We Like Dortmund At the 141st Running of the Kentucky Derby

This Saturday, local thoroughbred racing fans will be headed to Winnipeg’s Assiniboia Downs for the 141st running of the Kentucky Derby.

In fact, there might even be a table for lunch still available. I know I’ll be there for the buffet at 1:30 p.m. (just $14.95 per person) for an entire day of racing from Churchill Downs.

Dortmund with Martin Garcia aboard.

The favorite, at morning odds of 5-2, Arkansas Derby winner American Pharoah will break from post 18. Santa Anita Derby winner Dortmund, made the 3-1 morning line second choice, drew the No. 8.

Among other notables, Toyota Blue Grass Stakes winner Carpe Diem (8-1) landed in the No. 2 post, fellow Todd Pletcher trainee Materiality (12-1) the No. 3,UAE Derby winner Mubtaahij (20-1) in the No. 6 and Wood Memorial winner Frosted (15-1) in No. 15.

I like Dortmund, followed by American Pharoah (too far to come from the 18 hole) and Carpe Diem (Blue Grass and Tampa Bay Derby winner), but Frosted fascinates me (any horse that wins the Wood fascinates me) as does International Star (20-1), which has won three major stakes races at Fair Grounds in New Orleans and also won the Grey Stakes at Woodbine last October.

Still, Dortmund is my pick. Sired by Big Brown, closely inbred to supersire Danzig, Dortmund is out of Our Josephina by Tale of the Cat. Trained by Bob Baffert and ridden by the brilliant Martin Garcia (Baffert’s first call rider who won the 2010 Preakness and the 2011 Kentucky Oaks), Dortmund has won four straight Derby Prep races – the Santa Anita Derby (April 4), the San Felipe, the Robert B. Lewis Stakes and the Los Alamitos Futurity.

To me, the Derby starts it all at the Downs every spring. Can’t wait.

Posted by: Scott Taylor for RiverCitySports.com