Jan Vermeer is O'Brien top Derby hope
June 5, 2010EPSOM, England (AP) -With favorite St. Nicholas Abbey injured, jockey Johnny Murtagh has switched to stablemate Jan Vermeer as he chases his fourth win in the English Derby.
Jan Vermeer is the new 2-1 favorite to win British horseracing's richest race on Saturday. Murtagh will have to guide the colt around the left-handed turns from the outside of the field of 12 at Epsom.
No horse has won the race from the outside stall since Royal Palace in 1967.
The field chasing the top prize in the $1.97 million race for 3-year-olds should have included St. Nicholas Abbey. But the colt was pulled out of the race Tuesday because of a stiff muscle in its hind quarters.