Barber Road

8) BARBER ROAD (c, Race Day–Encounter, by Southern Image) O-WSS Racing, LLC. B-Susan Forrester & Judy Curry (KY). T-John Alexander Ortiz. Sales History: $15,000 wlg '19 KEENOV. Lifetime Record: GISP, 8-2-3-1, $650,720. Last Start: 2nd GI Arkansas Derby. KY Derby Points: 58. Post 14, 30-1.

In case the skies open up, know that among the Derby's 22 entrants, Barber Road owns the best performance on an outright sloppy track. Several other contenders have won and hit the board on “good” dirt surfaces that were retaining some moisture, but this Race Day gray's second in the Smarty Jones S. back on Jan. 1 rates as the best performance over puddles.

This $15,000 KEENOV colt is an overachieving grinder with a knack for hitting the board despite repeated run-ins with trip trouble. Barber Road has an eight-race base that includes a win and a second at Churchill. Yet he hasn't won since Nov. 10, and he took the easiest prep path to Louisville by campaigning against subpar stakes fields at Oaklawn all winter and spring. Go heavier underneath in exotics than on top to win.