Why Bet on ‘Unpredictable Snorter’ Lani to Win Kentucky Derby? Top Jockey Take

While there aren’t a whole lot of reasons we here at Gambling911.com can offer to bet on Japan’s "wild" entry, Lani, at this year’s Kentucky Derby, one reason does stand out like a sore thumb.

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Yutaka Take, the 47-year-old Japanese riding legend and 13-time national champion, will be back at Churchill Downs Saturday for a second attempt at winning the Kentucky Derby.  His first attempt at winning the Derby occurred in 1995 with a 14th place finish aboard Ski Captain.

"It has taken 21 years, but I have been hopeful," said Take through a translator about his return to Churchill. "It is like a dream."

The reality is that Take is a very good rider all the time but Lani is a very good horse only sometimes, Richard Gross of UPI writes.

Lani, opening at 30-1 long odds, has such a reputation as a “bad boy” that other trainers have expressed fears about racing near the Japanese-owned, American-bred gray son of Tapit.

Destin’s trainer Todd Pletcher said of his horse’s number nine post position, “I’m OK with the nine for Destin. The only thing that concerns me is the horse inside Destin.”

He was referring of course to Lani starting in the number 8 post position.

Gross notes that, while it is true that Lani’s 5-furlong work Tuesday was the third-fastest of 18 run the other morning, “the horse has shown a tendency to slouch at times, once even stopping short during a workout. He snorts loudly at other horses and, though slow to get running, sometimes refuses to leave the track after a workout”.

Besides Lani’s unpredictable behavior, there is one other strong case to avoid betting on him.  No horse has ever won the Derby without at least one prior start in the U.S. No UAE Derby winner has ever captured the roses either,

Scroll down for the early 2016 Kentucky Derby betting odds

Early Odds to Win the 2016 Kentucky Derby

- Don Shapiro, Gambling911.com