HOT SPRINGS, Ark. (AP) -The last time D. Wayne Lukas won the Kentucky Derby, it was with a long shot.

Perhaps that's why the Hall of Fame trainer isn't sweating the fact that his top 3-year-old hasn't won a race since September.

``I think I'm in a great spot to win it. I like my horse, I like where I'm at,'' Lukas said. ``In all my wins, the four that did win it, I never did make a lot of noise until the day.''

Dublin, Lukas' top Derby contender, is among the favorites for Saturday's Arkansas Derby at Oaklawn Park. The chestnut colt is winless this year but remains firmly on the Kentucky Derby trail after finishing second in the Southwest and third in the Rebel. Lukas would like to see him run well this weekend, but a victory isn't essential.

``Our goal is not Saturday. We're looking beyond that,'' Lukas said. ``Don't get me wrong, we're going to try to win the race, but our major goal is the one that really counts.''

Lukas has won the Kentucky Derby four times, but not since Charismatic's victory in 1999 at 31-1 odds. It's been a while since he saddled a major contender, but Dublin came on the scene impressively with two straight wins last year, including a triumph in the Hopeful Stakes at Saratoga.

Dublin (7-2) is third on the Arkansas Derby's morning line, but the race is wide open. Super Saver (9-5) is the morning-line favorite, and Noble's Promise (2-1) is also in the mix after finishing a close second in the Rebel.

Super Saver, with jockey Calvin Borel aboard, drew the No. 1 post. Dublin and Noble's Promise will start immediately to his outside in the 1 1-8-mile race.

``He doesn't have to be on the lead. He'll be there if I want,'' Borel said. ``We'll just see what happens when the gates break. He's a nice colt. Don't underestimate him.''

There are nine horses entered in the race.

Super Saver set a stakes record in last year's Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes at Churchill Downs, but he's raced only once in 2010, finishing third in the Tampa Bay Derby. The Todd Pletcher-trained colt has more riding on this race than his two main rivals. He's 25th on the graded stakes earnings list, meaning he's by no means assured of a spot yet in the May 1 Derby.

Noble's Promise and Dublin are safely in the top 20.

Noble's Promise, trained by Kenny McPeek, is also trying for his first win this year. He won the Breeders' Futurity in October, and he began his 2010 campaign by finishing second in the Rebel to Lookin At Lucky, another top Derby contender.

Dublin was 3 lengths behind Noble's Promise in the Rebel.

``He's going to have to run better to beat us, and we think we'll improve a little bit, so we'll see,'' McPeek said.

Lukas appears confident his horse has a big race in him - and he's hoping it will happen in May at Churchill Downs. Sire Afleet Alex won the Arkansas Derby by a then-record 8 lengths in 2005, then went on to take the Preakness and Belmont.

Afleet Alex is one of several Arkansas Derby entries in recent years that went on to bigger and better things. Smarty Jones swept Oaklawn's entire prep series - the Southwest, Rebel and Arkansas Derby - in 2004 before winning the first two legs of the Triple Crown. In 2007, Curlin broke Afleet Alex's record with a 10 1/2-length victory in the Arkansas Derby, later took the Preakness and went on to become a two-time Horse of the Year.

Last year, Summer Bird was third in the Arkansas Derby then quickly blossomed, winning the Belmont en route to honors as the year's top 3-year-old colt.