Odds on Pyro to win the Kentucky Derby still at 7/1

Odds on Pyro to win the Kentucky Derby still at 7/1 While the odds on the top two contenders change literally by the hour, the odds on Pyro to win the 2008 Kentucky Derby remain unchanged. At the online sportsbook BodogSports Pyro odds to win the Kentucky Derby remain at 7/1, while the official Churchill Downs odds makers have Pyro at 6/1 to win the Race for the Roses. Many factors work into the odds Pyro is currently holding (and likely to continue up until race day), including taking the arguably better post position at No.9, compared to his top competitors, graded earnings of $1,020,000, 7-3-2-1 race record and lets not forget that Pyro is trained by Steve Asmussen. With odds to win the Kentucky Derby sitting at 7/1 Pyro is hardly the top favorite, but considering the closest contender is at 15/1, Pyro remains a good bet for the race on Saturday. Is Pyro on the decline - with 7/1 odds to win the Kentucky Derby that could hardly be right.

Pyro is a son of Pulpit, the 1997 Blue Grass S. (G2) winner who led the Kentucky Derby (G1) field before fading to finish fourth behind Silver Charm. A son of Horse of the Year and multiple leading sire A.P. Indy (who is by 1977 Triple Crown winner Seattle Slew), Pulpit is the sire of more than 30 stakes winners, including several promising three-year-olds of the past such as Purge, Tapit, Essence of Dubai and Sky Mesa. Much was expected from these four on their attempts at the Triple Crown series, but they all disappointed, which could lead one to suspect that Pulpit's offspring are best suited to a mile distance. Pyro's dam, Wild Vision, won her lone start and is out of Carol's Wonder, who placed in a Grade 3 sprint in California. By Wild Again, Wild Vision is a full sister to the good miler Wild Wonder, whose biggest success came in the Mervyn Leroy H. (G2) at Hollywood Park. There is little distance influence in this female family, although broodmare sire Wild Again displayed stamina when defeating Gate Dancer and Slew O' Gold in the inaugural Breeders' Cup Classic (G1). Wild Again proved to be very successful at stud, siring more than 80 black-type winners, but as seen with some of his best runners such as Breeders' Cup Sprint (G1) winner Elmhurst and Metropolitan H. (G1) victor Wild Rush, it is no guarantee that Wild Again's stamina will be passed on.

Published on 05/01/2008