Our worst Kentucky Derby picks

This week, we're strolling down memory lane to revisit several Kentucky Derbies that hold special personal meaning for us. Our fourth and final "team blog" looks back at our worst Kentucky Derby picks.

Vance Hanson: Having recounted earlier this week my inability to pick a Kentucky Derby winner for the better part of two decades, I have plenty from which to choose as my worst selection. The one that's always stood out to me the most was Vicar in 1999. After two gut-wrenching victories in the Fountain of Youth and Florida Derby, the Carl Nafzger-trained colt had slipped to third in the Blue Grass in his final Derby prep, and it was a very dull third at that. If you watched Vicar's stride in action, deep down you knew getting 1 1/4 miles was going to be a struggle for him, and the Blue Grass was a perfectly good indicator that he was approaching the biggest race of his life on the downward curve of his form cycle. So why did I back him? I believe it was blind allegiance more than anything. A few months earlier, some college friends and I created a Triple Crown fantasy contest, and if memory serves Vicar was my first pick in the draft. He did great for me in the short term, racking up points right away during the Gulfstream Park meet, but fizzled out later. Not only did he beat just one of 18 rivals in the Kentucky Derby, but followed up two weeks later by beating just three of 12 opponents in the Preakness. I was far from the only one in the country who had difficulty imagining a Derby win by ex-claimer Charismatic, but in retrospect there were better options to choose from that day.

James Scully: Friesan Fire was the toast of New Orleans in early 2009, sweeping the three graded stakes races for Kentucky Derby hopefuls at Fair Grounds. He opened his sophomore season with comfortable victories in the Lecomte and Risen Star before thrashing the competition with an impressive 7 1/4-length Louisiana Derby victory, earning triple-digit BRIS Speed ratings in the latter performances. The Larry Jones-trained colt appeared to be have plenty going for him from a talent perspective and even though his female family looked speedy for the 1 1/4-mile Kentucky Derby distance, sire A.P. Indy promised to make up for any stamina deficiencies. But Friesan Fire had never raced past 1 1/16 miles (Louisiana Derby hadn't been extended in distance yet) and proved ill-suited for the extra ground at Churchill Downs. I was one of many who were fooled that year, supporting Friesan Fire as the 7-2 favorite in a 19-horse field. After a rough start, he began steadily retreating toward the back of the pack before the field even completed the first turn, eventually checking in 18th. He was never competitive and I've never had a Derby pick perform so badly. Friesan Fire completed his career in middle-distance races, never winning past 1 1/16 miles.