Labay's Pre-Derby Pick

For those of you who don't know, I am a huge HORSERACING fan. The start of May means only one thing (you smell those roses?) -- the start of Horseracing's TRIPLE CROWN.

My pick is still Trainer NICK ZITO, Jockey JAVIER CASTELLANO, and BELLAMY ROAD. He is one big and powerful cat who has won his last two starts by 33 lengths!

Before you call me a bandwagon jumper, I was high on this horse BEFORE the WOOD MEMORIAL. The WOOD was good. His KENTUCKY DERBY performance will be even better.

A great starting post-position on the outside (16th), he'll quickly jump out and weed though all the crap in this big races (20 horses going -- come on). It seems EVERY owner wants to say their horse ran in the KENTUCKY DERBY. There is a lot of crap in this one.

See, I didn't even mention that NEW YORK YANKEES owner GEORGE STEINBRENNER also owns BELLAMY ROAD until now. That's because it doesn't matter. A great trainer, a great jockey, and a great horse equals a great DERBY performance.

However, STEINBRENNER, with six WORLD SERIES rings and 10 AMERICAN LEAGUE pennants, can join former PITTSBURGH PIRATES head JOHN GALBREATH as they only two sportsmen to complete a WORLD SERIES-DERBY DOUBLE.

The payoff won't be huge if ROAD, the favorite, wins, but there's always hoping a longshot comes in second for a nice EXACTA BOX.

Watch my boy, jockey JOE BRAVO on SPANISH CHESTNUT as one of those long shot favorites. More likely, his role will be as setup man for BANDINI (J. VELAZQUEZ) who gets the 15th post next to BELLAMY ROAD. BANDINI was this year's BLUE GRASS STAKES winner. He'll be BELLAMY ROAD's toughest competitor.

Other's to watch include AFLEET ALEX in the 12th post and NICK ZITO's other horse (he has FIVE running) HIGH FLY with jockey JERRY BAILEY in the 11th post.

BANDINI and BELLAMY ROAD will be side by side, as the first two horse coming out of the auxilary gate. Past auxilary gate winners in recent years have been MONARCHOS (16th), FUSAICHI PEGASUS (15th, CHARISMATIC (16th), GRINDSTONE (15th), and THUNDER GULCH (16). Before THUNDER GULCH, the Derby had gone 10 years straight without a winner from the second gate.

Barring scratches (please scratch some of this crap), it's BELLAMY ROAD's race.

The weather will be nice and in the 70s.

Watch the board. It will tell you all you need to know about the race as we get closer to Post Time.

THE KENTUCKY DERBY airs SATURDAY on NBC at 5:30 pm ET (Post Time 6:04 pm ET).