Local Horse Kentucky Derby Early Favorite

BODEMEISTER WINNING THE ARKANSAS DERBY (Danny Johnston/AP Photo)

Bodemeister, who was born in nearby Berryville, Virginia is the "morning line" favorite for Saturday's Kentucky Derby.  Set your DVR.

Breaking from the No.6 post position -- the same post as the last Virginia-bred Kentucky Derby winner Sea Hero did in 1993 -- Virginia-bred Bodemeister is the 4-1 morning line for Saturday’s 138th Kentucky Derby.  Bodemeister was bred by Audley Farm in Berryville.

Veteran jockey Mike Smith will ride.  Smith won the Derby on 50-1 shot Giacomo in 2005.

Bodemeister earned the nod from Churchill downs oddsmaker Mike Battaglia based on his post position and his impressive 9 1/2  length win in the Arkansas Derby.  Many felt Bedemiester’s win in Little Rock was the most dominating performance of the Derby prep races. 

Union Rags (No.4 post) was a close second choice at 9-2 in a full field of 20 horses. He is trained by Michael Matz, who won the Derby in 2006 with Barbaro.

Wood Memorial winner Gemologist was the third choice at 6-1 and drew the No. 15 post. 

Blue Grass winner Dullahan was the 8-1 fourth choice. He got the No. 5 post, drawing the loudest cheers from his connections.

Two California horses, Creative Cause and Santa Anita Derby winner I'll Have Another, were listed at 12-1.

Hansen, the Breeders' Cup Juvenile winner, and Daddy Long Legs have the most graded stakes earnings in the field. Hansen leads the list with more than $1.5 million, while Daddy Long Legs has $1.2 million.

If all 20 horses start, the $2,219,600 purse would be the richest since 2005, when the Derby first became a guaranteed $2 million event. The winner earns $1,459,600. Post time is 6:24 p.m. EDT.

BODEMEISTER AT CHURCHILL DOWNS (Charlie Riedel/AP Photo)