Kent Desormeaux crossed the finish line in the Kentucky Derby aboard Imperialism, slammed his fist against his thigh and said a few words that can't be repeated here. He knew right away what wasn't immediately obvious to everyone else: Imperialism was never given a fair shot at winning.

"That's my job, not to get stuck like that and that's exactly what I let happen," Desormeaux said. "People say you can get lucky or unlucky, but we as jockeys create our own luck. I failed. I had a ton of horse. He has got to be fresh and sassy for the Preakness because he only got to run a quarter mile in the Kentucky Derby. I had him in traffic for a mile."

As the Derby has been reviewed, analyzed, dissected and re-reviewed, it's become clear that Imperialism ran an exceptional race to finish third and lose by just six lengths. Breaking from post eight, Desormeaux immediately ran into traffic problems, so he guided Imperialism toward the rail. Though behind several horses, he was going smoothly through the early part of the race and got to within about eight lengths of the leaders, perfect position for a late-running horse like himself. But the horses in front of him started to back up and Imperialism had no where to go. He kept getting shuffled back, dropping further and further behind Lion Heart and Smarty Jones, basically losing all chance.

Desormeaux didn't get out of trouble until the field hit the far turn. From there, he had no choice but to go very wide, costing him considerable ground. Hopelessly wide and hopelessly far behind, Imperialism nonetheless made an eye-catching move in the stretch, passing seven horses. In a race that was dominated by front runners, he was the only horse in the field that made up any serious ground.

To his credit, Desormeaux has taken the hit.

"I went under the wire full of run, striding away," he said. "It was very frustrating. Can you imagine this: in a mile-and-a-quarter-race I ran out of ground."

Would Imperialism have won the Kentucky Derby with a better trip? No one among his camp has made that claim. But they do feel he deserves another chance, one of the reasons he is here.

After the Kentucky Derby, owner Steve Taub said Imperialism would likely pass the Preakness and point instead for the Belmont. Giving the horse a few extra weeks of rest and pointing for a mile-and-a-half race that would probably fit his late running style seemed to make sense. Jockey Kent Desormeaux understood the decision, but he felt he had to have his say, that he knew something that Taub and his 21-year-old trainer Kristin Mulhall may not have.

"I told them I could've won the Kentucky Derby and I think I can win the Preakness," the jockey said.

Mulhall and Taub still didn't want to run the horse unless he showed signs that he had bounced right back from the tough Derby race. They briefly planned to run minor stakes winner Cheiron, a second-stringer in the barn, in the Preakness instead.

"Kristin and I are almost always on the same wavelength," Taub said. "Personally, I thought this horse had just been through a hard campaign, with the Santa Anita Derby and the Kentucky Derby both being tough races on him. But he's shown every sign that he's come out of the race better than he went into it. We assumed he'd be hanging his head in fatigue. Instead, the next day, he was on his toes, ready to run."

Nobody was happier with the decision than Desormeaux, who will be seeking redemption for himself and the horse.

"I'm so excited about this race it's hard to put it into words," Desormeaux said. "I wish the race were yesterday. I have something to prove. I'm not just blowing a bunch of smoke here."

Smarty Jones has done everything right, but he's yet to get into a dogfight with another horse in the stretch. Desormeaux says he better be ready for one.

"With a clean trip in the Derby, I would have absolutely challenged Smarty Jones," he said. "He was up there by himself. Would he have found another gear? I don't know. I can assure you when we corner for the Preakness, Imperialism will be at his throat and he'll have to hold me off."