Kentucky Derby 2008 Contenders

The horse racing fraternity presently has their eyes on one big event – the Kentucky Derby. As contenders take part in racing events leading up to this spectacular affair, punters watch their performances closely to make an informed prediction when the time comes to place their bets for one of the most anticipated racing extravaganzas of the year. And as speculation rages over the contenders, one thing is for certain, the field is filled with worthy horses and the competition is going to be tough.

What makes the line-up of horses for the Kentucky Derby so interesting is the fact that some of them have never run on dirt, others have not performed extraordinarily on dirt, and others have the weight of the entire horse racing realm of punters’ faith resting on their shoulders. But they all deserve to be racing in the Kentucky Derby. Ss horse racing goes, only on the day will spectators find out who has the most determination to win and who is having a bad day. The contenders at present include Tale of Ekati, Gayego, Monba, Z Fortune, Z Humor, Pyro, Court Vision, Big Brown, Colonel John, Anak Nakal, Elysium Fields, Bob Black Jack, Eight Belles, Cool Coal Man, El Gato Malo and Denis of Cork. On race day there will be twenty contenders waiting in the starting gates and there are a few that stand out as favorites.

Tale of Ekati is a horse that shows a lot of spirit and can definitely pull through when he needs to, whereas Pyro is a powerful horse known for being able to bounce back and collect a win with spectacular speed. Eight Belles has never come up against colts, but she has four consecutive and very impressive wins under her belt. Colonel John has an explosive stride once he has leveled off and is not easily intimidated, and will probably do very well on dirt. Big Brown has been on the lips of many as he is considered to be a racing machine. His incredible size would have one think that he would be heavy and slow, but Big Brown has extraordinary speed and is definitely a genetic powerhouse. Court Vision is a graded stakes winner that is able to take a race and turn it to his favor. His ability to muster energy and speed to win a losing race has been seen many times, and he is therefore a formidable and unpredictable competitor.

Each contender has positive and negative aspects that could influence their performances. However, one can never be sure in horse racing, as there have been many occasions when the underdog has won and the big name favorite has had a bad run. As everyone has their own take on predicting the Kentucky Derby winner and placing their money where their mouth is, the ultimate outcome is up to the gracious beings that lend jockeys their speed and power every time they step into the starting gates.