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Kentucky Derby Betting: Combatant is still looking to find the Winner’s Circle in a race other than a maiden. Since winning on his second attempt at a maiden, he has been unable to finish first. However, he has consistently been in the running in each of his last five races.
He finished second in his first stakes race, and he followed that up with another second-place finish in his second stakes race. Combatant was then entered into his first graded stakes race, and once again finished in second. Despite finishing runner-up in all three races, he was soundly beaten by the winner, losing by at least two lengths in each outing.
From there, Combatant grabbed third-place at the Rebel Stakes. That was the best field he had raced to date. He finished well behind Magnum Moon and was nipped by Solomini at the line.
In his final race before the Kentucky Derby, he was entered into his first Grade 1 Stakes Race. His performance at the Arkansas Derby was eerily similar to what we saw at the Rebel Stakes, as Magnum Moon easily finished first, while Combatant was nipped by Quip and Solomini at the finish.
The Kentucky Derby will go to post on Saturday, May 5, 2018 at 6:34 p.m. ET at Churchill Downs in Louisville. Catch the Kentucky Derby live on NBC.
Combatant
Career Record: 1-3-1
Career Earnings: $388,550
Kentucky Derby Points: 32
Kentucky Derby Odds at BookMaker.eu: +4550
Combatant’s sire is Scat Daddy and his dam is Border Dispute. Scat Daddy was a prized racehorse before being injured and went on to sire some of the best two- and three-year-olds in the country. He also sired Mendelssohn, who will be participating at the Derby.
His trainer is Steve Asmussen. Asmussen has been very unlucky at this race, failing to win in 18 attempts. He did finished runner-up in 2011 with Nehro and last year Lookin At Lee almost gave him his first win at the Derby.
Ricardo Santana Jr. will be Combatant’s jockey for this race. Like Asmussen, he has failed to find the Winner’s Circle here, but he has yet to finish in the top half of the field.
Why Combatant Will Win the Kentucky Derby
Dumb luck might be Combatant’s best chance to win the Kentucky Derby. He has yet to finish even close to the winner in his last five races. The horse has been able to finish near the top, but he has only run in one Grade 1 Stakes Race and failed to hit the board. There’s a reason he’s a longshot to win.
Why Combatant Won't Win the Kentucky Derby
This horse just doesn’t have the speed it will take to win the Derby. The best speed rating he has posted is a 96, and that is likely to be well off the pace of the winner. Additionally, most of the horses that are considered favorites are front-runners, so he is going to have a hard time staying within striking distance even though he is a good closer.
The Final Verdict
Honestly, inclement weather might be the best chance Combatant has. He could be fortunate in a chaotic race, but I don’t see him hitting the board in normal circumstances. Save your money.
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2018 Kentucky Derby Contenders
