Kentucky Derby Odds: Derby Contenders

The 134th running of the Kentucky Derby takes place on May 3, 2008 and while many horse racing fans are saying it's too early to predict which horse will win -- it's a great time to look at some of the thoroughbreds that have made a name for themselves in the early goings.

"Horses that have had the most success in recent Kentucky Derbies tend to have three or four 3-year-old starts before the Derby," said Dick Downey, who for the past 35 years compiled statistical data on the best chances of winning the Kentucky Derby.

"For the most part, Derby horses have their first start as a 3-year-old in February. They follow that up with a start in early March and almost always finish their preparations up in one of several grade 1 or 2 stakes in late March or April," Downey added. "Based on the last 35 years, horses with three or four starts as 3-year-olds are 5.09 times more likely to win the Derby than horses that have started fewer or more times."

Here's my list of Early Top Derby Contenders:

Anak Nakal
Blackberry Road
Court Vision
Cowboy Cal
El Gato Malo
Etched
Majestic Warrior
Pyro
War Pass
Country Star
Yankee Bravo

But it's like I said, there's still plenty of time for the field to fill out. You can expect this list to change over the coming weeks as I aim to provide you with updated information on new contenders competing for the Kentucky Derby.

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