Not many of today’s race fans remember the name Apollo, but those backing Dunkirk hope to hear it a lot right around 6:30 Saturday evening.If Dunkirk can capture Saturday’s Run for the Roses he will become the first horse to win the Derby without racing at age 2 since Apollo in 1882.Dunkirk, the $3.7 million son of Unbridled’s Son began his racing career Jan. 24 winning a maiden special weight event by 53/4 lengths at Gulfstream. He then went on to win an allowance race at Gulfstream by 43/4 lengths February 19 before testing the graded-stakes ranks.The Todd Pletcher trainee finished second in the Grade 1 Florida Derby March 28 when he was unable to rundown Quality Road in the stretch, losing by 13/4 lengths. That day he sat patiently next to last for most of the race before making one run late through the stretch.Despite the loss in the Florida Derby Pletcher was happy with the way his charge performed but was critical of the track condition in Hallandale, Fla.”Obviously they sped up the racetrack today,” Pletcher said after the race. “There were two or three track records set, and obviously it was to our disadvantage considering our horse’s style. If I knew the track would have been like this, I’d have gone to Aqueduct next week to run in the Wood. But I thought my horse ran terrific. He’s made huge strides in a short time.”Clearly Pletcher was confident Dunkirk would come out of the Florida Derby unbeaten and was disappointed with the second-place finish.Dunkirk has trained well since his first defeat and while he is giving away a ton of experience to most of the other 19 runners in Saturday’s race, he is talented enough to get the job done.Pletcher, who has never saddled a Kentucky Derby winner in 21 previous attempts, is trying to stack the deck in his favor.Join The Dance, who has just one win in eight lifetime starts has also been entered in the Derby for Pletcher and the reason appears obvious. The son of Sky Mesa, who has been installed as a 50/1 shot has a ton of early speed and should be able to soften up the frontrunners to aid the late-running Dunkirk.The Derby’s morning-line favorite, I Want Revenge, has looked spectacular winning his last two (Gotham and Wood Memorial) and three of eight lifetime also has some history lined up against him.Twelve horses have won both the Gotham and the Wood and 10 of those 12 faced the starter in the Kentucky Derby, but did not win. Of the 10 who started the Derby four were sent away as the favorite and failed. They were: Native Dancer in 1953, Air Forbes Won in 1982, Private Term in 1988 and Easy Goer in 1989.Looking at the morning line for the Derby it is clear that track odds maker Mike Battaglia believes there is a big drop in talent from the top four horses – I want Revenge (3/1), Dunkirk (4-1), Pioneerof the Nile (4-1) and Friesan Fire (5/1) – and the rest of the field. Other than the four favorites no other horse is listed below 15/1 in the morning line and there are 10 horses listed at either 30/1 or 50/1.One of the outsiders who deserve a long look is Hold Me Back who has three wins and a second-place finish in five lifetime starts.The son of Giant’s Causeway only shows one race on dirt, a 5th-place finish in the Remsen last year, but has looked good while winning the Lane’s End and finishing second in the Blue Grass over Keeneland’s synthetic surface for trainer Bill Mott.