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Kentucky Derby Contenders
Contenders
| Post Position | Horse | Trainer | Earnings | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cool Coal Man | Nick Zito | $212,767 | Details |
The Fountain of Youth winner didn’t fire on the Polytrack but that doesn’t count him out. Stable mate to War Pass and Z Humor looked good winning in Florida and has some ability. Has a legitimate chance to hit the board with a repeat of his best. |
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| 2 | Tale of Ekati | Barclay Tagg | $738,000 | Details |
Has the pedigree to get the extended trip and the long stretch at Churchill could work to his benefit. A clean break has been the key for this talented colt. Prado switching to Adriano is a negative. Eibar Coa jumped on this guy from Big Truck when Prado left for Adriano. |
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| 3 | Anak Nakal | Nick Zito | $212,216 | Details |
Last year’s Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes winner has a fondness for this track and his swift half-mile work in :46.60 last weekend confirmed it. The second Nick Zito trainee is exiting a fifth-place effort in the Wood Memorial and probably deserves the least attention of the Zito contingent. |
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| 4 | Court Vision | Bill Mott | $331,872 | Details |
A closing third behind Tale of Ekati and War Pass in the Wood Memorial, he hopes to become the first Derby winner for his conditioner Bill Mott. The Gr. 2 Remsen winner had a bullet half mile work over the Churchill downs strip and appears to be in fine fettle. Demands respect. |
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| 5 | Eight Belles | Larry Jones | $210,000 | Details |
Attempting to be the first filly to win the run for the roses since Winning Colors. The difference is Winning Colors won the prestigious Santa Anita Derby on her way to Kentucky. Has dominated her sex and comes into the Derby off a win in the Fantasy Stakes. Would prefer the Oaks. |
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| 6 | Z Fortune | Steve Asmussen | $329,000 | Details |
Gr. 3 winner’s race in the Arkansas Derby behind Gayego was a big improvement but will need a dream trip to make any impact in the Derby. Lost enough ground in the Arkansas race to make his second place effort better than it looked on paper. Can split the field. |
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| 7 | Big Truck | Barclay Tagg | $194,500 | Details |
Tampa Bay Derby winner is the second of the Barclay Tagg runners but comes off a poor performance in the Blue Grass where he finished 11th on the Polytrack. He won’t be able to blame the track surface if he fails in the Derby. Must improve to make an impression in here. |
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| 8 | Visionaire | Michael Matz | $202,500 | Details |
A strong closer can reap the rewards in the Derby. The large field of 20 will ensure a fast pace up front and with a clean trip, the Gotham winner could do more than just hit the board. His fifth-place finish in the Blue Grass came via a slow pace. |
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| 9 | Pyro | Steve Asmussen | $1,020,000 | Details |
Comes into the Derby with more questions to answer. His connections dismissed his poor performance in the Blue Grass with the colt’s dislike for the Polytrack at Keeneland as an explanation. His detractors point to modest times in his Louisiana victories but they were solid efforts nonetheless and he has the most experience. |
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| 10 | Colonel John | Eoin Harty | $720,000 | Details |
This one appears set for a top effort on North American racing’s biggest day. The grand looking colt possesses the right disposition to handle the Derby atmosphere and the running style to prevail. In his Santa Anita Derby win he finished full of run and should have more to offer. |
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| 11 | Z Humor | Bill Mott | $579,000 | Details |
Another starter from the Bill Mott barn, and probably the one with the least chance. Worked over the track but the Illinois Derby third-place finisher will be a long price. Has yet to show he has the talent to make a strong impression against this class of competition. |
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| 12 | Smooth Air | Bennie Stutts Jr. | $290,000 | Details |
Florida Derby runner-up will give third-generation trainer Bennie Stutts his first Derby starter and his rider Manoel Cruz his first mount in the race. Came down with a fever last weekend and had to miss a couple days of training. This news usually comes after a poor race. |
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| 13 | Bob Black Jack | James Kasparoff | $180,000 | Details |
Provides another speed factor and could prove to be the undoing of some major players if he attends the party up front. Santa Anita races were good but he exits the synthetic surface while attempting to stretch his speed and test his ability. Has a lot of questions to answer. |
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| 14 | Monba | Todd Pletcher. | $515,000 | Details |
Blue Grass Stakes winner performed well at Churchill last year and his tactical speed is a positive. The negative might be losing his regular rider to Adriano for the most important race of his career. His Blue Grass win over stable mate Cowboy Cal didn’t produce the numbers needed to win this one. |
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| 15 | Adriano | Graham Motion | $310,000 | Details |
Could be the sleeper in here. The Lane’s End winner has the ability to win if he handles the surface and picks up experienced jockey Edgar Prado for the big test. Has the benefit of a recent work over the track and has had time to settle in at Churchill Downs |
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| 16 | Denis of Cork | David Carroll | $165,000 | Details |
Won his first three starts, including the Gr. 3 Southwest Stakes, before finishing fifth in the Illinois Derby. Connections remain confident and this guy has been training well. Worked well over the track with Calvin Borel aboard and last year’s winning rider takes the mount for the big race. |
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| 17 | Cowboy Cal | Todd Pletcher | $207,660 | Details |
Looks to be a victim of the probable pace battle up front. His second-place finish to stable mate Monba in the Blue Grass came after he set moderate fractions without pressure and his ability to perform on a traditional dirt surface is also in question. Tab him as a longshot. |
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| 18 | Recapturetheglory | Louie Roussel III | $300,000 | Details |
Late entry will have some sentimental support as he gets his name from Triple Crown veteran Risen Star. His upset victory in the Illinois Derby was accomplished on an uncontested lead however and that scenario likely won’t play out Saturday. Shipped in early and will appreciate the defection of War Pass. |
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| 19 | Gayego | Paulo Lobo | $640,000 | Details |
This California-based sophomore has been doing all the right things lately. His win in the Arkansas Derby was encouraging. Has tactical speed to stalk what will undoubtedly be an anxious group of pacesetters in the Derby. The added yardage stretches his pedigree but the handsome colt has handled every increase so far. |
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| 20 | Big Brown | Richard Dutrow Jr. | $600,000 | Details |
If speed figures and natural ability are your preferences, circle this colt on your Derby program. Richard Dutrow’s pride and joy will commute to the Derby without a work over the track and his late arrival could raise some questions. His raw talent is reminiscent of 2007 Florida Derby winner Curlin. |
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Off the Trail
| Post Position | Horse | Trainer | Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| n/a | Atoned | Todd Pletcher | $130,000 |
| n/a | Behindatthebar | Todd Pletcher | $204,500 |
| n/a | Blackberry Road | David Carroll | $123,417 |
| n/a | Crown of Thorns | Richard Mandella | $120,000 |
| n/a | El Gato Malo | Craig Dollase | $145,000 |
| n/a | Etched | Saeed bin Suroor | $77,180 |
| n/a | Georgie Boy | Kathy Walsh | $390,000 |
| n/a | Into Mischief | Richard Mandella | $423,000 |
| n/a | Majestic Warrior | Bill Mott | $164,000 |
| n/a | Tomcito | Dante Zanelli | $151,292 |
| n/a | War Pass | Nick Zito | $1,320,000 |
| n/a | Yankee Bravo | Paddy Gallagher | $105,000 |
Did you know?
