could be a serious threat Saturday.