Expert Picks

When handicapping the Kentucky Derby, there are no lack of opinions and angles. With as much as 20 horses leaving the gate on the very first Saturday in May, let our experts help you find great plays and picks. Once you locate a great looking pick or your favorite personality, head over to TwinSpires.com to back your pick Churchill Downs, Fair Grounds and twinspires.com Racing Analyst Joe Kristufek started his career in his native Chicago, scaling the ladder at the local racing venues. The 1989 rivalry between Kentucky Derby winner Sunday Silence and his nemesis Easy Goer got Joe hooked on horse racing. A self proclaimed”horse racing ambassador”, Joe’s business experience spans from Dubai to Hong Kong to over 35 tracks across North America. An award winning TV producer and buff development specialist, he relishes the challenge of scouting the nations top Kentucky Derby and Oaks contenders months. In the infield into the paddock and now the suites, 14 Kentucky Derbies have been attended by Joe in person. Follow Joe on Twitter: @JoeyDaKRacingEd DeRosa
Ed DeRosaEd DeRosa is director of advertising for Brisnet.com, the official statistics source of the Kentucky Derby and TwinSpires.com. Ed joined Churchill Downs Inc. in July 2011 following nine years as a writer and editor with Thoroughbred Times. He grew up in Cleveland and also learned to appreciate horse racing whilst going to Thistledown (currently known as Jack Thistledown) together with his grandfather. Before 2015, Ed hadn’t ever noticed a Triple Crown winner; he hasn’t seen an Indians World Championship. Ed’s Treasured horses are Actual Quiet, Ghostzapper, and Rachel Alexandra. Follow Ed on Twitter: @EJXD2 James Scully
James ScullyJames Scully writes/handicaps for Brisnet.com, TwinSpires.com and KentuckyDerby.com. He began working for Brisnet.com in 1998. A graduate of Transylvania University in Lexington, Kentucky, James has been a University of Kentucky and Cincinnati Bengals/Reds enthusiast. He remembers watching Seattle Slew on TV and attended his first Kentucky Derby in 1981 (Pleasant Colony). Follow James on Twitter: @James_Scully111Kellie Reilly
Kellie Reilly
Kellie Reilly, a staff writer in the Editorial Department in Brisnet.com, is a frequent contributor to the TwinSpires.com site and KentuckyDerby.com. Her articles also have been featured on NBCSports.com and in the official Kentucky Derby app. Kellie’s academic background is in history, culminating in an M.A. from the hometown University of New Orleans. A racing fan since childhood, Kellie is especially interested in pedigrees and the international racing scene. Follow Kellie on Twitter: @GallantFox1930