Louisville-based trainer Dale Romans gets his second victory on the card as Little Mike takes the early lead and never looks back in the Grade 1 $500,000 Woodford Reserve Turf Classic. Romans won the Churchill Downs Stakes earlier on the card with his 2011 Preakness winner Shackleford. The winning jockey was Joe Bravo and winning owner Priscilla Vaccarezza.

Little Mike grabbed a 2 1/2 length victory over second place finisher Slim Shadey who was 1/2 length in front of Brilliant speed.

This year’s Kentucky Derby is wide open. This is a race in which any of at least 10 horses could win and I wouldn’t be surprised. It’s a race that I’m going to have to throw out competent runners because I can’t bet them all. None of these horses have ever run at the 1 ¼ distance of the Derby and none have ever or will ever face a field of 19 competitors. There are so many variables in the Kentucky Derby that very often the best horse does not win.

Louisville.com turf writers Jessie Oswald and Tony Singleton and Louisville Magazine editor Kane Webb share their thoughts on Kentucky Derby 138.

Video produced in collaboration with Kynecktid.

Pros: Most notably, Take Charge Indy gets three-time Derby winning jockey and Louisville favorite Calvin Borel in the irons. Borel used to be able to stay just under the radar, but with three Derby wins, including the 50-1 Mine That Bird, if the other jockeys aren’t watching him the bettors are. Take Charge Indy earned a 104 Brisnet speed figure in his Florida Derby win over Reveron and Union Rags. Prior to that, he earned a 109 in defeat to El Padrino in the optional claimer that put the latter on the map.