Sir Dragonet leads O'Brien's English Derby brigade

Trainer Aidan O’Brien has the favorite for Saturday’s Group 1 English Derby at Epsom. And the second favorite, fourth favorite, and sixth favorite. What O’Brien has is a veritable army of Derby runners – seven of the 14 entered in one of the world’s top races.

As O’Brien seeks his seventh Derby one is forced to remember that none of his entrants can be totally dismissed, since O’Brien got his sixth Derby with 40-1 shot Wings of Eagles in 2017. Wings of Eagles was ridden to that shocking victory by Padraig Beggy, who on Saturday gets the mount on another 40-1 O’Brien charge, Sovereign. Norway is a 20-1 chance in betting as of Thursday, Circus Maximus is 16-1, Japan 10-1, Anthony Van Dyck 6-1, Broome 9-2, and Sir Dragonet the early favorite at 3-1.

There are, believe it or not, horses from other yards that can win this 1 ½-mile tilt over Epsom’s funky course, which is undulating, left-handed, and highlighted by infamous Tattenham Corner, the sharp bend into a long home straight that runs generally downhill until a final 100-meter uphill finish.

Sir Dragonet already has conquered one quirky track, tight-turning Chester, where he unveiled his vast potential winning the Chester Vase on May 8 by a whopping eight lengths. It was not just the margin but the manner of Sir Dragonet’s victory that was so eye-catching. Making just his second start, the Camelot colt was held up in last before descending on six foes, including Norway, with a powerful final three furlongs that bludgeoned the opposition. Donnacha O’Brien rode Sir Dragonet that day but is on Broome at Epsom Downs as Ryan Moore takes the mount on Sir Dragonet. O’Brien has won the Derby before with a Chester Vase winner, Ruler of The World in 2013, but since O’Brien wins the Vase almost every year, that tidbit shouldn’t be overrated.

Broome was a solid if unspectacular 2-year-old, winning once in five starts, and has been kept at home in Ireland for two Derby preps this spring, both easy wins at Leopardstown. He’s by Australia, while Anthony Van Dyck is by O’Brien’s first Derby winner Galileo. Anthony Van Dyck wasn’t quite up to the class of Too Darn Hot and Quorto last season before flopping in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf, but has upside in his second start this year. Japan, another Galileo, also rates a look off what might have been a very useful fourth May 16 in the Dante Stakes at York, his first start at age 3.

The Dante winner is Telecaster, who turned away the previously unbeaten Too Darn Hot to post a one-length win impressive enough that his connections supplemented him to the Derby. Telecaster debuted at 10 furlongs earlier this year and was second to the capable Bangkok. He has won both his subsequent starts, and can win the Epsom Derby even if his trainer, Hughie Morrison, is not named Aidan O’Brien.