The 140^th running of the Kentucky Derby takes place this Saturday from Churchill Downs in Louisville, KY. We’ll take a look at some of the contenders in the field that makes this the most exciting 2 minutes in sports.

California Chrome (3.1 to 1 odds at 5Dimes Sportsbook) is the current favorite to win the race and for good reason. With 6 wins in 10 starts, the chestnut is running at a high level that could win the race. He won the Santa Anita Derby is dominating fashion, running the last quarter mile in 24.2 seconds winning by more than five lengths. Should he replicate that performance, he will certainly be hard to beat.

Trainer Bob Baffert is no stranger to the Kentucky Derby, with 3 wins in his career. Baffert once again has a contender in Hoppertunity (15 to 1 odds at 5Dimes Sportsbook) with 2 wins in 5 starts. Hoppertunity didn’t look too impressive in the Santa Anita Derby, yet he did have a strong finish rallying from a slow start. How Baffert trains at Churchill should be interesting, and with his experience could be a major factor in the race.

With 5 wins in 6 starts, Samraat (21 to 1 odds at 5Dimes Sportsbook) looks like an attractive play. All of his wins have been in New York, and his last race was a second place finish to Wicked Strong (currently 9.5 to 1 odds at 5Dimes Sportsbook) in Aqueduct’s Wood Memorial. The 3-year-old colt runs hard no matter what, and his last race was the first time he was surrounded and covered up, yet showed a lot of determination in rallying a few times. This colt definitely should not be overlooked. Samraat’s trainer Rick Violette believes the last race will only make him better, should that be the case, Samraat is a contender.

Trainer Todd Pletcher’s colt Intense Holiday (currently 29 to 1 odds at 5Dimes Sportsbook) is showing some value with his lifetime 2-1-1 record in 8 starts. The colt has an effective kick, and he does have a good amount of starts under his belt. Some have said that his style is a perfect fit for the Derby this year. If he can stay in the pack and not get in trouble early, he has the ability to make a good stretch run.