Racing and Sports look at the 2018 Kentucky Derby from Churchill Downs where Justify is tipped to come out on top.

The 144th running of the Kentucky Derby takes place this weekend at Churchill Downs and it promises to be one of the strongest in recent memory.

The 'run for the roses' has had a bit of a purple patch in recent years with American Pharoah snapping a length Triple-Crown drought one of the keys to that.

Justify runs for the same yard as American Pharaoh, and while he has a long way to go to emulate the champion of 2015, he is done plenty right in just three starts to this point.

The latest of those starts was an all the way win in the Santa Anita Derby, beating the well regarded Bolt D'Oro, and on that form he will take all the beating at Churchill.

Queries around him include the fact that he didn't run at two, something that all Derby winners had done for the best part of a century, and that in just three starts he might not have the grounding to cope with the hustle and bustle of a big field Kentucky Derby.

Those things are far easier to overcome than not being fast enough and that important, and all to often overlooked 'variable' looks a given for Justify who is already rated 126p by Timeform.

Magnum Moon is another terrific talent with queries that can be overcome. His query being that he has looked wayward in his races to this point but his Arkansas Derby win was terrific and puts him right among the chances.

Audible powered home in the Florida Derby, landing his fourth win in a row in the process, and looks made for the test that Kentucky will likely provide. He rounds out the three best hopes for the home team on form to date.

One of the most interesting factors in the 2018 Kentucky Derby is the addition of an Irish raider in Mendelssohn.

Ordinary this would be seen as a bridge too far for one from abroad but there was nothing ordinary about his performance in the UAE Derby last time and he is bred to be a superstar on the dirt.

He looks to bring the right tools to the race and his connections are always to be respected. He's a chance for sure but he might be overbet given the stiff task that awaits him in Kentucky.

Suggested Bet: Back Justify in the 2018 Kentucky Derby.