The 58^th edition of the historic 1 1/8 miles Kentucky Derby (G1) preview will highlight an outstanding program with four other stakes to be run on the 12-race program, including the $150,000 Bonnie Miss Stakes (G2), $150,000 Palm Beach Stakes (G2) and $200,000 Shirley Jones Handicap (G2).

            Post time for the Florida Derby is 5:45 p.m. ET and the race will be the focus of a one-hour telecast on ESPN2 from 5 to 6 p.m.

            The big news on Wednesday morning when the Florida Derby post positions were drawn was that Big Brown drew the far outside post 12 with Kent Desormeaux named to ride in a return call for trainer Rick Dutrow. The son of Boundary won his career debut on turf at Saratoga last summer by 11¼ lengths for Pompa and trainer Patrick Reynolds.

            The IEAH syndicate purchased Big Brown privately thereafter and placed him with Dutrow, but the big bay colt didn’t run again until Mar. 5 when he was sensational, winning an ‘a other than’ allowance race by 12¾ lengths over the track and 1 1/8 miles distance. However, the poor post draw will offer a big challenge for Big Brown.

            Gulfstream morning line-maker Chuck Streva installed Big Brown as the lukewarm favorite at 3-1 despite the post draw.

            Elysium Fields more closely fits the profile of a leading Kentucky Derby and Triple Crown prospect with five starts for trainer Barclay Tagg, three last year as a juvenile. He was very impressive finishing second by a half-length in the Fountain of Youth on Feb. 24 under leading rider Eibar Coa, who retains the mount, breaking from post 8.

            A Kentucky homebred by El Prado, Elysium Fields has run well in all of his starts, beginning with a pair of runner-up efforts at Laurel Park in November and a third-place finish at Calder on Dec. 29 after arriving in South Florida for the winter. The colt has flourished here since then, breaking his maiden by eight lengths on Jan. 19 prior to his good effort in the Fountain of Youth.

            Elysium Fields is the second choice at 4-1 on the morning line in a wide-open contest.

            Also expected to attract plenty of support are Bea Oxenberg’s Hey Byrn, with Jose Lezcano aboard for trainer Eddie Plesa Jr., breaking from post 9, and Cornelio Velasquez riding Minor Stable’s Fierce Wind for trainer Nick Zito after drawing the rail.

            Hey Byrn was a useful 2-year-old at Calder last year for Plesa, winning once in four starts and finishing second in the Affirmed Division of the Florida Stallion Stakes. In two starts this year the son of Put It Back took his game to a new level at Gulfstream, winning allowance races by 14½ lengths and six lengths, the latter going 1 1/8 miles on Mar. 2.

            Fierce Wind has won all three of his starts in Florida since shipping south for the winter after a pair of sprint tries at Saratoga and Delaware Park last year. The son of Dixie Union broke his maiden at Calder by 10¼ lengths in December, won an allowance at Gulfstream in January and stepped up to capture the Sam Davis Stakes most recently at Tampa Bay Downs on Feb. 16.

            Fierce Wind raced for Four Roses Thoroughbreds through the Sam Davis, but has since been purchased privately by Halsey Minor’s Minor Stable with Zito retained as trainer.

            The two big question marks in the field for the Florida Derby will be Kinsman Stable, Michael Tabor and partners’ Majestic Warrior with Rene Douglas aboard for trainer Bill Mott, breaking from post 10; and Jet Set Racing Stable’s Tomcito coming out of post 4 with Jorge Chavez to ride for trainer Dante Zanelli Jr.

            Majestic Warrior was heralded among the leading 2-year-olds last year after the homebred A.P. Indy colt won the Hopeful Stakes (G1) at Saratoga in only his second start, but failed to fire when sixth as the favorite in the Champagne Stakes (G1) at Belmont Park won by eventual Eclipse champion War Pass.

In his lone start since then, Majestic Warrior finished seventh in the Louisiana Derby (G2) at Fair Grounds on Mar. 8, but raced wide on both turns of a race he almost certainly should move forward from.

            Tomcito is a Kentucky-bred colt by Street Cry purchased for a modest $7,500 at the Keeneland September yearling sales, but has made all five of his career starts in Peru, winning four, most recently the Derby Nacional (G1) going 1½ miles at Monterrico on Nov. 17.

            Completing the field for the Florida Derby are Mount Joy Stable’s Smooth Air, Manoel Cruz; Robert LaPenta’s Da’ Tara, Joe Bravo; Garland Williamson’s Cool Gator, Eddie Castro; Alien Farm and Alan Furst’s Nistle’s Crunch, Julien Leparoux; Hardacre Farm’s B B Frank, Javier Castellano; and Padua Stables and David and Marilyn Randal’s Face the Cat, John Velazquez.