Derby Picks

I meant to post this last night, but circumstances prevented it. So here are my Derby picks:

As much as I like Big Brown and how he looks, how he trains, how much everyone is raving about him, I'm always leery about a Derby favorite. The Derby doesn't always go to the best horse, and with Big Brown's lack of seasoning and brittle feet, I'm concerned about him. That said, I'd be just as happy if he won. (In fact, I'm always happy if all the horses come through the race without injury.) But I'm going this way instead:

Win: Colonel John
Place: Pyro
Show: Eight Belles

If Colonel John likes the surface and can fend off Big Brown, he can do it. I still think Pyro is a better horse than the Blue Grass indicates and I think people overlook him to their peril. And in the era of Danica Patrick, even though she's never raced against the boys, I'm giving Eight Belles some love. (Great picture of her in the USA Today 'meet the entrants' slide show. I couldn't download it to show it here though.)