Derby day last year was much more relaxed for me. I was on sabbatical, so I could devote myself to handicapping the card and preparing for our inaugural Derby party. This year I have been consumed by grading. I have 600 pages of senior capstone papers sitting on my desk taunting me.

Fortunately I found my Derby horse months ago ... and he's a bomb.

15 Adriano is bred stoutly and will relish the 10 furlongs of the Derby. Questions surround his ability to run over a conventional dirt surface, but I'm willing to take that risk given his dirt pedigree and his 30/1 morning line. In his only dirt attempt (the grade II Fountain of Youth), he broke from the dreaded 12 hole, and was wide and steadied on the first turn. After that he didn't run a step. His sire, A.P. Indy, throws dirt routers. His runners have had only moderate success on the turf. His most successful runner to date, Horse of the Year Mineshaft, was ineffective in the UK before becoming a monster over the dirt in the US. Adriano's connections faced a dilemma when he was a 2yo. He was bred for stamina, but the only two turn distance races for 2yos in the summer are over the turf at Saratoga. Thus Adriano became a turf horse. It would've been interesting to see how he would've faired in the Remsen instead of the Laurel Futurity. A.P. Indy out of a Mr. Prospector mare from the family of Bet Twice means dirt horse. Put your money down!

Filling out the bottom of my tickets will be the three dual qualifiers (within 10 pounds of the highweight in the Experimental Free Handicap and with a Dosage Index of less than 4.00) - 2 Tale of Ekati, 4 Court Vision, and 9 Pyro. Tale of Ekati was fast 2yo who is rounding back into form, coming off a gutsy win the Wood Memorial. They did walk home in the stretch - :13.4 for the final furlong - but he did pass the horse in front of him (no less than Juvenile champ War Pas) to win under the wire. Court Vision is a deep closer who will be passing horses late and should clunk up to get a piece. I'm willing to give Pyro the benefit of the doubt and toss his last race over the Polytrack. Pyro was working head to head with Curlin this winter and his Risen Star was visually sensational (though slow by the clock).

My Pick: 15 Adriano
Others I like: 2 Tale of Ekati, 4 Court Vision, 9 Pyro
Toss these horses - they ain't gotta chance: 3 Anak Nakal, 5 Eight Belles, 7 Big Truck, 11 Z Humor, 12 Smooth Air, 13 Bob Black Jack, 18 Recapture the Glory, 19 Gayego

My Pick 4s $310Key horses:
7th race Distaff Turf Mile: 9 Dreaming of Anna
8th race Humana Distaff: 1 Hystericalady, 5 Sugar Swirl
9th race Woodford Reserve Turf Classic: 5 Einstein
10th race The Kentucky Derby: 15 Adriano

9/1,5/5/2,4,9,15
9/1,5/ALL/2,4,9,15
9/ALL/5/2,5,9,15
1,2,3,4,8,9/1,5/5/2,4,9,15
9/2,3,4,6,7,8,9/1,2,3,4,6,7,8/15
1,2,3,4,8/2,3,4,6,7/5/15
1,2,3,4,8/1,5/1,2,3,4,6,7,8/15