Kentucky Derby: Bob Baffert Hoping For Victory, American Pharoah An Early Favorite

The Kentucky Derby is just three days away, and that means the nerves are kicking in. For those who follow horse racing, it will come as no surprise that one of Bob Baffert’s horses is a favorite to win Saturday’s race. And another one of his horses could also be a contender. As many pile into Churchill Downs wearing their finest attire (and some sizable hats), Baffert will be trying to calm his nerves.

Baffert isn’t a stranger when it comes to horse racing, and he is certainly used to winning. With three Kentucky Derbies, five Preakness Stakes, one Belmont Stakes, and two Kentucky Oaks wins under his belt, he knows what it’s like to be in the winner’s circle. What he hasn’t experienced, however, is winning the Triple Crown, which he hopes he has a shot at this year.

At last year’s Kentucky Derby, Baffert’s horse Hopportunity was scratched because of an injury. Many thought the horse had serious winning potential, and that it could have gone all the way.

This year, Baffert has two stallions competing for the coveted Derby title. American Pharoah is the overall favorite, and has won his last four races according to SB Nation.

Baffert’s other race contender is Dortmund. The undefeated stallion is bred to win races as his dad, Big Brown, won the Derby in 2008. According to Yahoo! Sports, there is something super special about this horse, even if he is only the second favorite.

“Then undefeated Dortmund showed up on the track Monday after shipping in from California, looking as much like a CGI creation as a real horse. The rippling, statuesque giant stands 17.2 hands tall and weighs 1,360 pounds.”

Other horses who could round out a trifecta include Carpe Diem, Materiality, and Mubtaahij.

With 20 horses racing this year (providing none get scratched), post position is going to be very important. Horses racing from the outer gates are going to have a seriously hard time finding their way into the crowd. The post position draw for the 141st Kentucky Derby will be this afternoon.

In other Kentucky Derby news, selfie sticks have been banned at the event. As previously reported by the Inquisitr, officials announced that selfie sticks and drones will not be allowed at this year’s Derby. The idea is to prevent obstructed views for other attendees, and to not distract the horses.

[Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images]