Horse Racing
Bill Finley 9y

Best Derby field ever?

Horse Racing

When was the last time a group this good lined up to start in the Kentucky Derby? Think about it. Twenty years ago? Forty years ago? Never?

The usual refrain around this time of year is the current 3-year-old crop is not a strong one. It's not that we have any real evidence to base that on. We just like to say it. But no one is saying it this time around, and if they did, they'd have to be either be crazy or ignorant or a combination of both. This year's Kentucky Derby figures to be quite the treat as the group of horses about to assemble in Louisville is nothing short of phenomenal.

It starts with American Pharoah. With any of these horses it's too early to tell just how good they are or whether they will live up to the hype. But, then again, there's every chance he could be one of the greatest horses of our times. He reminds you of Seattle Slew. It's more than he beats his competition. He just flat out outruns them, flaunting his superiority every step of the way.

He'll be the Kentucky Derby favorite. In 19 years out of 20 it would be his stablemate, Dortmund, who would be the chalk. He's never lost in six career starts, ran away and hid from his opposition in the Santa Anita Derby and has twice beat an exceptional horse in Firing Line.

Can you find a fault in Carpe Diem? I can't. He is so well bred he cost $1.6 million at the yearling sales and has looked like he's worth ten times that much this year at the races. He dominated in the Tampa Bay Derby and the Blue Grass Stakes. He's quality through and through. Like Dortmund, in any other year he would be a solid Kentucky Derby favorite.

Is Materiality a freak? Based on what he did at Gulfstream, winning the Florida Derby in just his third lifetime start, he very well could be.

These four horses will likely make up the four betting favorites in the race and their record is a combined 17 for 19.

And let's not forget about the UAE Derby winner Mubtaahij. That race has never produced a serious Kentucky Derby contender, but this is a very different story. Now that that the race is back on dirt he proved that he's more than a synthetic sensation and he obliterated the field he faced in Dubai. Plus, he's trained by one of the most able men in the business in Mike De Kock, and is exceptionally well bred himself.

The group is so good that no one is talking about a horse like International Star, who won all three of the major preps in Louisiana this year, or Frosted, another exceptionally well bred horse that just happened to win the Wood Memorial.

Whether or not this is actually one of the best Derby fields ever won't be determined for some time. We have to see how these horses do down the road. If too many fizzle out this class won't look nearly as glamorous. But I seriously doubt that's going to happen.

When it comes to the best Derby fields in modern times here are a handful that comes to mind:

1973: The presence of Secretariat alone makes this among the greatest Derby fields ever. Sham, of course, was a terrific horse, who might have won the Triple Crown if not for the fact he was born the same year as Secretariat. The field also included Hall of Famer Forego, but he wasn't Forego at the time. He had had just seven starts and was just an allowance winner at the time.

1978: You not only had a Triple Crown winner in Affirmed and a fellow Hall of Famer in Alydar, but also Believe It and Sensitive Prince. Believe It was a stalwart out of the Woody Stephens barn and Sensitive Prince came into the race at 6 for 6 for Allen Jerkens.

1988: Winning Colors remains the last filly to win the Kentucky Derby. Runner-up Forty Niner was a fantastic horse. Risen Star finished third and was probably the best of that group. Seeking the Gold finished seventh, but went on to make $2.3 million.

As things stand now, I'll take the class of 2015 over any of them.

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