First look at six of top Kentucky Derby contenders

Christmas is just around the corner, and you know what that means. Santa Claus and his little elves have been putting together a traditional gift for all our readers.

It’s our annual present to you racegoers who thirst for Kentucky Derby news year-round. Not just when we flip the calendar to spring, but from the time 2-year-olds make their debuts each year to the first Saturday in May when the field loads into the starting gate for the Kentucky Derby.

Today we present our first look at six top Derby contenders for 2019, a group we’ll call our Super Six. As usual, the list is loaded with West Coast horses. The Road to the Derby runs right through Southern California as four of the past five Derby winners – California Chrome, American Pharoah, Nyquist, and Justify – were based in the Southland.

So, before we’re blindsided by Santa, let’s get to it: American Pharoah Stakes and Breeders’ Cup Juvenile – already to his credit. It’s scary to think he hasn’t even scratched the surface yet in terms of talent.

Game Winner has been limited to jogging since his Breeders’ Cup score, but Baffert said recently they’ll begin tightening the screws soon toward a 3-year-old campaign that could be something special.

Coliseum won at first asking in a maiden special weight at Del Mar on Nov. 17 and he did it while looking like a good thing.