Kentucky Derby Selections

As preparation for Saturday's Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs takes place, we look at five horses who may smell the roses in this single-most wagered-on thoroughbred race of the year.

At Keeneland, Any Given Saturday worked an easy five furlongs in 1:01.25 seconds, Circular Quay went five-eighths in 1:00.25, and Scat Daddy the same distance in 59.56 over the Polytrack surface on Sunday. All three horses have a big shot at winning the 133rd Running of the Roses.

Any Given Saturday is a son of Forty Niner and a descendant of the Raise A native sire line who solidified his status as a sire when his son Funny Cide won the 2003 Kentucky Derby and was voted champion colt the same year.

In his last race, Any Given Saturday tired after being wide on both turns of the 1 1/8-mile Wood Memorial in April. Lifetime, Any Given Saturday is 6-3-2-1. With a better trip Saturday, he should be able to post a stronger finish.

Circular Quay was the winner of last summer's Grade 1 Hopeful and this spring's Grade 2 Louisiana Derby. He's a late closer and should be there at the end. In his career, the chestnut colt is 7-4-2-0.

Circular Quay is by Thunder Gulch, who won the 1995 Kentucky Derby and Belmont Stakes in a stellar sophomore campaign that saw him win 7-of-10 starts en route to being named champion of his age group.

Scat Daddy proved he is a serious contender for the Kentucky Derby with a victory in the Florida Derby at Gulfstream Park in late March. It was his fifth win in eight career starts.

Scat Daddy is a son of Johannesburg who was a champion 2-year-old in Ireland, England, France and North America after a juvenile campaign that saw him win all seven of his starts.

At Hollywood Park on Sunday, Tiago worked six furlongs in a brisk 1:11.40. Tiago scored a 25-1 Santa Anita Derby upset in early April. There is plenty to like about Tiago’s sire Pleasant Tap, one of the more versatile and durable horses to hit the track.

Tiago is a half brother to Giacomo who won the Kentucky Derby two years ago. His pedigree is strong and the late closer should be able to come from off the pace to get in the money.

Hard Spun turned heads Monday morning when he recorded one of the fastest works in Derby Week history at Churchill Downs --- a blistering :57.60 ran in five furlongs makes the bay colt a very dangerous factor for Saturday's Run for the Roses.

Hard Spun has won five of six career races, including the $500,000 Lane's End Stakes in March. Hard Spun is by Danzig, one of the top sires in thoroughbred history.

Any of the five before mentioned horses should be given serious consideration in Saturday's 133rd Running of the Roses. Each has phenomenal pedigrees and has the talent to make your ticket a winning one.

Keep checking the Locker Room all through the Triple Crown season, as we will cover the trainers, horses and jockeys in each race. You can get your early Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs bets in now in the BetUS sportsbook in the Future / props section, under Horse Futures: 2007 Kentucky Derby.

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