Updated: April 25, 2001, 11:55 AM ET
Kentucky Derby Contenders
Every week Bill Finley reviews the top 3-year-olds with Kentucky Derby aspirations and breaks down their chances for success on the first Saturday in May. Numbers included in a horse's last start column indicate finish position and margin.
| Leading Kentucky Derby Candidates | ||||||
| Horse | Jockey | Trainer | Last Start | Comments | Odds | |
| Point Given | Stevens | Baffert | SA Derby 1st (5 1/2) | How can you knock him? | 8-5 | |
| Congaree | Espinoza | Baffert | Wood Mem. 1st (2 3/4) | Inexperience a problem. | 4-1 | |
| Millennium Wind | Pincay Jr. | Hofmans | Blue Grass 1st (5 1/4) | Welcome back Pincay. | 5-1 | |
| Balto Star | Guidry | Pletcher | Ark. Derby 1st (4 1/2) | Can he wire field? | 6-1 | |
| Monarchos | Chavez | Ward, Jr. | Wood Mem. 2nd (2 3/4) | Flat race in Wood? | 12-1 | |
| Dollar Bill | Day | Stewart | Blue Grass 3rd (7) | Didn't like last race. | 20-1 | |
| Express Tour | Flores | Bin Suroor | UAE Derby 1st (no) | Godolphin's only hope. | 20-1 | |
| Songandaprayer | Prado | Dowd | Blue Grass 2nd (5 1/4) | 2nd best in Blue Grass. | 25-1 | |
| A P Valentine | Nakatani | Zito | Blue Grass 5th (13) | Shown little this year. | 25-1 | |
| Thunder Blitz | Prado | Orseno | Flamingo 1st (6 3/4) | Must improve. | 35-1 | |
| Invisible Ink | Velazquez | Pletcher | Blue Grass 4th (8 1/2) | Never fired in last run. | 35-1 | |
| Fifty Stars | D. Meche | Asmussen | Lone Star Derby 2nd (2) | Needs fast pace. | 50-1 | |
| Keats | Melancon | O'Callaghan | Lexington 1st (3/4) | Will be pace factor. | 60-1 | |
| Jamaican Rum | Delahoussaye | Cassidy | Ark. Derby 2nd (4 1/2) | Needs miracle. | 60-1 | |
| Gift of the Eagle | Smith | McPeak | LS Derby 3rd (2 3/4) | Tries Derby Trial first. | 100-1 | |
| Talk Is Money | Bailey | Scanlan | Tesio 2nd (1 1/4) | Will get hot and dirty. | 100-1 | |
| Tincin | Morgan | LaRue | TP Maiden 11th (30 3/4) | You got to be kidding. | 200-1 | |
