LOUISVILLE -- A year ago, after the first week in May, it was pretty obvious that best 3-year-old in the country wasn't the Kentucky Derby winner.
That distinction belonged to Rachel Alexandra, who won the Kentucky Oaks, a race for fillies, by a jaw-dropping 20 lengths the day before the Derby. Rachel Alexandra was sold to new owners, who immediately entered her in the Preakness, and the filly proved gender was no obstacle by winning easily.
So is it possible the best 3-year-old in the country this year is, once again, a girl?
Todd Pletcher thinks so. It's at least possible. And he's not alone in his thinking. With Lookin at Lucky and Sidney's Candy each drawing unfavorable post positions in Wednesday's draw, plenty of eyes turned to Devil May Care, the Pletcher-trained filly. At 10-1 odds, she is seen as having a legitimate chance a becoming just the fourth filly in history to win the Kentucky Derby.
"She wants a mile and a quarter," Pletcher said. "I think she relishes that. It's a big challenge for any horse, filly, colt, gelding, whatever. But we really like the way she's trained all along. She's trained along side these colts, and she's breezed really well. I like her draw."
Devil May Care's owner, John Greathouse, said the gender difference isn't a concern for him at all. Two years ago, when Eight Bells had to be euthanized after finishing second in the Derby and breaking both legs, there was a heated debate about whether she should have been racing against colts. But the success of Rachel Alexandra in the Preakness, and the recent dominance of Zenyatta -- who is now undefeated in 16 career races -- seems to have silenced the debate. The last filly to win the Derby was Winning Colors in 1988.
"Good fillys, internationally, run against good colts all the time," said Greathouse. "Why it seems to be taboo here in the United States is beyond me. Good animals are capable of overcoming those things. When you look at this filly, she's not going to look like some dainty little thing. She's a good size, big strong filly,and she'll take care of them herself."
Devil May Care will wear blinkers for the first time this week, a move Pletcher thinks will help her focus. She won the Bonnie Miss despite wandering all over the track once she got the lead.
"It speaks to how much ability she has to win a race like that, and not be focused while she's doing it," Pletcher said. "We've trained her in blinkers since then and she's adjusted very, very well. She likes them, and seems focused, so it has become a no brainer."