Horse-by-Horse Capsules Horses are listed in order of post position.

--Pick a Horse-- Johannesberg Wild Horses Perfect Drift Lusty Latin War Emblem Ocean Sound Request for Parole Essence of Dubai Medaglia D'Oro Buddha Private Emblem Castle Gandolfo Proud Citizen Harlan's Holiday Came Home Saarland Danthebluegrassman It'sallinthechase Easy Grades Blue Burner

1. JOHANNESBURG Jockey: Gary Stevens Trainer: Aidan P. O'Brien Odds: 6-1 Outlook: Johannesburg won the Breeders' Cup Juvenile, and that's not necessarily a good thing, since none of the 18 previous Juvenile winners claimed the Derby. ... Could have been the first horse to win the Derby undefeated since Seattle Slew in 1977 but was second in Ireland's Irish Gladness Stakes last month in his only start as a 3-year old. Since 1955 on six horses have entered the Derby with one 3-year-old start. The best finish was a sixth-place finish by China Visit in 2000.

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2. WILD HORSES Jockey: Rene Douglas Trainer: Todd Pletcher Odds: 50-1 Outlook: The Arkansas Derby runner-up is second-to-last in the 20-horse field with $142,400 in earnings over five races. ... He won on a sloppy track at Fairgrounds in March, then was second at Turfway Park and Arkansas. ... Owned by Peachtree Stable and trained by Todd Pletcher, the team that sent Invisible Ink to second place in last year's Derby.

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3. PERFECT DRIFT Jockey: Eddie Delahoussaye Trainer: Murray Johnson Odds: 15-1 Outlook: Enters the Derby off a six-week layoff, following his win at the Grade II Lane's End Spiral Stakes. ... Has three wins and three second-place finishes in six lifetime starts, winning at 1 1/8 miles and twice at 6 1/2 furlongs. ... One of two horses trying to snap the 73-year-old gelding drought at the Derby since Clyde Van Dusen won at Churchill Downs.

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4. LUSTY LATIN Jockey: Glenn Corbett Trainer: Jeff Mullins Odds: 30-1 Outlook: Son of El Prado was claimed for $62,500 in November. Six races and a win later, he was a hard-charging third at the Santa Anita Derby. ... Owned by Wendy and Joey Platts. ... Each of his last eight races have been at least a mile, and he has finished outside the money just twice.

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5. WAR EMBLEM Jockey: Victor Espinoza Trainer: Bob Baffert Odds: 20-1 Outlook: Gate-to-wire victory at the Grade II Illinois Derby at Sportsman's Park sent this colt to the Derby and to the barn of Bob Baffert after he was bought by Prince Ahmed bin Salman. ... Has won his last two races at 1 1/8 miles and one mile, respectively, and four of seven lifetime starts.

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6. OCEAN SOUND Jockey: Alex Solis Trainer: James Cassidy Odds: 50-1 Outlook: The other half of the Irish contigent has won just one of his 12 lifetime starts, and that came nearly a year ago at six furlongs. ... Was second at the Grade III Rebel Stakes, then almost caught Booklet at the Grade I Blue Grass. ... Owned by the team of Jim Ford, the K M Stable of Kelly Mikules, and Deron Pearson.

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7. REQUEST FOR PAROLE Jockey: Robby Albarado Trainer: Ken McPeek Odds: 20-1 Outlook: Has been off since finishing third in the Lane's End Spiral Stakes six weeks ago. ... Had won his previous two starts at Turfway Park, edging Perfect Drift by a nose and 1 1/2 lengths at distances of 1 1/16 and one mile, respectively. ... Has been in the money in nine of 10 lifetime races, including four wins.

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8. ESSENCE OF DUBAI Jockey: David Flores Trainer: Saeed bin Suroor Odds: 15-1 Outlook: Although he's 15-1, the son of Pulpit is the only horse in the field to have won at 1 1/4 miles, doing so in his last start in the United Arab Emirates. ... Has won his last two starts and four of six lifetime for more than $1.5 million in graded earnings -- the most in the field. ... Owned by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al Maktoum.

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9. MEDAGLIA D'ORO Jockey: Laffit Pincay Jr. Trainer: Bobby Frankel Odds: 6-1 Outlook: After winning his stakes debut at Santa Anita's Grade II San Felipe Stakes, the El Prado colt battled Buddha down the stretch in the Wood Memorial and lost by a head. ... Laffit Pincay Jr. rode him in each of his last two trips. ... Owned by Edmund Gann, who purchased the horse following his maiden win at Arkansas in February.

