In deep pool, favorite merits the bet for Kentucky Derby

As always, there is great anticipation for the Kentucky Derby, one of the most popular betting events on the calendar.

But the 141st Run for the Roses has serious horseplayers giddy with the prospects of a truly memorable race. As we prepare for today’s event at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Ky., it appears a deep pool of talented 3-year-olds are ready to take a run at immortality.

Bob Baffert is the trainer in the catbird seat with the 5-2 morning-line favorite, No. 18 American Pharoah, and the second choice, No. 8 Dortmund (3-1), as he seeks his fourth Derby win.

American Pharoah’s romp to victory in the Arkansas Derby was scintillating. Jockey Victor Espinoza was along for the ride, just chirping at his charge while throttling down at the wire. It’s scary to think what’s really under the hood for the son of Pioneer of the Nile. We will find out at 3:24 p.m. when the bell rings.

Dortmund, the Santa Anita Derby champion, has shown the willingness to not shy away from a fight. He does have a win over this surface, which is a plus. Martin Garcia is Baffert’s go-to rider, but I’m convinced he would love to be aboard American Pharoah.

There are price plays that merit strong consideration. A good place to start is with Frosted, the No. 15 horse at 15-1 morning-line odds and a viable option when searching for a way to boost the exotics.

Frosted swooped the field in the Wood Memorial at Aqueduct, racing four wide the entire way around the track. Visually it was a special effort, with Joel Rosario sitting chilly in the irons. He also closed stoutly into slow fractions and drew off for the easy score.

There is no doubt that the fractions will be significantly quicker in the Derby, and he will be rolling late. Rosario’s presence is a plus. Jockeys who know how to win this specific race should not be dismissed easily.

The post position draw annually deals top-flight connections a bad hand. This year, trainer Todd Pletcher got the worst of the draw, with Carpe Diem breaking from post 2 and the lightly raced Materiality from post 3. These talented runners are not complete throwouts, but the run by the grandstand for the first time will find them in a fight for position that can take a severe toll on them late.

I believe Materiality has more upside than Carpe Diem, but he’s trying to buck the longstanding trend of unraced 2-year-olds not winning the Derby since 1882. I think Materiality is such a raw talent that he can hit the board.

This is a challenging 20-horse race to predict, and it’s time to reveal what I’ll be betting at the window.

I hate to be a chalk eater, but American Pharoah has my vote, with Frosted given a chance to track him down.

This race always presents a shot at a big score. Underneath in trifecta and superfecta wagers, I’ll be using Materiality, Dortmund and International Star to pick up the scraps.

It would be nice to see several horses in the deep stretch fighting for the win as opposed to the runaway winner that seems to be the norm.

This could be an exceptional Triple Crown series that features some budding rivalries, beginning with a memorable run for big money at Churchill Downs.

Brian Blessing (Sportsbookradio.com) is a Las Vegas radio host and handicapper. Follow him on Twitter: @BrianBlessing.