The 137th running of the Kentucky Derby is loaded up with one of the weaker rosters in recent history. Unlike past races where there always seemed to be a Triple Crown threat, this year has a field full of 20-1 and 30-1 long shot horses. Dialed In is the current favorite at 4-1 followed by Nehro at 6-1 (Uncle Mo was scratched this morning). Below we will break down our free pick for the Kentucky Derby along with some of the best long shot choices for 2011.

Kentucky Derby Free Pick:

Nehro (Morning Line 6-1): The key for Nehro will be the added distance in this race. Most horse racing experts will agree that he would have won both the Arkansas Derby and Louisiana Derby with a little more room to run. Each race his Beyer is improving and we expect Nehro to run his best race yet on Saturday. Watch for him to make a move late and out run the field down the stretch.

Best Long Shots 2011:

Animal Kingdom (Morning Line 30-1): Love the stamina advantage for this horse. The added distance at the Kentucky Derby is a negative for many horses who have success coming in to this race, but Animal Kingdom won the 1 1/8 Spiral as if he could have ran it twice. This is a must for any exotic betting and even worth some money in the W/P/S wagering.

Twice the Appeal (Morning Line 20-1): With jockey Calvin Borel winning the Kentucky Derby three of the last four times, it is hard not to jump in with the public and toss a little money his way. The horse itself would not be listed here, but Twice the Appeal has won three of his last four races and has the right jockey to pull a major upset Saturday.

Kentucky Derby 2011 Free Picks - Best Long Shots

Pregame Pro Marco D'Angelo & Dave Tuley from  the Daily Racing Form discuss the the best long shot horses in the 2011 Kentucky Derby.