My daughter is an avid Horse racing fan. Below she describes prospects, although I believe Ravel is no longer a prospect.

As March turns to April, horse racing fans everywhere are thinking Derby. The first Saturday in May is the ultimate goal for every horse, trainer, owner, and jockey. After Saturday and Sunday's hot stakes action, I have finally made my list of the top ten horses I think have a chance to win the Derby.

1.) Street Sense

This tall, handsome dark bay colt is an excellent horse. He proved on Saturday in the Tampa Bay Derby against Any Given Saturday that the ten length Breeders' Cup Juvenile win was no fluke. I could not believe Calvin Borel got him through that itsy-bitsy spot on the rail. I do believe he can go the mile and a quarter of the Derby. I watched him win the Juvenile in person and there was just this presence about him.


2.) Circular Quay

Chestnut son of Thunder Gulch has a tendency to find trouble in his races, but when he was clear in the Louisiana Derby, he passed the leaders easily and went on to win. Has a nice closing stride and would have won the Juvenile if it hadn't been for Street Sense.


3.) Notional

I have taken a liking to this horse. His wins in the Risen Star and San Rafael Stakes were eye-catching. He has a gleam in his eye that is hard to miss. Though he didn't do as well as a two-year-old, he is hitting his good stride at three and trainers like that. Will face some serious competition in the Florida Derby against Scat Daddy.


4.) (T) Scat Daddy, Great Hunter

Scat Daddy is a class Pletcher horse that knows how to find the wire just in time. He was an impressive winner of the Fountain of Youth Stakes, barely beating Stormello by a nose hair. The dark bay colt is the first stakes winner sired by two-year-old champion Johannesburg.


Great Hunter showed incredible closing speed in the Robert B. Lewis Stakes. Has beaten Circular Quay and Street Sense, but has also lost to them in their most recent meeting. Likes the polytack of Keeneland, but that won't come into play at Churchill Downs, where the Derby is held and where he finished third to Street Sense and Circular Quay.


5.) Nobiz Like Shobiz

Dark bay son of Albert the Great is most effective around seven furlongs and still erratic when stretching out to a mile. Doesn't handle two turns too well and lugs in and out in the stretch. Trainer Barclay Tagg says the horse can be "dumb" and "goofy", but still possesses the kind of raw talent that excites fans. He works in blinkers now and that has appeared to help a little. Impressive winner of the Remsen Stakes at two and the Holy Bull this year.


6.) Cobalt Blue

This chestnut colt is the newly crowned winner of the San Felipe Stakes. Some still believe he has something to prove against better horses, but I like him. He has had four different jockeys in his short four-race career, but now has a confident rider in Victor Espinoza. Could prove more if he goes to the Illinois Derby.


7.) Any Given Saturday

This other Todd Pletcher trainee puts in a good effort every time. Was second to Street Sense by an inch in the Tampa Bay Derby. Any Given Saturday had to go four wide while Street Sense had a ground-saving rail trip. He showed some guts in fighting the reigning two-year-old champion down to the wire.


8.) Stormello

The son of Stormy Atlantic has a typical front-running style that usually doesn't go very far in the Derby. Jockey Kent Desormeaux believes he will be a mile and a quarter horse. He showed he can handle two turns by just barely losing to Scat Daddy in the F. O. Y. Stakes by a centimeter.


9.) Ravel

Impressive winner of the Sham Stakes will face some heavy competition in the Santa Anita Derby, but definitely shows raw talent.


10.) Hard Spun

This bay colt started his racing career at 4-0, but came in fourth in the Southwest Stakes to Teuflesberg. He didn't seem to like the racing surface at Oaklawn, though, and will likely make his next appearance in the Lane's End Stakes.



Other horses of consideration: Song of Navarone, Air Commander, Curlin, Liquidity, Sam P., Sports Town, King of the Roxy, Forefathers, Adore the Gold, Chelokee, Teuflesberg, Summer Doldrums, Flying First Class, Rags to Riches (filly).




Although all these horses are outstanding, none will ever compare to Barbaro, who sadly lost his life after winning the Kentucky Derby by 6 3/4 lengths after a battle with laminitis and other problems after breaking his leg in the Preakness Stakes. He would have never been beaten if he wouldn't have been hurt, and he is in many a heart one of the greatest horses of all time. He would have gone on to win the Triple Crown and probably Breeders' Cup Classic, and deserves to be honored in Racing's Hall of Fame.






For Barbaro, who will always be remembered.