The Kentucky Derby has run at Churchill Downs every year since 1875. This year's race, on May 3rd, is the 134th running of the event.
From 1875 until 1895, the Kentucky Derby was run at 1 1/2 miles. In 1896, it was shortened to 1 1/4 miles (10 furlongs).
The Kentucky Derby is known as "the most exciting two minutes in sports". While many horses have come close to the two-minute mark, only two have broken it - Secretariat in 1973 (1:59.40) and Monarchos in 2001 (1:59.97).
The Kentucky Derby is called the "Run for the Roses" because of the garland of 554 red roses draped over the winner.
The Kentucky Derby typically draws around 155,000 fans. In 1974, when the Kentucky Derby was run for the 100th time, a record crowd of 163,628 fans showed up.
The 2004 Kentucky Derby marked the first time that jockeys could display corporate advertising logos on their clothing.
Approximately 120,000 mint juleps are served over the two-day period of the Kentucky Oaks and the Kentucky Derby. Not surprising, considering that it's been the traditional drink of the Kentucky Derby for nearly a century.
The fewest starters in the Kentucky Derby is 3 (in 1892 and 1905) while the most is 23 (in 1974, which marked the 100th running of the Kentucky Derby). The average is 12.71.
There has been an odds-on favorite in 33 runnings of the Kentucky Derby - 18 of them won and 11 came second. Of the 11 Triple Crown winners, 3 were odds-on favorites in the Kentucky Derby.
The smallest win price in Kentucky Derby history is $2.80 on a $2 wager (paid by Citation in 1948 and Count Fleet in 1943); the largest is $184.90 (paid by Donerail in 1913).
Since 1900, the Kentucky Derby post positions with the most wins are 1 and 5 (12 wins each) and the second most wins are 4 and 10 (10 wins each).
Since 1900, the Kentucky Derby post positions with the fewest wins are 17 and 19 (0 wins each) and the second fewest wins are 18 and 20 (1 win each). No horse has won from gate 20 since 1929.
The most common color of the winning horse at the Kentucky Derby is bay (48 winners), followed closely by chestnut (43 winners). Winning Colors is the only roan to have won the race (in 1988).
Of the 38 fillies that have entered the Kentucky Derby, only three have won - Winning Colors (1988), Genuine Risk (1980) and Regret (1915).
A total of 12 Kentucky Derby champions have sired winners of the race. Bold Venture, the 1936 winner, sired two winners - Assault (1946) and Middleground (1950).
In 2005, the purse distribution for the Kentucky Derby was changed so that horses finishing fifth would receive a share of the $2 million purse. Previously, only the first four finishers got a share.
Off-track conditions have been listed in 34 runnings of the Kentucky Derby. Although some horses aren't affected by mud, it's not surprising that the slowest winning time (at the current distance) was recorded when the track was heavy.
Of the 133 winners of the Kentucky Derby, 100 were bred in Kentucky. Only four were bred outside of the United States.
The most popular first initial for winning Kentucky Derby runners is S (18 wins), the second most popular is B (12 wins) and the least popular are Q, X, and Y (0 wins each).
Most Kentucky Derby winners have run at least three prep races. In fact, Street Sense was the first to win the Kentucky Derby after just two prep races since Sunny's Halo in 1983.
When Street Sense won the 2007 Kentucky Derby, he broke a 22-year jinx - he is the first Breeders' Cup Juvenile winner to go on to win the Kentucky Derby (even though 13 others have tried). He is also the first U.S. champion 2-year-old colt to win the Kentucky Derby since Spectacular Bid in 1979.
Despite the fact that she's an avid racing fan, last year was the first time that Britain's Queen Elizabeth attended the Kentucky Derby.
After winning the 2007 Kentucky Derby, Street Sense went on to win the Travers Stakes at Saratoga. He was the first horse to win both the Travers Stakes and Kentucky Derby since Thunder Gulch did it in 1995.
Last year's Kentucky Derby winner, Street Sense, has been retired to stud duty with lifetime earnings of $4,383,200. He now stands at Jonabell Farm near Lexington, Ky. with a stud fee of $75,000.
Check out the 2007 Kentucky Derby contenders.