LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Todd Pletcher has four horses entered in the 144th Kentucky Derby on Saturday at Churchill Downs, but as the draw for the race unfolded on Tuesday he was beginning to wonder if they had been put in the Witness Protection Program.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Luis Saez is like any other jockey – he’d be overjoyed to win the Kentucky Derby. And with the mount on undefeated Magnum Moon in the 144th Derby, Saez stands as good a chance as any to be surrounded by roses Saturday evening at Churchill Downs.

Victory, however, would come with a certain bittersweet tinge. A part of Saez will be sad that his late younger brother, Juan, will not be able to share in his elation – nor have the same type of opportunity for himself.

“I want to win the race for him,” Saez said.

A day after morning-line favorite Monomoy Girl had her chances of winning the Kentucky Oaks lessened when she drew post 14 for the Kentucky Oaks, Tuesday’s draw for the Kentucky Derby proved of far lesser consequence, at least for many of the race’s leading contenders.

It’s tough assessing this year’s Derby with so little seemingly separating a half-dozen or so top contenders. The main question, from a wagering standpoint, is obviously justifying taking a short price on Justify, who may well be the most talented member of this bunch but perhaps not worth the short price his unblemished record and all the hype surrounding his sudden rise to stardom is sure to bring, especially considering his inexperience.

BOLT D’ORO seems the Kentucky Derby contender most likely to offer betting value. Despite being fast and accomplished, he lacks the pre-race buzz of other horses, likely the result of coming off a loss in his final prep and being overshadowed in the media build-up.

GOOD MAGIC enters Kentucky Derby 2018 without a flaw. He has established class, upward figures, versatile running style, and reportedly is training super in Kentucky. He was one of the country’s top 2-year-olds last year when he crushed the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile in his third start. The Derby, likewise, is the third start of his campaign, and it follows a confidence-building victory in the Blue Grass. Good Magic has a solid racing foundation, and his versatile style increases the chances of a clean trip.

Historically, horses exiting the UAE Derby haven’t fared well at Churchill Downs on the first Saturday in May, but things could be different in 2018. MENDELSSOHN was exceptional when winning this year’s UAE Derby on March 31 at Meydan, scoring by more than 18 lengths for trainer Aidan O’Brien. While it’s true that Mendelssohn took advantage of a speed-favoring strip, there are other reasons to believe his talent is uncommon and he possesses the ability to win the Kentucky Derby.

JUSTIFY enters this Derby as the favorite with some things working against him from a seasoning standpoint, but his overall talent seems undeniable and his three starts are all faster than anything most of his competition has managed to run. He did get loose on the lead when posting that top figure in the Santa Anita Derby, but he didn’t exactly walk up there, and he turned away one of the better horses in this crop with little fuss in the stretch.

No group of racehorses goes under a stronger microscope than the field for the Kentucky Derby. But even under the heaviest scrutiny, many things remain unknown about the entries until they cross the finish line.

One of the biggest variables that can only be forecasted at this point is the ability to handle the Derby’s 1 1/4-mile distance. It’s a distance no horse in the field has faced, and one that many in the field will never see again in competition.

ELMONT, N.Y. – When trainer Chad Brown made his first appearance in the Kentucky Derby, he had won a grand total of one graded stakes race on dirt. That was in 2013.

Five years later, as he prepares to make his fourth appearance in the Kentucky Derby, Brown has won 44 graded stakes races on dirt, including the Preakness, Breeders’ Cup Juvenile, Champagne, Hopeful, and Cigar Mile. Oh, and he’s also won the last two Eclipse Awards as the nation’s outstanding trainer.