Kentucky Derby Betting: Belles of the Ball?

Kentucky Derby Betting: Belle of the Ball?
Girl power will be on display this weekend as Eight Belles reps the females in the 134th running of the Kentucky Derby

May 1, 2008

By Mike Halford
Bodog Nation Contributing Writer

Lately, the Kentucky Derby has lacked a woman's touch.



There hasn't been a filly in the Derby field since 1999, when Excellent Meeting posted a fifth place finish while Three Ring placed 19th. And you'd have to go all the way back to 1988 for a female winner, when Winning Colors turned the trick in dramatic fashion.

This year, Eight Belles enters the field as the lone filly competitor. She'll be ridden by jockey Gabriel Saez, a 20-year-old Panamanian making his Derby debut as well. It's a little girl power mixed with an underdog. And it makes for a great story.

"I'm willing to take a shot," Eight Belles owner Rick Porter told the Associated Press. "I know a lot of people like to see a filly run. I'm always for the underdog, so I'm making myself a good underdog."

But how big of an underdog will Eight Belles really be? While she's currently listed as a 16/1 long shot in the Bodog Sportsbook, there are some reasons to believe she's got a fighter's chance amongst the likes of Big Brown (3/1) and Colonel John (5/1).

First and foremost, there's an impressive winning streak on the line. Eight Belles has ripped off four straight victories, including a solid stretch drive at Oaklawn Park on April 6 to win the Fantasy.

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