Kentucky Derby: Who's hot, who's not for Feb. 7, 2018

WHO’S HOT

Kentucky Derby-winning trainers Bob Baffert (Ax Man, McKinzie, Mourinho, and Solomini) and Todd Pletcher (Audible, Magnum Moon, and Noble Indy) have the most members of the inaugural Derby Watch top 20. Three trainers – Steve Asmussen (Combatant and Principe Guilherme), Kiaran McLaughlin (Avery Island and Enticed), and Dale Romans (Free Drop Billy and Tiz Mischief) – have two runners each. The influence of D. Wayne Lukas (Sporting Chance) looms large, as he or his former assistants Mark Hennig (Strike Power), McLaughlin, and Pletcher combined for seven of the 20 runners.

:: DERBY WATCH: Top 20 list | Derby Watch: Good Magic, Bolt d'Oro at head of class

WHO’S NOT

Doug O’Neill, a two-time Derby winner, is among the high-profile trainers who do not have any top-ranked Derby contenders. The Chad Brown-trained Mask had tentatively made an early list compiled by the Derby Watch executive committee late last month, but his recent training setback took him off the final version of the inaugural list.

ON THE BUBBLE

Snapper Sinclair, third last time out in the Lecomte Stakes, is the first also-eligible, so if he comes back with a big effort in the Risen Star on Feb. 17 at Fair Grounds he’d go right on the list. Hollywood Star will bid for inclusion on the list when he takes on Derby Watch top 20 member Catholic Boy in this week’s lone points-scoring race, the Sam Davis on Saturday at Tampa Bay Downs.

:: ROAD TO THE KENTUCKY DERBY: Prep races, point standings, replays, and analysis