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Best Top Trainers in the
Kentucky Derby
When you speak of the top trainers in horse racing,
super trainer Todd Pletcher comes to mind first. He's
not known as the most likeable guy in the biz, but it is
hard to argue with his long list of accomplishments. He
is simply known as the best thoroughbred trainer in the
industry right now, having set and surpassed annual
records for wins and earnings and having won four
straight Eclipse Awards for being the best trainer in
the country. But there is one race that he has not been
able to conquer and that's the Kentucky Derby. Before
filly Rags to Riches beat Curlin by a nosed in last
year's Belmont Stakes, Pletcher had never even won a
Triple Crown race. Perhaps that ice breaking win will
result in an onslaught of Triple Crown wins to follow.
But if Pletcher can never train a Derby winning horse,
he will be known as the Dan Marino of horse racing.
Pletcher has had 19 horses run in the Derby, including
five last year, but he's always comes up a little short.
He finished second behind Barbaro with Bluegrass Cat in
2006 and third in 2000 with Impeachment, but the
stunning thing here is that Pletcher has never even had
a race day favorite. This is especially stunning
considering the amount of horses he's trained. After
looking at this year's field, it is very likely that a
Derby victory will elude him again.
Monba gives Pletcher the best chance to win at Churchill
this year. At 20/1 odds at BodogLife.com, oddsmakers
aren't sold on his chances. Like many other horses in
this year's field, Monba has shown flashes of greatness,
but also bouts of inconsistency. The thing that might
make this horse worth taking a shot with is the fact
that he won two races in Kentucky as a two-year-old,
including one at Churchill Downs. Honestly, with as
inconsistent as this year's field has been in prep
races, Monba could have as good a chance as any.
While Pletcher sees most of the limelight these days,
trainers such as Doug O'Neill, Bob Baffert, and Carl
Nafzger should not go under the radar. Nafzger's first
Kentucky Derby winner came in 1990 when he trained
Unbridled to a big with at Churchhill. He was back in
the spotlight again last year when he trained Street
Sense to a Derby win. The odd Nafzger doesn't train full
time anymore and only will train for Bentley Smith and
James Tafel.
Doug O'Neil doesn't have the name recognition that the
two aforementioned have, but the amount of money his
horses pile up provides the proof in the pudding in his
ability. He finished just behind Pletcher in earnings in
2006. He has a huge stable of horses and he's off to a
great start in 2008. Out of his 265 starts, he has 32
wins, 32 places, and 42 shows, for $1, 757,500 earned.
Not too shabby.
Bob Baffert was the Todd Pletcher of the late 1990's
winning three Eclipse Awards as the nation's outstanding
trainer from 1997-1998. He has had three Kentucky Derby
winners with his most recent coming in 2002 with War
Emblem. He has also has four Preakness Stakes winners
and one Belmont Stakes winner. Until Pletcher can pile
up winners in the Triple Crown races, I still consider
Baffert the better trainer.
Make sure you check out all of Jimmy Boyd's Kentucky
Derby articles to gather as much useful information as
possible on the big race before making your final
wagers.
April 23rd, 2008 |
