Kentucky Derby post positions

Uncredited / AP
No one's better than Bob Baffert at preparing a horse for the Triple Crown, and he had Mor Spirit running sharp workouts in advance of Saturday's Santa Anita Derby. But in the race itself, Mor Spirit couldn't come close to running down Exaggerrator on a sloppy track. He also finished second in the previous month's San Felipe Stakes. We know he has the talent to remain in the mix with top horses, but we don't know if he can beat them. Odds: 12-1

Garry Jones / AP
This Steve Asmussen-trained colt is another contender with tactical speed, and he comes in with the cleanest resume of any horse other than Nyquist, having won the Louisiana Derby on March 26 and the Risen Star on February 20. But a six-week pre-Derby layoff will raise the biggest questions about him. No horse has ever gone straight from the Louisiana Derby to Churchill Downs and won the big race. Odds: 20-1

AP
This Todd Pletcher-trained colt earned some respect by winning the Wood Memorial on Saturday but how much? It was a big win in just his fourth career start. It just wasn't a fast race and didn't come against elite competition. But he gamely battled a very fast Destin a month earlier in the Tampa Bay Derby. And Pletcher keeps saying he's thrilled with Outwork's performance relative to his experience. The Derby will tell if he can remain on the incline. Odds: 15-1

Garry Jones / AP
Trained by Steve Asmussen, Creator won the Arkansas Derby his last time out. Asmussen, who recenlty entered the Hall of Fame, also trains Gun Runner. Between those two horses, there's a good chance one figures into the finish. Odds: 10-1

Garry Jones / AP
Owned by G.M.B. Racing, which is named after Gayle Marie Benson, wife of Tom Benson, the owner of the New Orleans Saints and Pelicans. Much like those teams, Tom's Ready is not expected to compete for the title. Odds: 30-1

Garry Jones / AP
He showed his talent by posting an impressive speed figure in winning the March 12 Tampa Bay Derby. But trainer Todd Pletcher took an unusual approach by resting him eight weeks in preparation for Kentucky. He will draw plenty of interest from wagerers looking for a gifted underdog. He's just not very battle tested, even in an era of increasingly light prep schedules. Odds: 15-1

Charlie Riedel / AP
Trojan Nation has never won a race, which typically isn't a great recipe heading into the Derby. The last time a maiden won was in 1998. He's not expected to be a factor in this one. Odds: 50-1

Charlie Riedel / AP
Sired by 2006 Preakness winner Bernardini, Shagaf won his first three races but failed to show as the favorite in his last race, the Wood Memorial in Queens, New York. Odds: 20-1

Garry Jones / AP
In his last race, at the Florida Derby, Majesto placed behind Nyquist. He was a 21-1 longshot in that race, and will go off at deeper odds this weekend. Odds: 30-1

AP
This Keith Desormeaux-trained colt shot up the list with his 6 ¼-length win in the Santa Anita Derby, where he posted the highest Beyer Speed Figure reached by any contender this year. But how much of that was him handling the sloppy track better than his competition? Desormeaux's brother, Kent, rides Exaggerator, and the colt will be a popular story given that the Desormeauxs could become just the third pair of brothers to train and ride a horse in Derby history. He's improving, but the downside to Exaggerator's case is that he's already lost to Nyquist three times, once in February and twice as a 2-year-old. Odds: 8-1

Garry Jones / AP
Lani, a gray colt, won the UAE Derby on March 26 in Dubai. But success in that race historically has not portended wins at the Derby. Odds: 30-1

David Quinn / AP
He finished second in the Arkansas Derby, the last piece to the prep puzzle for Kentucky. He looked good in beating Whitmore in the Feb. 15 Southwest Stakes and much less so losing to Cupid in the Rebel. Odds: 20-1

Garry Jones / AP
This colt loves to charge late and from the outside, but he suffered through rough trips in both the Louisiana Derby and Risen Star and lost to Gun Runner in both. He'll also try to win the Derby off an unusual six-week layoff. Odds: 20-1

Pablo Alcala / AP
After an uninspired showing in the Tampa Bay Derby, he bounced back to win the Blue Grass Stakes at Keeneland. Trainer Dale Romans came out of the race believing his horse, who ran third in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile, has a real chance in the Derby. He looked much better on his Kentucky homeground than he had in Florida, holding off fellow contender My Man Sam to win by 1 ¾ lengths. Perhaps Tampa Bay was a true outlier. Odds: 12-1

Uncredited / AP
This California front runner delivered one of the most impressive performances in the early wave of prep races when he beat Exaggerator in the March 12 San Felipe Stakes. But Exaggerator turned the tables, running him down decisively in the Santa Anita Derby. It's not clear if he can win from off the pace or if he's fast enough to hold off the kind of competition he'll face at Churchill Downs. Odds: 15-1

Garry Jones / AP
Whitmore had a chance to make his case in the Arkansas Derby, where showed behind Creator and Suddenbreakingnews. This Ron Moquett-trained gelding has shown he has the tools to contend, but can he win? Odds: 20-1

Garry Jones / AP
Oscar Nominated is owned by Ken and Sarah Ramsey, who are famous in the industry but have yet to capture a Kentucky Derby. This horse is a longshot to break their drought. Odds: 50-1

AP
It's hard to fathom another horse as the Derby favorite. Despite persistent questions about his physical tools, this Doug O'Neill-trained colt is undefeated in seven starts, won the Breeders' Cup Juvenile and easily bested another prospective Derby favorite, Mohaymen, in the Florida Derby. Three-year-old contenders race so infrequently that it's hard to peg the potential superstars with confidence, but Nyquist has answered every question to date. His tactical speed should serve him well in a 20-horse field. Odds: 3-1

Adam Coglianese / AP
He was undefeated and viewed as the most talented 3-year-old in his class before he ran into Nyquist at the Florida Derby. The Kiaran McLaughlin-trained colt simply did not fire at Gulfstream and was beaten badly. But it's hard to know if that was an anomaly or a portent. He will certainly attract plenty of interest and speculation in the weeks leading to the Derby. Odds: 10-1

Garry Jones / AP
A fast finisher, he's only run in one stakes race. Under the radar and an up-and-comer, My Man Sam still might be outmatched in the Kentucky Derby. Odds: 20-1

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