The month of May won’t be solely about the NBA or NHL Playoffs. The world’s best horses are set to showcase their staggering speed and flare for the 142nd edition of the Kentucky Derby. This event will officially commence this coming Saturday at Churchill Downs, and most of the hype has been revolving around Nyquist, who many deem as the hands-down favorite to win the first leg of the Triple Crown. Can he live up to the expectations? Or will some other noble steed take away the glory?
To help you answer this question, check out what some of the top minds of this sport have to say about it. Just read on below and take your precious time.
Among the five horse racing geniuses of the Kentucky Derby’s official website, two of them have chosen Mor Spirit as the unanimous winner while the other three think otherwise.
Well, Mor Spirit is a pretty intriguing pick. In fact, he’s going to raise some eyebrows since he’ll be guided by two renowned Hall of Famers—his jockey Gary Stevens and trainer Bob Baffert. Having those two names on his side should allow the three-year-old colt to win or at least finish deep in this weekend’s much-anticipated race.
It’s also worth noting that Ed DeRosa’s first pick, which is Nyquist, is arguably the much safer bet. The dark bay colt enters Churchill Downs carrying a 7-0 record. That undefeated mark already explains why this particular horse is the top favorite to win the first leg of the Triple Crown.
Bleacher Report
Expert
Winner
Mike Norris
Nyquist
Mike Norris of Bleacher Report, meanwhile, has his trust on the aforementioned Nyquist to win the Run for the Roses as well.
Norris notes that the highly-touted stallion is not a front-runner, but things should be fine so long as he gets off to a good start, and eventually finds his stride like the way he did in the Florida Derby on April 2. Once Nyquist, who is the progeny of Uncle Mo, succeeds in doing so, he’s bound to take and keep the lead for good.
Horse Racing Nation
Expert
Winner
Brian Zipse
Nyquist or Mor Spirit
As for Brian Zipse of Horse Racing Nation, he provided the safest answer. He picked either Nyquist or Mor Spirit to win this Saturday’s race. Zipse points out that Nyquist has a better chance of finishing first because he likes the horses’ determination, efficient running style and the fact that Nyquist has yet to be beaten.
Mor Spirit, on the other hand, has a great advantage in the race with the aforementioned pair of Gary Stevens and Bob Baffert readying the son of Eskendereya for the long 1 ¼ mile race. Also, the dark brown colt has never been worse than second across seven career starts.
Can’t wait to pick a winner? Create a betting account now and cash in on the first leg of horse racing’s celebrated Triple Crown.
