Saturday’s Kentucky Derby shall be hard-pressed to high the scene at Churchill Downs on Friday, the place 86-year-old Corridor of Fame coach D. Wayne Lukas gained his first Kentucky Oaks in 32 years with Secret Oath. Nonetheless, the 148th working of the Run for the Roses will supply a number of fascinating storylines main as much as submit time for the mile-and-a-quarter race.
Epicenter, proper, prepares to work out on the Churchill Downs observe final week in preparation for Saturday’s Kentucky Derby. Educated by Steve Asmussen, Epicenter gained the Louisiana Derby in file time and would be the post-time favourite for Saturday’s race. (Picture: Coady Images/Churchill Downs)
Sadly, Lukas’ likelihood for an Oaks-Derby double glided by the wayside Friday morning when Ethereal Street was scratched. However that allowed Wealthy Strike to hitch the race. Educated by Eric Reed, the Eager Ice progeny earned his approach in by advantage of a third-place end within the Jeff Ruby Steaks final month at Turfway Park.
Ought to Wealthy Strike pull the mom of all upsets, it could give Reed, who began coaching horses in 1985, simply his second win in a graded stakes race. His solely win got here again in 2009, when, according to Equibase records, Satans Fast Chick gained the Lexus Raven Run Stakes at Keeneland.
Reed put in a $30,000 declare on Wealthy Strike final September after the colt broke its maiden with a 17-1/4-length win at Churchill Downs. Since then, he’s mustered three third-place finishes in 5 races.
As an also-eligible entry, Wealthy Strike will break from the far outdoors gate within the area of 20. That simply so occurred to be Ethereal Street’s gate as effectively. On Friday, he defined what can be the best-case situation for his horse, whose pari-mutuel odds had been 99-1 on Saturday morning.
“Get a great break and work over to the within,” Reed mentioned. “Begin selecting them up halfway on the backstretch after which cross all of them earlier than the end line.”
Right here’s a have a look at among the storylines for Kentucky Derby 148, which is about to run at 6:57 pm ET. NBC will broadcast the race.
Who Will Be The Favourite?
There’s not likely a 3-year-old on this 12 months’s Kentucky Derby that stands out above the remaining, and thru the early wagering on Saturday, bettors had been feeling the identical approach.
Epicenter began the morning because the betting favourite at 5-1. Santa Anita winner Taiba was additionally at 5-1, however more cash was placed on the Louisiana Derby winner. Messier, who completed behind Taiba at Santa Anita, was at 7-1 – the identical odds as Blue Grass Stakes winner Zandon. Wooden Memorial winner Mo Donegal is simply behind at 8-1.
All these horses have questions surrounding them: Can Mo Donegal win regardless of beginning on the rail? Can Epicenter give coach Steve Asmussen his first Kentucky Derby win? Does Taiba, who’s bidding to turn into the primary horse in almost 140 years to win the Derby in simply his third race, have sufficient racing expertise to win – particularly if he has to return from the pack? Can Messier deal with the additional distance? Did Zandon actually determine it out within the Blue Grass Stakes?
Who Will Mattress Mack Again?
Similar to final 12 months, Jim “Mattress Mack” McIngvale shall be at Churchill Downs to guess on the Derby. Like his wagers in different sports activities, it’s tied to a promotional sale at his Gallery Furnishings shops in Houston. However this promo isn’t as minimize and dried because the others.
The promotion focuses on the favourite to win. If that occurs, Gallery Furnishings prospects who spent no less than $3,000 on choose furnishings or mattresses get their buy totally free.
Mattress Mack made the same guess final 12 months, but it surely was pretty sure Important High quality can be the Derby favourite. As I discussed above, this 12 months isn’t as clear, and whereas Mack’s tens of millions will certainly tip the scales, he might need to unfold it out to cowl a few of his legal responsibility.
McIngvale additionally plans to guess just a little on Smile Joyful, who was sired by the businessman’s champion sprinter, Runhappy.
Who Else May Win The Kentucky Derby?
Moreover these 5, there’s one other tier of Derby horses that would pull out the win and provides their bettors a good-looking return.
Smile Joyful seemed good within the Blue Grass till Zandon chased him down on the stretch.
Once I turned for dwelling, I didn’t assume anyone might beat him,” Smile Joyful jockey Corey Lanerie mentioned after the Keeneland race final month. “He went really easy via the half-mile and the fractions had been good. He had his ears up and he was blissful. I referred to as on him and he stored going. The opposite horse was simply higher than us in the present day.”
He additionally completed second to Epicenter within the Risen Star again in February, however did so coming from again within the pack whereas mounting a late cost within the 1-1/Eighth-mile race.
Crown Pleasure comes from Japan and certified for the Kentucky Derby by advantage of his win on March 26 within the UAE Derby. He’s gained three of his 4 begins, and his solely loss got here on an off observe.
White Abarrio has 4 wins in 5 begins, together with final month’s Florida Derby. Cyberknife is 2-for-2 this 12 months, and involves Louisville after successful the Arkansas Derby final month. Each additionally will break outdoors, from the fifteenth and sixteenth gates respectively.
“Cyberknife is a fast gate horse, so he ought to he positive,” coach Brad Cox mentioned. “He has one pace horse to his outdoors (Traditional Causeway), and that ought to assist him.”
The pari-mutel odds as of Saturday morning on these horses vary from 12-1 for White Abarrio to 18-1 for Crown Pleasure.
Does Baffert Nonetheless Have A Presence?
Bob Baffert isn’t on the Derby this 12 months due to the two-year suspension Churchill Downs handed down after Medina Spirit examined constructive for extreme quantities of betamethasone in his system. However the legendary coach nonetheless may have a tie-in with the race.
Baffert initially educated Messier and Taiba. Nevertheless, beneath Churchill Downs’ suspension, no horse educated by him might earn qualification factors in prep races. So earlier this 12 months, just a few of Baffert’s high prospects had been converted to Tim Yakteen, a former Baffert assistant.
Moreover the Churchill Downs ban, Baffert is also serving a 90-day suspension handed down by Kentucky Horse Racing Fee stewards due to Medina Spirit’s failed drug check. Due to reciprocity agreements with different racing commissions, meaning Baffert can’t area horses in any state, and can miss out on the opposite Triple Crown races. He’s combating each the KHRC and Churchill Downs suspensions.
Ought to Taiba win, it might make for fairly the scene within the Churchill Downs winner’s circle. Taiba is owned by Zedan Stables, which additionally owned the late Medina Spirit.
Will Secret Oath Race The Boys Once more?
The questions gained’t cease as soon as the Derby begins. For Saturday’s winner, they’ll doubtless head to Baltimore for the Preakness Stakes and the second jewel within the Triple Crown. Whoever wins won’t face almost the group of horses they needed to overcome within the Derby.
However they could should face Secret Oath. Lukas ran her within the Arkansas Derby final month, and she or he completed a decent third.
On Friday, after the Oaks, Lukas mentioned both the Preakness or the Black-Eyed Susan could possibly be the following race for Secret Oath.
“If you received a gifted horse, you must have a look at the whole lot, attempt to develop their profession, and get them to a championship degree,” Lukas mentioned.
