The term contender is relative when it comes to this year's Derby in a race that is as wide open as we have seen in recent years. Classic Empire opens up as a slight favorite at 4-1 in the morning line odds. He had been an early favorite for the Derby but a foot abscess slowed him down during the prep season. He had a disappointing third-place showing in the Holy Bull but bounced back with a victory at the Arkansas Derby in what turned into a must-win race for the horse to qualify for Churchill Downs. Two horses are tied for second in the opening odds, Always Dreaming and McCraken, at 5-1. Always Dreaming is coming off a Florida Derby victory which in recent history has produced the most Derby winners. McCraken had won four straight races prior to finishing third in the Blue Grass. The horse did battle an ankle injury that forced him to miss the Tampa Bay Derby. Irish War Cry is fourth in the odds at 6-1. The horse has won four of his last five races but his seventh-place finish in the Fountain of Youth has many questioning whether he has what it takes to win the Derby. Unlike some years where there are only three or four horses expected to compete for a Derby victory, most horses in the field have a chance to find the Winner's Circle in Saturday's race. Heavy is here to breakdown the leading contenders and rank our top horses heading into Churchill Downs. The horses are listed in order from least to greatest. Click the arrow on the right side of the middle of the page to see Heavy's rankings of the top 2017 Kentucky Derby contending horses. (Getty)
No. 7 Gunnevera
Odds: 15-1
Jockey: Javier Castellano
Trainer: Antonio Sano
Outlook: Gunnevera's best performance this year came at the Fountain of Youth in March where he found the Winner's Circle. He finished 3rd at the Florida Derby and 2nd at the Holy Bull. The horse has solid top speed numbers of 97 Beyer Speed Figures and 102 Bris Speed Ratings. Gunnevera does have one of the top jockeys in Javier Castellano, but Castellano has been unable to get a Derby win despite his storied career. Gunnevera was purchased for just $16,000 and has already outperformed expectations. (Getty)
No. 6 Gormley
Odds: 15-1
Jockey: Victor Espinoza
Trainer: John A. Shirreffs
Outlook: Gormley is coming off a Santa Anita Derby victory. The horse rebounded from a disappointing fourth-place finish in the San Felipe Stakes. The horse also won January's Sham Stakes. Gormley has the advantage of experienced jockey Victor Espinoza (pictured above) who along with Mario Gutierrez has won four of the last five Kentucky Derby races. Trainer John Shirreffs trained 2005 Kentucky Derby winner Giacomo. The horse's speed is not bad, but it is not elite. Gormley's experienced rider along with his favorable race performances put him in the conversation as a dark horse candidate. (Getty)
No. 5 McCraken
Odds: 5-1
Jockey: Brian Hernandez Jr.
Trainer: Ian Wilkes
Outlook: McCraken does not have the speed of some of the other horses, but this is also a field that is not particularly fast. He is coming off a third-place finish at the Blue Grass Stakes which does not bode well for his Derby chances. According to Maxim, the last six Derby winners have won their final prep race. McCraken had won his previous four races prior to the Blue Grass including a win at the Sam F. Davis Stakes. The horse did have an ankle injury that kept him out of the Tampa Bay Derby. One thing the horse has on its side, he is undefeated at Churchill Downs. (Getty)
No. 4 Classic Empire
Odds: 4-1
Jockey: Julien Leparoux
Trainer: Mark Casse
Outlook: Which Classic Empire will we see at Churchill Downs? It has been a difficult Road to the Kentucky Derby for the horse. A foot abscess sidelined the horse in addition to back issues. Classic Empire headed into the Arkansas Derby needing a great finish to head to Churchill Downs. He did just that by winning the race in an impressive come-from-behind victory. It marked his first victory since November 2016. After a disappointing outing in the Holy Bull, the horse looks to be back to his peak form. Classic Empire's best speed time is the highest of any horse in the field. He has a 102 Beyer Speed Figure and 108 Bris Speed Rating. His inconsistencies during the prep season along with his injuries cause us to fade the favorite. (Getty)
No. 3 Hence
Odds: 15-1
Jockey: Florent Geroux
Trainer: Steve Asmussen
Outlook: All indications are Hence has had a strong week of practice at Churchill Downs. Hence is being dubbed as the horse of the "wise guys" but for good reason. According to Brisnet, he has the highest Bris Speed Rating in his last outing at 103. Hence is either well-rested or has potential for rust depending on how you look at it. He has not raced since his March 26 victory at the Sunland Derby. Steve Asmussen is an experienced trainer with 13 Kentucky Derby entries over his career. However, he has not been particularly successful in the Derby. Hence's speed combined with his practice outings make him my sleeper pick as a dark horse contender in this year's Derby. (Getty)
No. 2 Irish War Cry
Odds: 6-1
Jockey: Rajiv Maragh
Trainer: H. Graham Motion
Outlook: Irish War Cry has won four of his last five races. The one outlier was a puzzling 7th place finish in the Fountain of Youth. His most recent win came in early-April at the Wood Memorial and he also won the Holy Bull. Irish War Cry is one of the fastest horses in this year's race. Here's how his fastest times score out in the various systems: 101 (Beyer Speed Figure), 102 (Bris Speed Ratings) and 118 (Timeform US). Trainer H. Graham Motion knows what it is like to train a winning Derby horse. He won in 2011 with Animal Kingdom and is hoping for a repeat performance in 2017. (Getty)
No. 1 Always Dreaming
Odds: 5-1
Jockey: John Velazquez
Trainer: Todd Pletcher
Outlook: According to OddsShark, the Florida Derby has produced the most winning horses of any prep race over the past 15 years with four Derby winners. Always Dreaming won the Florida Derby, and the race was not close. The horse was also victorious in March's AlwOC race. Trainer Todd Pletcher (pictured above) gets criticized for his lack of Kentucky Derby wins, but Pletcher has enjoyed some success at Churchill Downs. While Pletcher has only had one winning horse, he has the second most starts at the Kentucky Derby of any trainer in the history of the race. Always Dreaming also has the benefit of having a winning rider. Jockey John Velazquez won the Kentucky Derby in 2011 and has competed 14 times in the race. Always Dreaming is coming off his fastest race with a 97 Beyer Speed Figure and 102 Bris Speed Rating. It looks like he is peaking at the right time and is our pick to win the Kentucky Derby. (Getty)
Kentucky Derby Contenders 2017: Predictions for Best Horses