View from the Grandstand: Kentucky Derby Picks – 2019

By Bob Hill
Tracksideview Feature Writer —-

Kentucky Derby Picks – 2019

Top Tier: I believe the likely winner will be one of three horses: Game Winner (16), Tacitus (8), and Roadster (17). I thought Baffert’s comments after the Arkansas Derby hinted at his thinking that Game Winner is more likely to win the Derby than his other entries. That’s good enough for me.

Bill Mott has built his Hall of Fame career training turf champions, but Tacitus gives every appearance of being a true Derby contender. Wood Memorial winners have not fared well in recent runs at Churchill, but perhaps it is time to break that trend. If one beats Mr. Baffert, a son of Tapit trained by Bill Mott is my pick.

Who knows how good Roadster is, or can be. To expect him to be another Justify is unfair, but right now many in the racing world see Bob Baffert as capable of such a training feat.

Right There and Ready: Improbable (5) has been impressive in his races against the horse that many saw as the likely winner – Omaha Beach. He’d be no surprise to me.

On the other hand, Maximum Security (8) would be a bit of surprise to most of us because he has trained out of the spotlight, and his connections have us all wondering about that $16k maiden claiming race he ran. If the field goes to sleep on Maximum Security they may all chase him in vain.

Vekoma (6) is a non-buzz horse that runs with a very unconventional gait. Maybe his awkward style is a hurdle some cannot jump at the wagering window. His results land him on my list of possible winners. I’ll bet him in enough spots to collect on my opinion of him if right.

Adding Some Value: We all know that value is present everywhere on Derby Day. Getting a long-odds horse onto an exotics ticket can produce a big dollar win. The ones I’ll include for those purposes include: By My Standards (3), Cutting Humor (10), Code of Honor (12), Win Win Win (13), and Country House (20).

If you like others in this category be sure to include them. This is where the money is made.