Courtesy DRF

In Greek mythology, Odysseus the king perpetrated the famous Trojan horse ruse, a ploy that allowed his army to prevail in a lengthy war. Given the way Eskendereya dominated the Wood Memorial last weekend, Odysseus the Thoroughbred might need something similarly tricky to prevail in this year's Kentucky Derby.

"Eskendereya is the horse everybody has to beat," said Satish Sanan, whose Padua Stables owns Odysseus, one of the top contenders in the Grade 1 Blue Grass Stakes on Saturday at Keeneland Race Course. "He'll have to get in trouble in the Derby for anyone to beat him, to be honest."

 A lot of strange things have occurred to great horses on their way to a Churchill Downs coronation - and doesn't Sanan know it. Seven years ago, Padua had Vindication as an early favorite for the 2003 Derby, but Vindication suffered an injury that forced him into a premature retirement.

"Of course that was very difficult for me and my family," Sanan, 62, said earlier this week from Padua in Ocala, Fla. "But we have had some very good horses, and we've won most of the major races, so the Kentucky Derby is my only goal left, I think. It's something I always say I've got to do before I die."

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