Your best "top pick" Derby selection from the past

[Buffymommy]

Originally Posted by Cardus

Didn't he have a great battle against Behrens in the 1998 Stephen Foster?

LOVED THAT RACE! Probably one of the best IMO.

[ddthetide]

lion heart
bellamy road/afleet alex
sweetnorthernsaint

[NTamm1215]

Originally Posted by Cardus

I picked up on him in Arkansas. I figured that any horse who won the Laurel Futurity -- which in 1997 was at 1 1/8 on the dirt -- loved longer distances.

He was awesome!

Lost in the 1998 BC Classic was his near miss (4th, one length) off of a long layoff (Travers Stakes).

Didn't he have a great battle against Behrens in the 1998 Stephen Foster?

The great battle you're talking about was the 1999 Whitney Handicap at Saratoga and it was a terrific race. Unfortunately, VG was injured a few days later, blowing the handicap division wide-open, allowing Cat Thief to become one of the worst BC Classic winners ever three months later.

NT

[shanej974]

I've been betting the Derby since 1990 and I'm 2 for 17.

Go For Gin - 1994
Monarchos - 2001

To save myself some embarrassment I'll refrain from posting the other 15 'top' picks.

[GPK]

War Emblem
Giacomo
Smarty
Barbaro

[fpsoxfan]

My one and only winner....Thunder Gulch - 1995...
I need to break this horrible streak!!!!!!

[horseofcourse]

These are the only correct Derby winners I selected to win since 1980...

Pleasant Colony
Sunny's Halo
Swale
Alysheba
Strike the Gold

5 for 27...awesome and I'm obviously getting worse with age.

[Buffymommy]

Originally Posted by NTamm1215

The great battle you're talking about was the 1999 Whitney Handicap at Saratoga and it was a terrific race. Unfortunately, VG was injured a few days later, blowing the handicap division wide-open, allowing Cat Thief to become one of the worst BC Classic winners ever three months later.

NT

I was mad. I got tickets to that BC just so I could see VG. I still went though.

My mom was the big winner that day having Cat Thief.

[Buffymommy]

Originally Posted by Cardus

I said to a friend of mine about 15 minutes to post of the Classic, "If every bettor in America was me, Cat Thief would have no money on him to win."

We made her buy dinner on the way home. Spent all of her winnings.

[Withers]

I only 'returned' to horse racing in 2002 after a ten-year hiatus.

I picked War Emblem that year, and Smarty in 2004, and that's it. I liked Buddy Gil in 2003 (gelding angle, but the wrong gelding), Afleet Alex in 2005, and I hadn't a clue last year...This year I also expect to be clueless -- how do you pick out of this group? Heck, I don't even know which five to activate for RTTR.

[Buffymommy]

Originally Posted by Cardus

Was it MacD's or prime rib for everyone?

I believe it was italian food.

[SundayStar]

spend a buck
real quiet
smarty jones

[Indian Charlie]

My first derby was 1985.

My winners:

1985 Spend a Buck
1986 Ferdinand. I only bet him because everyone in southern california bet him because of the stupid dosage and experimental highweight angle. My main horse was snow chief
1987 alysheba
1988 winning colors
1991 strike the gold
2000 fusaichi pegasus
2006 barbaro

in 1998 though, i got 150/1 on indian charlie a few days after he broke his maiden at dmr (in 1997 as a 2yo). that was a painful derby for me!

in 2001 i got 150/1 again on a baffert horse, congaree, shortly after he broke his maiden in around february or so as a 3yo.

of the derbies i did hit, i thought barbaro and alysheba were the 2 most obvious going to win horses.

[SilverRP]

Silver Charm and Monarchos. I think I'm due.

[Hickory Hill Hoff]

Originally Posted by Indian Charlie

My first derby was 1985.

My winners:

1985 Spend a Buck
1986 Ferdinand. I only bet him because everyone in southern california bet him because of the stupid dosage and experimental highweight angle. My main horse was snow chief
1987 alysheba
1988 winning colors
1991 strike the gold
2000 fusaichi pegasus
2006 barbaro

in 1998 though, i got 150/1 on indian charlie a few days after he broke his maiden at dmr (in 1997 as a 2yo). that was a painful derby for me!

in 2001 i got 150/1 again on a baffert horse, congaree, shortly after he broke his maiden in around february or so as a 3yo.

of the derbies i did hit, i thought barbaro and alysheba were the 2 most obvious going to win horses.

Is it me or does that picture of the Pope look evil???

[cal828]

Strike the Gold
Charismatic
Funnycide/Empire Maker/Peace Rules Exacta Box
Smarty Jones

[AeWingnut]

Monarchos/ Invisible Ink

keyed Inky in all my bets. Friend asked me who I liked then put $50 to win on him. I said "to hit the board" not to win silly

Funny Cide was almost as easy as Silver Charm
I liked Free House (rip big guy) I didn't bet him to show and he paid $10 to show. grrr.

oh and had a little something on Charismatic.

other than that I stink big time.

[packerbacker7964]

I hate to brag because I've had great Luck picking Derby winners 8 for 13 to be exact.I'm not so lucky picking the 2nd and 3rds with them.I had a great start 1992-1996 were all mine Sea Hero, Lil E Tee, Go for Gin, Thunder Gulch and Grindstone. I cooled off a few years then stated back in 97 with Captain Bodget 2nd, 00 with Fu Peg, 01 Monarchos and Smarty Jones in 04. If the Derby has a pickable winner most years I'm in the mix then some bombs hit and I'm left out in the cold.

[Rileyoriley]

1991 Strike The Gold
1992 Casual Lies (2nd)
1995 Thunder Gulch
1997 Silver Charm
2000 FuPeg

[SentToStud]

I think I bet Riva Ridge to win.

Seems a lot of people here had Thunder Gulch. Horse paid $52 or so.