Bet this race at Top pick: #8 (Epicenter) (6-5) - At 1 1/4-mile for the Kentucky Derby, Epicenter came up just a whisker short to Rich Strike, the second-longest shot ever to win. The track at Pimlico is the shortest of the three Triple Crown races, 110 yards shorter than the Derby, and Epicenter has been a beast between one mile and 1 1/8ths of a mile. This horse finished first in the Louisiana Derby (1 3/16-mile), first at the Risen Star (1 1/8-mile), and first at the Gun Runner (1 1/16-mile). He also finished second at the Lecomte (1 1/16-mile), ending up first or second in six consecutive races. There were seven horses in the 20-horse Kentucky Derby with Brisnet Speed times over 100, and Epicenter was one of them.
2nd pick: #1 (Simplification) (6-1) - This is an elite horse that can hang with anyone. While all the talk has been about the 80-to-1 long shot that won the Derby, Simplification finished fourth. And over the last seven races, this horse has finishes of fourth, third, first, second, first, third, and first. Baltimore's Pimlico Race Course is 9.5 furlongs (1 3/16th-miles long). Simplification has ran in two races at 1 1/16, finishing second at the Holy Bull and first in the Fountain of Youth. And for this race, the horse will have a new jockey in Hall-of-Famer John Velasquez while starting from the No. 1 pole position.
3rd pick: #5 (Early Voting) (7-2) - Trainer Chad Brown decided to hold Early Voting back from the Kentucky Derby to prime for this race. It last ran April 9 at the Wood Memorial with a 111 BRIS figure, finishing second to speed demon Mo Donegal, after winning the 1 1/8-mile Withers Stakes by 4.5 lengths. Jockey Jose Ortiz won the 2016 Breeders' Cup and will have this rested horse in contention.
4th pick: #2 (Creative Minister) (10-1) - Creative Minister is bred for this 1 3/16-mile track with a BRIS speed this month of 101. This horse has won two straight at 1 1/16-mile in an Allowance at Churchill Downs and a Maiden Special Weight at Keeneland, winning by 2 lengths in the former. Creative Minister gets the No. 2 pole position and will be ridden by Eclipse Award-winning jockey Brian Hernandez.