Racing Dudes Top 20 Kentucky Derby Rankings #13

4. McCraken

Derby Points/Rank: 40 – 16th

Race Record: (5) 4-0-1

Earnings: $410,848

Breeding: Ghostzapper – Ivory Empress

Owner: Whitham Thoroughbreds, LLC

Trainer: Ian Wilkes

Last Race: Grade 2 Blue Grass Stakes at Keeneland, Finished 3rd

Analysis: Not good.  When a maiden and a one-turn horse finish ahead of you, not good is the only words you can use to describe it.  Here’s the good news: the McCraken that we saw in the Blue Grass is not the real McCraken.  That horse was obviously not fit enough for the race and probably got a lot out of the effort as far as fitness goes.  Now, here’s the bad news: it was not a confidence builder for anyone backing him; he looked below average in the race.  He will need a serious bounce-back in Kentucky.