Hurricane Lane is one of four leading contenders for Saturday’s Group 1 English Derby at Epsom Racecourse with an unbeaten record this year. Trained by Charlie Appleby for Godolphin Racing, Hurricane Lane vaulted into the upper list of English Derby candidates with a win in a key prep, the Group 2 Dante Stakes at 1 5/16 miles at York Racecourse on May 13. Hurricane Lane has progressed with each start in his three-race career and has already played the role of spoiler. In the Dante Stakes, Hurricane Lane beat a field that included the highly regarded colt High Definition, trained by Aidan O’Brien. :: Bet the races with confidence on DRF Bets. You're one click away from the only top-rated betting platform fully integrated with exclusive data, analysis, and expert picks. High Definition is a notable absence from the list of 12 runners in the English Derby, but O’Brien still has a strong favorite with Bolshoi Ballet, the easy winner of two Group 3 stakes at 1 1/4 miles in Ireland since late April. As of Thursday, Bolshoi Ballet was 11-10 in early betting, while Hurricane Lane was 9-1. The Newmarket stakes winners Mohaafeth (13-2) and John Leeper (15-2) are unbeaten this year and are well regarded prospects for the English Derby along with 15-2 Mac Swiney, the winner of the Group 1 Irish 2000 Guineas at a mile on May 22. History favors Bolshoi Ballet and Hurricane Lane. O’Brien has won the race a record eight times, including six of the last 10 runnings. O’Brien can win English Derby for the third consecutive year if Bolshoi Ballet is successful. Top jockey Ryan Moore rides Bolshoi Ballet, who overwhelmed six rivals with a six-length win in the Group 3 Derby Trial Stakes at Leopardstown on May 9. Mac Swiney was fourth and won the 2000 Guineas 13 days later. Hurricane Lane won his 2021 debut in an allowance race at 1 1/4 miles at Newbury on April 16 and won the Dante Stakes by three-quarters of a length over Magallan after a stern duel through the stretch. “For me, he is a live contender,” Appleby said told Epsom publicists on Thursday. “He had a good race in the Dante and we felt he definitely came forward for his Newbury run. Since the Dante, we have just tried to keep him in that same place and it’s so far so good.” William Buick will ride Hurricane Lane. He teamed with Godolphin and Appleby to win the 2018 English Derby with 16-1 Masar. A win from John Leeper or Mohaafeth would not be a surprise even though they have not raced in group-level stakes. John Leeper, trained by Ed Dunlop, has won both of his starts this year, the most recent of which was the Fairway Stakes at 1 1/4 miles at Newmarket on May 15 in his stakes debut. John Leeper is by the legendary racehorse Frankel and is out of Snow Fairy, a Group 1 winner in Great Britain, Hong Kong, Ireland, and Japan. Snow Fairy won the 2010 English Oaks at Epsom. Mohaafeth, trained by William Haggas, is unbeaten in three starts in 2021, and won his stakes debut in the Newmarket Stakes at 1 1/4 miles on May 1.