The All Others bet from Pool 2 is looking good a little over 4 weeks from the Derby. I think it's generally a good bet, but for the 2 previous years, the bet didn't look good at all at this point and I was beginning to wonder.
This year, of the 23 individual interest from Pool 2, only 5 already have enough points to make the starting gate:
Classic Empire
Gunnevara
Practical Joke
State of Honor
Untrapped
9 others, including McCraken, are still on the Trail but will need points the next 2 weeks to make the Derby.
Meanwhile, 9 of the top 11 horses on the Derby Points list are All Others horses and are assured of an entry:
1.*Girvin*(Joe Sharp) 150
2.*Thunder Snow*(Saeed bin Suroor) 100
3.*Always Dreaming*(Todd Pletcher) 100
6. Tapwrit (Todd Pletcher) 54 ~*Blue Grass
7. J Boys Echo (Dale Romans) 53 ~*Blue Grass
8. Malagacy (Todd Pletcher) 50 ~*AR Derby
9.*Hence*(Steve Asmussen) 50
10.*Fast and Accurate*(Mike Maker) 50
11.*Patch*(Todd Pletcher) 40
That entry is quite a bit stronger than the 5-2 odds on All Others from Pool 2. Both groups will have additions and defections before Derby Day, but I'm guessing the All Others group will be close to even money to win the race. For the first time in 3 years I'm feeling good about my chances one month out.
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Curlin and Hard Spun finish 1,2 in the 2007 BC Classic, demonstrating how competing in all three Triple Crown races ruins a horse for the rest of the year...see avatar
photo from REUTERS/Lucas Jackson
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