Handicapping: Kentucky Derby 152, Renegade Gets it Done

By Rick Francis —-

The field for the 152nd “Run for the Roses” should once again feature a starting gate of twenty horses just not in numerical order as a pair of Also-Eligibles in Great White and Ocelli drew in due to scratches of Silent Tactic and Fulleffort, nevertheless, regardless of the numbers it’ll once again be “The Greatest Two Minutes in Sport”. Good Luck to all!

Race 12) Grade 1 Kentucky Derby 3YO 1&1/4 Miles Post Time 6:57 EDT

1) Renegade (Pletcher/Ortiz, I.Jr); Arkansas Derby winner will overcome the dreaded Post 1 curse and his deep closing skills gets the blanket of Roses; winner.

2) Albus (Mott, R/Franco); closed nicely to take Wood last out, not the strongest of Derby preps; pass.

3) Intrepido (Mullins/Berrios); exits flat effort in SA Derby, pass.

4) Litmus Test (Baffert/Garcis); no match to top pick in Ark Derby, bottom exotics.

6) Commandment (Cox/Saez); winner of four straight, nose winner of Florida derby, win threat.

7) Danon Bourbon (Ikezoe/Nishimura); 3-straight wins all in Japan; possible!

8) So Happy (Glatt/Smith); impressive taking SA Derby last out, money finish possible.

9) The Puma (Delgado/Castellano); loved the way this one closed in Fl, Derby; top 3 finish.

10) Wonder Dean (Takayanagi/Sakai); exits a pair of Middle Eastern starts; pass.

11) Incredibolt (Mott, R/Torres); Va. Derby winner, question that field’s strenght; pass.

12) Chief Wallabee (Mott, W/Alvarado); gets blinkers, just keeps coming up short; exotics.

14) Potente (Baffert/Hernandez,JJ); had little late in SA Derby, pass.

15) Emerging Market (Brown/Prat); got up by a head to take La.Derby; a threat however makes only 3rd career start.

16) Pavlovian (O’Neill/Maldonado); missed by a head to aforementioned last out makes 11th career start; deep exotics.

17) Six Speed (Seemar/Hernandez, B); makes 1st U.S. start; unknown commodity.

18) Further Ado (Cox/Velazquez); Blue Grass romp was most impressive of all last outs; jock change to HOFer.

19) Golden Tempo (DeVaux/Ortiz, J); loved the way this one closed in La. Derby; today’s added distance factors for board finish.

21) Great White (Ennis/Achard); would be of Rich Strike finish.

22) Ocelli (Beckman/Ramos); maiden, all that need to be said.

23) Robusta (Stewart/Torres, C); don’t be quick to dismiss anything the Stewart barn starts in here as he’s shocked exotics before in this contest,

I’ve liked Renegade since his Sam Davis score and thought his Arkansas Derby win showed his deep closing skills against formidable foes that’ll overcome the dreaded one hole. The Puma, Golden Tempo and Further Ado will complete tri’s and Supers.