Want to bet on one of the Derby favorites like Verrazano or Orb this weekend?
Verrazano is named for the bridge that links Brooklyn with Staten Island in New York City.
His lone defeat came in the Wood Memorial, a one-length loss to undefeated Verrazano.
Leading the way is undefeated Verrazano, winner of the Wood Memorial and Tampa Bay Derby.
He will send out undefeated Verrazano, Overanalyze, Revolutionary, Palace Malice and Charming Kitten in the Derby.
Orb is tied with Verrazano in points at the top of the Kentucky Derby leader board.
Verrazano (Pletcher, John Velazquez): Head to Florida's West Coast as heavy favorite in competitive field.
DeRosa thinks the buzz horse is Verrazano, trained by Todd Pletcher and unbeaten in two lifetime races.
He would leave home at dawn to allow time to drive around major spans such as the Verrazano-Narrows.
Five other New York bridges are Ammann's: the Triborough, the Bayonne, the Bronx-Whitestone, the Throgs Neck, the Verrazano-Narrows.
Pletcher wasn't sure about future plans for Palace Malice and Verrazano, whose four-race winning streak ended in the Derby.
Hewson said the rainy track would factor into his picks, but so far he likes Verrazano in the Derby.
Ridden by John Velazquez, 4-5 favorite Verrazano raced comfortably behind early pacesetter Chrisandthecapper before taking charge on the turn.
But when Velazquez committed to Verrazano for the Derby, it cleared the way for Rosario to get back on Orb.
Of all 19 horses in the field, Verrazano is the only one who's undefeated after winning five races this year.
It requires closing the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge for hours, halting the flow of traffic between Brooklyn and Staten Island for hours.
In July, a Russian blue kitten was tossed from a car on the Verrazano Bridge and received media hoopla.
Verrazano will be ridden by John Velazquez, who broke a rib and wrist in a racing accident nearly a month ago.
Like Verrazano, Gemologist went to the Derby unbeaten, where he finished 16th.
Prior to Oaks, three-time Derby winner Baffert said in the paddock that he liked the chances of another of Pletcher's horse, the undefeated Verrazano.
Sweeping into the lead around the far turn, Verrazano held off the challenges of Vyjack and Normandy Invasion and improved his record to 4-0.
The Wood was worth 100 points for Verrazano, who already had qualified for the field with 50 points off his Tampa Bay Derby win.
Bridges and tunnels were closed across the region, including the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge, the Holland Tunnel, the Tappan Zee Bridge and all spans across the East River.
Many are hoping the karma is just as strong on Saturday when the horse battles morning line favorite Orb (7-2) and unbeaten Verrazano (4-1), the second choice.
The Wood Memorial was the first race in which Verrazano faced any serious challenges: he won his second race by more than 16 lengths, his third by three.
In the stretch, Verrazano first turned back Vyjack's bid, then held off Normandy Invasion to give Pletcher an unbeaten horse for the Derby for the second year in a row.
Verrazano, the 4-5 favorite in the 10-horse field, raced comfortably behind pacesetter Chrisandthecapper before taking charge on the turn and winning by the closest margin of his brief but so far brilliant career.
Eighteen ships from five nations, including tall sailing ships from the Mexican and Indian navies, will be sent upriver by a 21-gun salute from Fort Hamilton, in the shadow of the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge.
Sweeping into the lead around the far turn, Verrazano turned back Vyjack and then Normandy Invasion, who finished second by a neck to likely earn enough qualifying points to make it to the Derby.
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