The 141st renewal of the Kentucky Derby on May 2 has attracted an overflow field of 22 for America’s most storied horse race on Saturday at Churchill Downs. Only 20 horses will be allowed to start, so if there are no scratches by the Friday deadline, the two with the fewest qualifying points will stay at the barn. The field brings together horses with extensive winning streaks that will race each other for the first time and also renews rivalries between others.
The likely betting favorite is American Pharoah, the dominant winner of the Arkansas Derby earlier this month. Another top pick is the massive Dortmund who has never been beaten. Both colts are trained by Bob Baffert, who has won the Kentucky Derby three times.
Post time for the Derby is 6:24 p.m. Coverage on NBC begins at 4 p.m. with their affiliate NBC Sports Network broadcasting preview shows starting at noon. Lexington and Louisville NBC affiliates traditionally have all-day coverage starting Saturday morning. Following are summaries of the entrants, in post-position order, and their connections to Kentucky.
1. Ocho Ocho Ocho (Kentucky)
Ocho Ocho Ocho returns to Kentucky after finishing third in the Blue Grass Stakes at Keeneland on April 4. His name is Spanish for 888, which was his number when he was sold last year at a California auction for $200,000. Kentucky connection: Ocho Ocho Ocho was sold for $50,000 at the 2013 Keeneland September yearling sale. His sire Street Sense won the 2007 Kentucky Derby and is a stallion at Darley in Lexington.
2. Carpe Diem (Kentucky)
The winner of Keeneland’s Toyota Blue Grass Stakes on April 4 has won four of five career starts. His lone defeat was his runner-up effort in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile last year in California. His trainer Todd Pletcher has had 40 starters in the Kentucky Derby and won the race in 2010 with Super Saver. Carpe Diem, whose name is Latin for “seize the day,” was a $1.6-million purchase last year and campaigns for Central Kentucky operations Stonestreet Stables and WinStar Farm. Kentucky connection: Carpe Diem was sold for $550,000 at the Keeneland September yearling sale and his sire Giant’s Causeway is a stallion at Ashford Stud in Versailles.
3. Materiality (Kentucky)
Materiality has just three career starts but he proved he was Derby worthy by winning the Florida Derby in late March. He comes from the barn of trainer Todd Pletcher who has had 40 Derby starters including 2010 winner Super Saver. Kentucky connection: Materiality was sold for $260,000 at the Keeneland September yearling sale. His sire Afleet Alex, third in the 2005 Kentucky Derby, is a stallion at Gainesway in northern Fayette County.
4. Tencendur (New York)
Tencendur has spent his five-race career at Aqueduct in his home state of New York. He finished second as a long shot in the track’s most important Kentucky Derby prep. Tencendur, a son of Warrior’s Reward, is named after a warhorse in French literature. Kentucky connection: His sire Warrior’s Reward is a stallion at Spendthirft Farm in Lexington.
5. Danzig Moon (Ontario)
A second-place finish in Keeneland’s Blue Grass Stakes earned Danzig Moon a chance to enter the Kentucky Derby. He is owned by Kentucky residents John and Debby Oxley, who won the 2001 Kentucky Derby with Monarchos. Danzig Moon’s name is a combination of his sire Malibu Moon and maternal grandsire Danzig. Kentucky connection: He was sold for $160,000 at the 2013 Keeneland September yearling sale and his sire is a stallion at Spendthrift Farm in Kentucky.
6. Mubtaahij (Ireland)
Although foreigners are eligible for the Kentucky Derby, the race generally attracts only North American racers. So the Irish-born globetrotter Mubtaahij is something of a novelty. He will be making his first stateside start after earning his ticket to Kentucky by winning the United Arab Emirates Derby in Dubai in March. Last year he raced in England. Kentucky connection: Most of Mubtaahij’s ancestors were born in Europe but his all-American paternal line includes his great grandsire Seeking the Gold, a starter in the 1988 Kentucky Derby, who spent his stallion career at Claiborne Farm in Paris.
7. El Kabeir (Florida)
El Kabeir is a proven winner at Churchill Downs after taking an important race at the Louisville track last year. He has won two Kentucky Derby prep races in New York this year. His name is Arabic for “The Boss.” Kentucky connection: His sire Scat Daddy started in the 2007 Kentucky Derby and is a stallion at Ashford Stud in Versailles.
8. Dortmund (Kentucky)
Named for a German soccer club, this undefeated colt towers over his peers in performance and size and is widely regarded as the biggest Thoroughbred ever to compete in upper level races. His six victories include the Santa Anita Derby on April 4, a prime stepping stone to the Kentucky Derby. His trainer Bob Baffert has won the Kentucky Derby three times—Silver Charm (1997), Real Quiet (1998) and War Emblem (2002). Kentucky connection: His sire Big Brown won the 2008 Kentucky Derby. Dortmund was sold as a yearling for $90,000 at Fasig-Tipton Co.’s July sale in Lexington.
9. Bolo (Kentucky)
Bolo finished third to the highly regarded Dortman in a pair of major California races. His trainer Carla Gaines is seeking to become the first woman trainer to win the Kentucky Derby. Kentucky connection: His sire Temple City is a stallion at Spendthrift Farm in Lexington.
