The question is will Eight Belles run in the Kentucky Derby?  Trainer Larry Jones says a post position like 19 or 20 in the Kentucky Derby field would definitely be a "sign" not to run in that race.  He is also going to enter him in the Kentucky Oaks on Friday.  Entries for the Oaks are taken on Tuesday, while the Kentucky Derby is drawn on Wednesday.  You would have to go all the way back to 1988, when the last filly won the Kentucky Derby (Winning Colors).  Eight Belles is in the Kentucky Derby only if they get a good post position.  It would be interesting to see what happens if she draws post 19 in both races.  Check out the 2008 Kentucky Derby betting odds at bodoglife.com.

 

I think Eight Belles will run in the Kentucky Derby no matter what the post position is.  Larry Jones will run two horses in the Kentucky Oaks, Brereton Jones and Proud Spell and he will have both of these races covered.  Eight Belles comes into this Kentucky Derby with a four-race win streak starting on January 21 when she romped by fifteen lengths at Fair Grounds.  There she came back to win three Stakes races at Oaklawn Park.  It would be a shame not to put her in the 2008 Kentucky Derby.

 

Jones also said that if he runs in the Kentucky Derby that jockey Gabe Saez will have the mount.  In the he last two big wins by this filly, she was riden by one of my favorite riders, Ramon Dominguez.  With trainer and owner not knowing what post they would get and if they would run in the Kentucky Derby they allowed Dominguez to take a another mount in the Great American RAce.  He will be riding Monba in the 2008 Kentucky Derby.

 

Prediction:  Gabe is a good rider in Maryland and Jones uses him a lot when Dominguez isn't around.  Jones said about his jockey, "I fell very confident every time I put Gabe on a horse."  I really like this horse as he can come off the pass and fly home in more than half of his races.  The only thing I don't like is Dominguez is not going to ride him.  Saez is a good jockey in the Maryland circuit, but he is racing with the big boys now.  Remember, Jones had Hard spun last year in the Kentucky  Derby and almost went wire to wire, running second to Street Sense who had a perfect trip.  I would use this horse in your exacta and triples as he is going to go off at a huge price and has a decent shot.  If you have some extra money, play him across the board.

 

 Check out the Kentucky Derby Betting Odds at bodoglife.com.

 

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