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10. BUDDHA -- SCRATCHED Jockey: Pat Day Trainer: H. James Bond Odds: 5-1 Outlook: Buddha, the Wood Memorial winner and one of the favorites to win the Kentucky Derby, has a bruised foot and won't run in Saturday's race. The gray colt came out of his stall early Friday morning favoring his left front foot, and a disappointed H. James Bond knew what had to be done with his "special" horse. One of two horses in the field with blood lines to Kiss A Native and Native Dancer. Two of the last seven Derby winners -- Thunder Gulch in 1995 and Fusiachi Pegasus in 2000 -- had the same lineage. ... Son of Unbridled's Song won the Wood Memorial in his first stakes race. It was his third straight victory in four lifetime starts.

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11. PRIVATE EMBLEM Jockey: Donnie Meche Trainer: Steve Asmussen Odds: 20-1 Outlook: Son of Our Emblem will try to become the first New York-bred Derby winner. ... Had an impressive win at the Arkansas Derby, besting runner-up Wild Horses by 4 1/2 lengths. ... Has won four of seven lifetime starts and been in the money each time, placing second twice and third once. ... Owner-trainer tandem brought Fifty Stars to 2001 Derby.

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12. CASTLE GANDOLFO Jockey: Jerry Bailey Trainer: Aidan P. O'Brien Odds: 20-1 Outlook: Inexperienced Irish horse has had only one start this year, winning a mile race in Britain last month for his third victory in five lifetime starts -- the other two were runner-up finishes. ... Went 1 1/4 miles as a 2-year old last year in France. ... His name is from the Pope's summer palace outside Rome.

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13. PROUD CITIZEN Jockey: Mike Smith Trainer: D. Wayne Lukas Odds: 30-1 Outlook: All but sent to the sidelines following his seventh-place showing over 1 1/8 miles at Santa Anita, he won the Keeneland's Coolmore Lexington Stakes two weeks later -- his only two races of the year. ... Also won at 5 1/2 furlongs at Belmont last June.

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14. HARLAN'S HOLIDAY Jockey: Edgar Prado Trainer: Ken McPeek Odds: 9-2 Outlook: Has turned heads in recent weeks with Grade I wins at the Florida Derby and Blue Grass Stakes in his last two starts. ... Each of his 10 starts have come since last June and none have resulted in worse than a runner-up finish. ... Second to Booklet twice at Gulfstream early this year. Four of his wins have come with Derby entrants Ocean Sound, Blue Burner and Request for Parole in the field.

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15. CAME HOME Jockey: Chris McCarron Trainer: Paco Gonzalez Odds: 5-1 Outlook: Aptly named horse was sent to various sales by co-owners John Toffan and Trudy McCaffery, who found no takers. ... Has won six of his seven lifetime starts, including the last three at Santa Anita, where Easy Grades was an overwhelmed second both times. ... Chris McCarron has rode this horse for each of his seven races, including wins ranging from five furlongs to 1 1/8 miles.

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16. SAARLAND Jockey: John Velazquez Trainer: Shug McGaughey III Odds: 15-1 Outlook: Regally bred colt by Unbridled out of the mare Versailles Treaty was a disappointing fourth at the Wood. ... Underwent recent throat surgery. ... Has won two of seven lifetime starts -- at Aquaduct over 1 1/8 miles in November and Belmont over a mile in September. ... Owned by Cynthia Phipps, the daughter of breeding king Ogden Phipps, who died last week.

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17. DANTHEBLUEGRASSMAN -- SCRATCHED Jockey: Kent Desormeaux Trainer: Bob Baffert Odds: 50-1 Outlook: A last-minute entrant by Baffert. ... Was eighth, 11 lengths behind Came Home at the Santa Anita Derby after six straight finishes in the money. ... Won the Golden Gate Derby by a nose in January for his second straight win and second in two months at 1 1/16 miles.

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18. IT'SALLINTHECHASE Jockey: Eddie Martin Jr. Trainer: Wilson Brown Odds: 50-1 Outlook: Son of Take Me Out finished ninth in the Arkansas Derby, but owner Darwin Olson and trainer Wilson Brown still decided to bring him to Chruchill Downs. ... One of the longest shots on the board, with earnings approaching just $200,000 in 14 lifetime starts. ... Has been in three races involving Derby entrants, finishing eighth, ninth and 10th.

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19. EASY GRADES Jockey: Jorge Chavez Trainer: Ted H. West Odds: 20-1 Outlook: Another horse trying to snap the gelding Derby drought, this son of Honor Grades has yet to win a stakes race but has posted two solid seconds to Came Home. ... In five starts, has one win -- on turf at Santa Anita in January -- and three runner-up finishes, earning some $230,000.

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20. BLUE BURNER Jockey: Pat Day (for Corey Nakatani) Trainer: Bill Mott Odds: 30-1 Outlook: Owned by New York Yankees boss George Steinbrenner. ... Like Buddha, has blood lines to Kiss A Native and Native Dancer. ... Was a disappointing fifth at the Wood after finishing second to Harlan's Holiday at the Florida Derby. ... Son of French Deputy has earned nearly $300,000 in six lifetime starts, winning his first three -- two by original trainer John Tammaro III.

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