Derby field to be open

Associated Press

A combination of major upsets and minor injuries have turned what appeared to be a strong Kentucky Derby field into a wide-open affair.

One-time top contender Uncle Mo finished third in the Wood Memorial as the 1-10 favorite, and is recovering from a gastrointestinal infection. His Derby status remains questionable.

The Factor wasn’t one in the Arkansas Derby, finishing seventh as the 4-5 top choice.

Other Derby hopefuls, including To Honor and Serve, Premier Pegasus and Jaycito, have been sidelined with assorted ailments.

So, with less than two weeks before the Derby, the role of No. 1 on the AP’s final Top 10 list of Derby contenders falls to Dialed In.

The lightly raced, 3-year-old colt trained by two-time Derby winner Nick Zito ran himself into the top spot by winning the Florida Derby by a head over Shackleford on April 3.

Since then, Uncle Mo’s unbeaten record ended in the Wood; favorite Premier Pegasus, followed by new favorite Jaycito were scratched from the Santa Anita Derby; The Factor ran seventh in Arkansas; and 2-1 choice favorite Santiva finished ninth in the Blue Grass Stakes.

Neither the Lexington Stakes nor the Jerome Stakes produced a Derby contender over the weekend, leaving the rest of this week’s Top 10 unchanged.

Risen Star winner Mucho Macho Man is No. 2, with Wood winner Toby’s Corner at No. 3, followed by Uncle Mo and Arkansas Derby winner Archarcharch.

A little history, though, says a horse doesn’t have to win a final prep race to win the Kentucky Derby. Since Strike the Gold won the Blue Grass followed by the Derby in 1991, only six others have completed the final prep-Derby double.