Early betting odds for the 2007 Kentucky Derby are posted!  The 133rd running of the Kentucky Derby will commence at the World famous Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky on Saturday, May 5th at 6PM. The Kentucky Derby is the first leg of the prestigious Triple Crown Event and the most important race. Only America's best 3-year old Thorough-breds will come out to race. Kentucky Derby betting starts well before the race and rises to a fever pitch just before the horses leave the starting gate.

The Kentucky Derby was established in the year 1875 and has been a favorite American pastime since Aristides, a chestnut colored colt whose statue stands proudly in the gardens behind the clubhouse, won the race. Col. Matt Win is credited with promoting the track and the sport since 1903. With his resources and efforts, Kentucky Derby has been heralded as the major horseracing event today.

Notional won Saturday's Risen Star Stakes at the Fair Grounds while the favorite, Circular Quay, was hampered by trying to avoid a fallen horse in the stretch.

Here is staff writer Craig Donnelly's top 10 list for the May 5 running of the Kentucky Derby.

Horse                   Trainer       Jockey       Comment

1. Hard Spun          Jones       Pino          Locally owned runner romped in all four starts;                                                       Southwest is next on Monday at Oaklawn.

As officials and horsemen at Turfway Park work daily to find an optimum Polytrack surface for winter racing, there is growing sentiment the synthetic material is affected by temperature or swings in temperature. Recently, horsemen have expressed concern over the balling-up of Polytrack, which is a mixture of sand, rubber, carpet fibers, and wax.

The first round of the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (G1) Future Wager pool closed at 6:30 p.m. EST on Sunday with the mutuel field, comprising all three-year-olds not among the 23 individual betting interests, as the 5-to-2 favorite.

Gulfstream Park canceled racing Monday, Feb. 12, after the first race due to track conditions.Nightlong rains drenched the Hallandale Beach area and racing was canceled by the stewards.“The riders expressed their concerns and we acted in response to those concerns,” said Gulfstream Park President and general manager Bill Murphy.

Trudy McCaffery, who in partnership raced such popular California stars as Bien Bien, Bienamado, Came Home, Free House, and Pacific Squall, died Feb. 12 at her home near Rancho Santa Fe, Calif., after a lengthy battle with cancer. She was 62.