Kentucky Derby 2018 contenders: Our New Year's rankings

Horse Racing Nation’s 2018 Kentucky Derby contender rankings — voted on by the website’s readers — reflect what’s happened to far on the trail to Churchill Downs. But they also capture the hope by fans that bigger things are ahead soon for promising runners.

As juveniles officially turn 3 this weekend, here is the Top 20 listed below:

Likely champion 2-year-old Bolt d’Oro tops the rankings. Rather than Breeders’ Cup Juvenile winner Good Magic, the second spot belongs to Principe Guilherme, the Steve Asmussen trainee who won a Fair Grounds allowance by 11 3/4 lengths. He’ll take a step up next time out in the Grade 3 Lecomte.

Good Magic sits third before Marconi, a $2 million purchase who overcame a troubled trip to break his maiden at second asking, and Grade 2 Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes winner Enticed round out the top five.

Some other notables…

• Biblical remains 11th after missing the board in the Grade 2 Remsen Stakes. The Todd Pletcher trainee broke his maiden Nov. 17 and competed against Avery Island when both were non-winners.

• The full brother to Triple Crown winner American Pharoah, St. Patrick’s Day hasn’t raced since breaking his maiden Sept. 2 and hasn’t recorded a workout in the last two months. But he remains highly regarded at No. 12 on our list.

• Analyze It, the impressive winner of Del Mar’s Cecil B DeMille Stakes on turf, hasn’t been ruled out of a run on the main track. The Chad Brown trainee is 16th on our list.

Remember, this is a list assembled based on votes by Horse Racing Nation readers. To add your own ratings, either moving up or knocking down a Derby hopeful, simply hit register at the top of our site to begin.