Unbeaten Big Brown is Derby favorite

Published 5:00 am Thursday, May 1, 2008

LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Big Brown’s all in and so is the filly Eight Belles, a perfect combination for an intriguing 134th Kentucky Derby.

Unbeaten in three career starts, Florida Derby winner Big Brown was stamped the 3-1 favorite for Saturday’s 1¼-mile Derby after drawing the far outside No. 20 post position. Eight Belles, taking on the boys for the first time, drew the No. 5 post and was 15-1 on the morning line set by Churchill Downs oddsmaker Mike Battaglia.

“I feel that if we run our race, and he breaks clean, I don’t see a horse as of yet that can beat Big Brown,” trainer Rick Dutrow Jr. said Wednesday. “I just don’t see it. I don’t want to see it, either.”

The only Derby winner from the No. 20 post was Clyde Van Dusen in 1929.

The field, from the rail out, is Cool Coal Man (20-1), Tale of Ekati (15-1), Anak Nakal (30-1), Court Vision (20-1), Eight Belles (15-1), Z Fortune (15-1), Big Truck (50-1), Visionaire (20-1), Pyro (6-1), Colonel John (4-1), Z Humor (30-1), Smooth Air (20-1), Bob Black Jack (20-1), Monba (15-1), Adriano (30-1), Denis of Cork (20-1), Cowboy Cal (20-1), Recapturetheglory (20-1), Gayego (15-1) and Big Brown (3-1).

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