American Pharoah class of a class Kentucky Derby field

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – During morning training hours at Churchill Downs last week, National Thoroughbred Racing Association publicist Jim Mulvihill stood by the backstretch rail and cheerily noted how injury-free this year's crop of 3-year-old Kentucky Derby contenders has been.

Jaws dropped and those near him recoiled in horror.

Mulvihill might as well have announced a no-hitter in the dugout in the seventh inning. In a sport steeped in superstition – and riddled with injuries – this was a bold flouting of the Derby gods.

Fortunately for all involved – including Mulvihill, who could have been thrown off the Twin Spires for such talk – the hex has not ensued. The horses have stayed healthy, and in the wake of Wednesday afternoon's post-position draw, we are looking at one of the most impressive Kentucky Derby fields in a long time.

"It's as strong as I can remember," said trainer Todd Pletcher, who has started 40 horses in the Derby in his career and plans to send four more to this year's race. "I don't recall a race as deep as this one."

There have been 22 major Derby prep races in 2015, and the winners of 20 of them figure to be in the field Saturday. The only defections on the arduous Derby trail have been Spiral Stakes winner Dubai Sky and Withers Stakes champ Far From Over.

Everyone else is here, including horses on winning streaks of six races (Dortmund), four (American Pharoah), three (Materiality and International Star) and two (Carpe Diem). Winners of the Santa Anita Derby (Dortmund), Wood Memorial (Frosted), Florida Derby (Materiality) and Blue Grass Stakes (Carpe Diem) are all present and accounted for – and none of them is the favorite.

"I think this is a hell of a crop," said legendary trainer D. Wayne Lukas, who saddled his first Derby horse in 1981 and has won the roses four times. "Maybe as deep as any I've seen. There may be five of these horses, in any given year, you put them in the Derby and they'd be the favorite."

The horse that is the favorite in this classy field, Arkansas Derby winner American Pharoah, opened at odds of 5-2 – and will likely drop from there. He's drawing the kind of raves normally reserved for an animal that already has won a leg or two of the Triple Crown. Between his smashing spring performances and his final pre-Derby workout here Sunday, the hype train is rolling at breakneck speed.

But the most striking thing about the hype is where it's originating. From the mouths of people like the 80-year-old Lukas.

"I have not been that impressed with a horse in a long time,” said Lukas, whose Derby entrant, Mr. Z, was crushed by American Pharoah in the Arkansas Derby. "We came up to him, and when [jockey] Victor Espinoza just nudged him, he opened up four or five lengths on us. … That just breaks horses' hearts. That impressed the hell out of me.

"In terms of conformation, just standing there, he doesn't blow you away. But when he moves, goes full flight, he's got an amazing stride."

The horse that does blow you away standing there is Dortmund. The sculpted, towering son of 2008 Derby winner Big Brown is an undefeated Santa Anita Derby champion – which in a normal year would make him the 2-1 morning-line favorite. Instead Dortmund opened at 3-1.

Yet the colt that has thrown the biggest Beyer Speed Figure – a measure of a horse's actual speed vs. clock speed – of any in the race is neither American Pharoah or Dortmund. It's Pletcher trainee Materiality, who posted a 110 speed figure in winning the Florida Derby. The only knock on the son of 2005 Preakness and Belmont winner Afleet Alex is inexperience – he has only raced three times, none at age 2, and the last horse to win the Derby without racing at 2 was Apollo. In 1882.

The second-highest speed figure in the race (108) belongs to the colt Materiality outdueled in the Florida Derby, Upstart. He also posted a 105 in winning the Holy Bull Stakes in January. Upstart's only hiccup along the path to Louisville came when he spiked a fever that delayed a workout earlier this month, but he performed well in his rescheduled work.

Pletcher has had his share of Derby heartburn, with just one win despite bringing a strong hand to the race almost every year this century. But there is reason for hope to spring anew. Materiality is not his only live shot this year; he also Blue Grass winner Carpe Diem – a well-bred, $1.6 million purchase with four wins and a second in five lifetime starts.

Then there are the two horses with Dubai-based ownership: Frosted, winner of the Wood Memorial, and UAE Derby winner Mubtaahij.

Frosted was beaten twice by Upstart earlier this year, but his performance in the Wood suggests a horse peaking at the right time for a Kentucky-native trainer (Kiaran McLaughlin) who would love to win this race. Mubtaahij has done all of his racing overseas – either in England or Dubai – and hasn't faced the rigors of this class on American soil. But my friend and veteran Derby observer Mark Coomes makes a case for that horse as a live longer shot.

Bad racing luck in a 20-horse field figures to complicate things for some of this magnificent seven. But the best antidote for traffic issues is the ability to maneuver a horse in and out of trouble, and a lot of connections are confident in that regard.

"I like horses with tactical speed," Lukas said. "The favorites all have it this year."

The favorites all have a lot going for them, starting with good health and good recent racing form. This Kentucky Derby looks too loaded to hex.