Bovada

In an effort to get the pulse of what some of the country's horse racing experts in the media are thinking in regard to the contenders for the 2018 Kentucky Derby, the good folks at Horse Racing Nation have assembled a 25-person panel to conduct a weekly poll. After the first five weeks, here's a look at the current consensus and how things have changed.

A full field of 11 three-year-old colts chasing the 2018 Kentucky Derby dream will take to the Sunland Park track on Sunday for the running of the (G3) $800,000 Sunland Park Derby. Run at 1 1/8 miles on the dirt, the race is a Kentucky Derby qualifier, offering 50 points to the winner.

While not one of the best known race tracks in North America, on Sunday all eyes will be on Sunland Park in El Paso, Texas as the track hosts qualifying races for both the 2018 Kentucky Derby and Oaks. First up is the $200,000 Sunland Park Oaks for fillies, racing 1 1/16 miles on the dirt track.

On paper, Saturday's $1 million (G2) Louisiana Derby will be one of the most competitive races for Kentucky Derby qualifying points so far this season. The 1 1/8 mile run on the Fair Grounds dirt course has drawn a field of 10, with four of those very closely matched in the morning line odds.

It's a light schedule for 2018 Kentucky Derby qualifying this Saturday, with most of the attention focused on Oaklawn Park in Hot Springs, Arkansas, where they'll run the $900,000 (G2) Rebel Stakes. The race has drawn a full field of 11, with the winner picking up 50 Derby qualifying points.

Of three Kentucky Derby qualifying races to be run in Saturday, the (G2) Tampa Bay Derby sets up as the best betting race. With the scratch of two top contenders, the 1 1/16 mile run in the Tampa Bay dirt course has drawn a field of nine entries, all vying for a share of the $400,000 purse.

It's a huge weekend for 2018 Kentucky Derby qualifying, with three points races on the schedule for Saturday. In the $300,000 (G3) Gotham Stakes at Aqueduct, three contenders currently in the top 15 on the leaderboard will be battling for the 50 points that would all-but-clinch a spot in the Derby.

The best three-year-old fillies in North America are racing toward the May 3rd Kentucky Oaks, and the chase picks up this Saturday in Florida at Gulfstream Park. Eight are entered in the (G2) Davona Dale Stakes with the winner claiming 50 qualifying points and likely a spot in the Oaks starting gate.

The race to grab a spot in the 2018 Kentucky Oaks is picking up the pace, with three US-based races this coming weekend offering 50 points to the winner. Just over two months to go until the fillies meet at Churchill Downs, here's a look at some of the top contenders with Bovada future bet odds.