Derby Week is finally here and the Kentucky Derby is less than 7 days away. The Kentucky Derby can be one of the most profitable days of the year.

Finding the winner of the Kentucky Derby isn’t always about finding the winner. What I mean by that, is that just because a bettor has a high opinion of a horse, it doesn’t mean that the best wager is to bet that horse to win.

Because the pools are going to be large, it makes sense to think about wagering the exacta and trifecta in this year’s Kentucky Derby.

Gamblers should consider that when taking a look at the Kentucky Derby Power Rankings going into Derby Week.

Let’s take a look at the rankings.

Kentucky Derby Power Rankings

I Want Revenge +300 - - The odds keep dropping on I Want Revenge because things keep changing in his favor. The son of Stephen Got Even proved his toughness when breaking slowly and then winning the Wood Memorial going away in his last, but the Kentucky Derby is an entirely different thing. Still, the fact that Quality Road won’t make the race means that I Want Revenge’s task just got a bit easier in the pace department.
Pioneer of the Nile +500 - - The Bob Baffert trainee won’t have any issues in the stamina department since his daddy, Empire Maker, won the Belmont Stakes. He has won four races in a row and just busted a fantastic work over the Churchill Downs racetrack, 5 furlongs in 1:00, on 4/21. He’s the pick if bettors don’t believe in I Want Revenge.
Dunkirk +500 - - He’s moving up the ladder because of Quality Road’s injury. I still believe he lacks the base to win the Kentucky Derby, he didn’t run at two, but he has the ability to contest a pace or come from the clouds. Contesting the pace might be the way to go now that Quality Road is out and Regal Ransom could have things his own way up front.
Chocolate Candy +1600 - - This son of Candy Stripe, owned by Jenny Craig, the weight loss guru, is getting more and more respect because of his ability to close which he demonstrated in the Santa Anita Derby. His 5 furlong work on Santa Anita’s Pro-Ride surface on 4/12 was exceptional and trainer Jerry Hollendorfer has gotten far with Kentucky Derby prospects, namely Event of the Year, before something has happened to kill the dream. Maybe, this year will be different.
Regal Ransom +2500 - - The son of Distorted Humor still isn’t getting any respect even though he might be the fastest horse early in the Kentucky Derby. Now that Quality Road will sit the race out, Regal Ransom becomes the pacesetter. It doesn’t look like there are a lot of others out there that will be willing to take him on. That makes him a definite use in the exotics in my mind. His work on Churchill’s main track on 4/25 was excellent.
Desert Party +1500 - - He’ll be in the second flight behind Regal Ransom with I Want Revenge and Pioneer of the Nile. This is Godolphin’s best chance, according to their trainer, Saeed Bin Suroor, and it’s hard to deny that thinking. The lone edge Regal Ransom has is the pace scenario. Like his stable mate, this guy busted a terrific work on 4/25 as well.
Papa Clem +1200 - - The Arkansas Derby winner will have to improve big time in order to contend, but he has the breeding, out of Smart Strike, and is definitely on the upswing. But he’ll need to get much faster to contend and usually horses don’t get faster in the Kentucky Derby.
Would Be a Surprise

Friesan Fire +500 - - I loved Friesan Fire about a month ago, but then I realized that he’d be taking 7 weeks off before the Kentucky Derby and hasn’t run longer than 1 1/16th miles in any race in his life. He’s bred to be a stayer, coming out of A.P. Indy, but I’m not sold on his ability to go into a 1 ¼ mile race after 7 weeks on the bench.

Musket Man +2000 - - Musket Man just isn’t bred to go 1 ¼ miles. He’s also been running against relatively cheap competition. He’s got guts but he’s not the horse to bet to win this.

General Quarters +2000 - - His victory in the Bluegrass Stakes was impressive, but that was on Polytrack and things did set up for him. The field lacked a true KD star. He would be a big surprise because he’s just not as classy as some of the others on this list.

Advice +2500 - - He has a chance to pull off a Charismatic after winning the Lexington Stakes, but just a chance. Charismatic was a stalker. This guy is a straight closer.

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