Kentucky Derby Power Rankings

Change was expected in the Kentucky Derby picture with the running of four final prep races at the weekend. But the level of disruption was much greater than most would have predicted.

The first three 200-point prep races on the Road to the Kentucky Derby (G1) and Oaks (G1) have now been run, and all went to horses without previous victories in the series.

We can expect some good horses racing in the major preps this weekend – in addition to those on the Power Rankings list - including potential contenders such as Emerging Market, Pavlovian, Stark Contrast, and Resplendence. It’s an exciting time.

This weekend sees Pool 5 of the Kentucky Derby Future Wager. By now, most of the likely runners are exposed, which is reflected in the relatively long 12-1 odds for the “all other three-year-olds” option. Not surprisingly, only one horse on this week’s...

Several newcomers appeared in the Derby Power Rankings, while one horse in the lower reaches charged a long way up the board. Along the way, some names that have been on the list from the start have dropped off.

This week’s prep races figured to have limited impact on the Kentucky Derby and Oaks Power Rankings. In the end, it arguably had even less relevance than may have been imagined.

It says a bit about the open nature of this year’s Kentucky Derby picture that the top individual still doesn’t hold favoritism in Pool 4 of the Future Wager.

It was an exciting week for Kentucky Oaks contenders, as the three top horses on the Power Rankings all raced. The results have seen a bit of a shake-up; all three remain highly placed, but some others have forced their way up as well.

Ted Noffey’s withdrawal wasn’t the only drama in the week. We were scheduled to have three Derby preps and two Oaks preps this weekend, but the weather-related cancellations meant we ended up with only one for each.

It’s been a quiet week for the Power Rankings. With just one race containing Derby points – and none in North America – there is very little change to the list.