Agreed. Just a matter of how much ground he can save going into the first turn. I think it's an ok draw, especially for a horse that has never taken dirt before, might actually help him settle without getting splattered.

Actual posts.

I realize that she was green in the Bonnie Miss, but what's the reason for Pletcher putting blinkers on Devil May Care?

They were ****ed the day Poly was installed

Very tough spot for Talamo to make his Derby debut.

Why do I see him getting the Brother Derek trip?

They changed it this year. Simple, just like a normal draw.
These are the actual posts.

Usually there are twenty, or near twenty, starters in the derby.

1986+20=2006.

Doesn't seem so horrible to me.

I don't know what you mean by "getting over," but if you mean getting to the rail, yes, that will be near impossible. But he doesn't need to do that. He's got enough speed to get a decent position into the turn while sitting just off the lead, and like I said, that was his best shot to win anyway.

And what if Ice Box breaks inward? Assuming that LaL even gets out of the gate cleanly is assuming that nobody in the first five posts or so breaks inward.

Precisely.

Video review for him
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jBeoZUsnXdc

The 1-hole is not good for LAL, but I think it will at least force Gomez to pull him back and make one big run, which I would think is the way he needs to run to win this race anyway.

I think Lookin at Lucky will be fine where he is. I also think post position is overrated considering what Big Brown did a couple years ago, or how posts 18-20 ran like 2-4-5 in the 2005 Derby. If you like Sidney's Candy, good for you, you're going to get much better odds on him based on his position.

Lucky will find trouble again, and keep running, and will find the board, but I can't play him to win. Not at the price, not in a post that is going to assure he once again finds trouble.

I agree wholeheartedly. I think he will run well but not win and he's an underlay in here considering he isn't even as fast as American Lion who is 30-1.

Conveyance drew nice. Lets just say he relaxes a little. I don't see any horse in here that is much better.

Agree as well. Turning for home, in the slop, maybe he gets away.

SC will be a lot higher than 5-1. Battaglia is smoking something with that line. My guess. 10-1 out there.

I don't think he'll be that high, but yeah, it seems like Battaglia didn't have a contingency plan for the favorites drawing inside and out. I also doubt LaL will be lower than 4-1.

At least he's not calling the race. I think Ice Box drew ok if Lezcano can not get pinned into the turn....LAL below 4-1 I think.

With Sidney's past problems stumbling at the gate, the 20 spot actualy ensures he doesn't get sandwiched and left without any hope to recover.
He still has got a lot of work to do, but he has enough tactical speed where I think he can overcome the wide post.
Lookin at Lucky...I have my doubts.

AL's odds are screwed up as well. He won't be 30-1 in there IMO.

I agree with you. If he can handle an off-track I think he'll do fine.

You know everone seems to be talking about Sidney's Candys tactical speed and maybe his ability to rate. But he has been first at every call so far this year. Maybe he can, but it seems like alot to ask for by him breaking from the 20 hole. Not to mention Talamo not panicing if things don't go his way early. I'm not sure he has that kind of Big Brown move in him.

He wasn't going to win this race on the lead. Maybe he can rate, maybe he can't, but he had no shot to wire the field IMO, and this pretty much ensures that Talamo won't try to.

He may or may not be able to settle for Joe, but i know this breaking from the 20 hole, he cannot afford that stumble like he had in the SA Derby, he nearly went to his nose.

You have to add up the odds of him rating successfully to what you think his true odds should be of winning...this adds up to "underlay" in my book...I'll have to take a pass.

I think Big Brown could have won that derby from any post position, but without Eskenderya, there isn't anyone good enough in Saturday's field to overcome a bad break or get shuffled too far back early.
I'm not worried much about Talamo. He's run in plenty of big races before.
My biggest worry with Sidney is the possibility of running on an off track for the first time.

Ice Box could not have drawn better...Andy Beyer will be all over him.

A couple of other thoughts:

Does Borel have Super Saver (4) follow Line of David (5) and sit off him as long as he can, or will be be battling on the lead with he and Conveyance, among others?

Can Lezcano manage a nice groundsaving trip with IceBox, or will he be too far back to navigate a big late move?

Does Homeboy Kris take the ambulance route from post 19, aka..flashy bull? :D

First time on dirt, period. I've always been anti- any horse that had never started on dirt, but Sidney's has really impressed me throughout his career and I have no worries that he will run fine on dirt. Whether that's good enough, who knows.

For what it's worth... he worked REALLY well in the slop on Saturday morning. I was very impressed from what I saw.

I think he is better than an even money proposition to move up on dirt--but it would be nice to know.

Yeah, I dont think 20 hurts Sidney's Candy all that much. He has enough natural speed to be okay.. he might be 5 wide but sometimes 5 wide and clear isnt the worst place to be in the derby.

LaL is screwed.

Guess you don't know the facts to good. :)

I wouldn't have taken SC or LAL so the post position is a bonus if you are standing against these 2. They are not the dominant favorites as were Big Brown or Smarty Jones IMO. There is great value in this race, if some horses can adjust their styles to the expected hot pace. Last year I don't think anyone of us would have expected Mine The Bird to come from dead last to win it by 6, if a horse can adjust and relax off the leaders they might be the one's, I'm not crazy about Ice Box either, just not comfortable he can repeat his Florida Derby at much lower odds.

You heard it here first. 17 out of 20 horses are good bets because of "Mine The Bird."

Or perhaps because there is no standout superior horse, if there is I haven't seen it yet.

no woodford for you!!!:tro::tro::tro::tro:

I have watched exactly zero prep races this year, so admittedly I have no clue, nor opinion on this years Derby. That being said, Talamo has never met a front end he didn't like, so it will be interesting to see what he does from the far outside.

Personally, I will be rooting for Ice Box. I like Zito and obviously would love to see Lezcano get a Derby win.

I think Make Music for Me is a very interesting horse. I am not usre how well he has been managed but he has run with Lucky and Noble's Promise and been right there everytime. He has the right running style for the race. He is 50-1 morning line and since he wasn't supposed to make this field he hasn't generated any buzz. I think he is a very live longshot.

Paul

I would agree if the pedigree didn't scream Green to me.