IEAH Stables and Paul Pompa Jr.’s undefeated Big Brown was installed as the 3-1 morning line favorite over 19 rivals for the 134th running of the Kentucky Derby (GI), the first leg of Thoroughbred racing’s Triple Crown, at Churchill Downs on Saturday, May 3.

Fox Hill Farms’ Eight Belles, the lone filly who will Run for the Roses, brings a 4-race winning streak into her first match-up against males. In the long Kentucky Derby history, only three fillies have managed to win: Regret (1915), Genuine Risk (1980) and Winning Colors (1988).

The full field of Saturday’s 2008 Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs with jockeys, weight and morning line odds line up as follows:

1. Cool Coal Man under jockey Julien Leparoux carries 126 lbs. with odds of 20-1
2. Tale of Ekati under jockey Eibar Coa, 126 lbs., 15-1
3. Anak Nakal under jockey Rafael Bejarano, 126 lbs., 30-1
4. Court Vision under jockey Garrett Gomez, 126 lbs., 20-1
5. Eight Belles under jockey Gabriel Saez, 121 lbs., 20-1
6. Z Fortune under jockey Robby Albarado, 126 lbs., 15-1
7. Big Truck under jockey Javier Castellano, 126 lbs., 50-1
8. Visionaire under jockey Jose Lezcano, 126 lbs., 20-1
9. Pyro under jockey Shaun Bridgmohan, 126 lbs., 6-1
10. Colonel John under jockey Corey Nakatani, 126 lbs., 4-1
11. Z Humor under jockey Rene Douglas, 126 lbs., 30-1
12. Smooth Air under jockey Manoel Cruz, 126 lbs., 20-1
13. Bob Black Jack under jockey Richard Migliore, 126 lbs., 20-1
14. Monba under jockey Ramon Dominguez, 126 lbs., 15-1
15. Adriano under jockey Edgar Prado, 126 lbs., 30-1
16. Denis of Cork under jockey Calvin Borel, 126 lbs., 20-1
17. Cowboy Cal under jockey John John Velazquez, 126 lbs., 20-1
18. Recapturetheglory under jockey E. T. Baird, 126 lbs., 20-1
19. Gayego under jockey Mike Smith, 126 lbs., 15-1
20. Big Brown under jockey Kent Desormeaux , 126 lbs., 3-1

By GREG MELIKOV

My list of Top 10 contenders for the 134th Kentucky Derby has changed a bit as the 3-year-olds begin to arrive in Louisville. So Dave Letterman style, from the bottom, here we go again.

• Denis of Cork / Cowboy Cal
• Smooth Air
• Recapturetheglory
• Court Vision
• Tale of Ekati
• Monba
• Colonel John
• Gayego
• Pyro
• Big Brown

By GREG MELIKOV

The 134th Kentucky Derby is difficult to handicap for several reasons ranging from speed figures to varying track surfaces.

For instance, a dozen Kentucky Derby contenders won 14 key preps from February through April. The only two-time winners, Pyro and Colonel John, haven’t posted a triple-digit figure this year.

Pyro ran a dismal 10th in the Blue Grass on Keeneland’s Polytrack. The son of Pulpit and six other colts finished fifth or worse in their final prep. The last horse to triumph at Churchill Downs after running that poorly or worse in the final prep was Iron Liege, fifth in ‘57.

Colonel John is yet to run on the dirt. Nearly half of the prospective field had one or more preps on synthetic surfaces.

So what’s a handicapper to do?

The unbeaten colt in 3 starts and probable favorite in the Kentucky Derby, Big Brown, began Monday in Florida, where he rose to prominence with two victories at Gulfstream Park, and was scheduled to end the day in Kentucky at Churchill Downs.

Big Brown, owned by IEAH Stables and Paul Pompa Jr., is undefeated in three starts.

Big Brown will be ridden by Hall of Fame jockey Kent Desormeaux on Saturday’s 2008 Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs.

The Barclay Tagg-trained duo of Big Truck and Tale of Ekati were introduced to the Churchill Downs racetrack, home of the Kentucky Derby, Sunday morning during their respective 1 1/2-mile gallops under exercise rider Kristen Troxell.

“They both went really good. The nice cool weather has moved them up, and I think they like the change in surfaces,” said horse trainer Barclay Tagg, whose pair of 2008 Kentucky Derby entries arrived by van from Keeneland Saturday afternoon.

Eric Fein’s Big Truck, who will be ridden by Javier Castellano, is scheduled to work out on Monday, while Charles Fipke’s Tale of Ekati, who will have Eibar Coa aboard in the Kentucky Derby, is slated to work on Tuesday.

WinStar Farm’s multiple-stakes winner, Colonel John, registered a nifty five-furlong drill at Churchill Downs in his final major conditioner prior to his date in Saturday’s 134th Kentucky Derby.

The tall colt had exercise rider Karine Lhuillier attached for his move shortly after the renovation break and they proved quite a team on a clear and crisp morning. Breaking off at the five-eights pole, the son of Tiznow went right about his business and – without any serious urging from his rider – registered a time of :57.80, which was clearly the best of a total of 62 works at the distance.

By anyone’s accounting it was impressive, especially so in light of the fact the California-based youngster had raced and trained almost exclusively on synthetic surfaces in the Golden State since beginning his career at Del Mar last summer.

Colonel John will be handled in the 1 1/4-mile 2008 Kentucky Derby by California-based Corey Nakatani, who has been aboard in four of the colt’s six starts.

Moments after watching his 3-year-old colt Macho Again surge to victory in the $100,000 Derby Trial (gr. III) on Saturday at Churchill Downs, horse trainer Dallas Stewart turned to a track official and asked “can we get him in the Derby?”

Horse trainer Dallas Stewart was kidding, but Macho Again’s performance should erase any doubts about his ability.

Macho Again paid $14.20, $5.60 and $3.80 after covering the 7 1-2 furlongs in 1:28.45. Jockey Julien Leparoux, who guided Macho Again to victory in an allowance race at the Fair Grounds in February.

Kodiak Kowboy, ridden by jockey Corey Lanerie and trained by Steve Asmussen, paid $4.00 and $3.00.

Fujita, with Calvin Borel up, led briefly in the stretch before fading to third and paid $5.00 to show.