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General Quarters hasn't been spoken of too much in regard to winning this weekend's Derby. His odds were set at +2000 for a payout of $2000 on every $100 bet at Sportsbook.com.
There is one very strong factor that could given General Quarters an edge: That's the weather. With a 70 percent chance of rain and a sloppy track, General Quarters is one of only a handful of horses that has performed well on muddy tracks.
General Quarters has never raced on an off-track, but his pedigree suggests he could run well in the slop.
"He gallops over the mud almost like he does over the dry (surface)," trainer tom McCarthy said after the colt galloped Friday morning. "Once he gets moving, he's like a big train. He's hard to stop."
"We are actually surprised that General Quarters odds haven't been slashed further," says Don Shapiro of Gambling911.com. "Only four other horses really have an advantage on this type of track."
Those contenders include Dunkirk, Desert Party, Friesan Fire and Nowhere to Hide.
A swath of moderate rainfall was heading for Churchill Downs by 11 pm CST Friday evening, enough to pretty much ensure the track will be muddy even with no additional rainfall on Saturday provided it's not a bright sun filled day...and that's not happening.
Here are all your odds to win the 2009 Kentucky Derby courtesy of Sportsbook.com and subject to change heading into Saturday.
Advice
+2000
Atomic Rain
+5000
Chocolate Candy
+1500
Desert Party
+1500
Dunkirk
+400
Flying Private
+4000
Friesan Fire
+500
General Quarters
+2000
Hold Me Back
+1500
I Want Revenge
+250
Join In The Dance
+5000
Mine That Bird
+5000
Mr Hot Stuff
+3000
Musket Man
+2000
Nowhere To Hide
+5000
Papa Clem
+2000
Pionnerof the Nile
+400
Regal Ransom
+2500
Summer Bird
+5000
West Side Bernie
+3000
Carrie Stroup, Gambling911.com Senior Reporter