10. Firing Line (Kentucky)
Firing Line is as impressive in defeat as he is in victory. After he was narrowly beaten by the highly regarded Dortmund on two occasions, he sailed to a nearly 15-length victory in the Sunland Derby in New Mexico. His name is derived from his sire Line of David. Firing Line’s paternal grandsire Lion Heart was second in the 2004 Kentucky Derby. Kentucky connection: He was sold for progressively higher price tags at Kentucky auctions three times. He was a $65,000 weanling, a $150,000 yearling and a $240,000 two-year-old.
11. Stanford (Kentucky)
Stanford earned Kentucky Derby eligibility points by finishing second in the Louisiana Derby at Fair Grounds Race Course in New Orleans. He is one of several entrants from the barn of trainer Todd Pletcher who has had 40 starters in the race including a triumph in 2010 with Super Saver. Kentucky connection: He was sold for $120,000 at the 2012 Keeneland September yearling sale and his sire Malibu Moon is a stallion at Spendthrift Farm in Lexington.
12. International Star (New York)
A winner in Canada and the United States, the aptly named colt was a star at Fair Ground Race Course in New Orleans where he won all three of the track’s high-profile Kentucky Derby prep races. International Star will be the seventh Derby starter for Ken and Sarah Ramsey who have a vast Thoroughbred breeding operation on Harrodsburg Road in Jessamine County. Kentucky connection: His sire Fusaichi Pegasus won the 2000 Kentucky Derby and is a stallion at Ashford Stud in Versailles.
13. Itsaknockout (Kentucky)
Itsaknockout punched his ticket to the Derby when he won a significant prep race in Florida in February. His boxing-themed title, inspired by his sire’s name (Lemon Drop Kid), is being used to advertise the Mayweather-Pacquiao fight in Las Vegas on Saturday night. Itsaknockout comes from the barn of trainer Todd Pletcher who has had 40 Derby starters including 2010 winner Super Saver. Kentucky connection: Itsaknockout was sold as weanling for $130,000 at the 2012 Keeneland November auction.
14. Keen Ice (Kentucky)
Since winning last year at Churchill Downs, this son of Kentucky Derby third-place finisher Curlin has spent his career racing against the nation’s best three-year-olds. He earned his way into the Kentucky Derby by collecting small portions of big prize money in these top-shelf races. Kentucky connection: Keen Ice was sold twice at Keeneland. He was a $48,000 weanling at the November mixed sale in 2012 and returned the follow year to the September yearling sale where he went for $120,000. His sire Curlin is a stallion at Lane’s End in Woodford County.
15. Frosted (Kentucky)
Frosted solidified his status as a Kentucky Derby contender by winning the Wood Memorial Stakes in New York on April 4 after finishing second in most of his other starts. He is trained by Lexington native Kiaran McLaughlin and is owned and bred by Godolphin Racing of Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al Maktoum whose Thoroughbred properties in central Kentucky includes Darley in Lexington. The glimmering gray looks like his label that has double meaning since the colt’s dam is Fast Cookie. Kentucky connection: Frosted is by one of the world’s best stallions Tapit, the favorite in the 2004 Kentucky. Tapit resides at Gainesway in Lexington.
16. War Story (Kentucky)
To earn his way to the Kentucky Derby, War Story took the Louisiana route where he finished second or third in three prep races at Fair Grounds Race Course in New Orleans. He will be back home at Churchill Downs where he won his career debut last year. Kentucky connection: He was sold for $90,000 at the 2013 Keeneland September yearling sale.
17. Mr. Z (Kentucky)
Although he is winless in 11 starts since he won his career debut this past summer at Churchill Downs, Mr. Z has finished in the money in a string of major races. The list includes his third in the Arkansas Derby on April 11. His trainer D. Wayne Lukas has won the Kentucky four times—Winning Colors (1988), Thunder Gulch (1995), Grindstone (1996) and Charismatic (1999). Kentucky connection: Mr. Z was sold for $135,000 at Fasig-Tipton Co.’s October yearling sale. His sire Malibu Moon is a stallion at Spendthrift Farm in Lexington.
18. American Pharoah (Kentucky)
American Pharoah will be one of the betting favorites after winning four consecutive upper level prep races including his easy eight-length score in the Arkansas Derby on April 11. His trainer Bob Baffert has won the Kentucky Derby three times—Silver Charm (1997), Real Quiet (1998) and War Emblem (2002). Kentucky connection: His sire Pioneer of the Nile was second in the 2009 Kentucky Derby and is a stallion at WinStar Farm in Versailles.
19. Upstart (New York)
After winning a prep race in Florida, Upstart became one of the early favorites for the Kentucky Derby. He was runner-up in a pair of subsequent preps including the Florida Derby. Kentucky connection: His sire Flatter is a stallion at Claiborne Farm in Paris.
20. Far Right (Kentucky)
The Kentucky Derby seems to have an underdog theme each year and this year’s distinction goes to Far Right, who was purchased for just $2,500 as a young yearling at Keeneland’s 2013 January auction. Just over a year later, he hinted at his talent by finishing second at Keeneland in his career debut. He won a pair of prep races at Oaklawn Park before being second in the track’s Arkansas Derby on April 11. Kentucky connection: He earned his first career triumph at Churchill Downs last year.
These horses will race if any others withdraw prior to the Friday afternoon deadline:
‣ Frammento (Kentucky)
Frammento is trained by Nick Zito, who won the Kentucky Derby in 1991 with Strike the Gold and in 1994 with Go for Gin. Frammento comes to the Derby after finishing fourth in the Blue Grass Stakes at Keeneland. Kentucky connection: Frammento has been sold at auction twice in Kentucky. His price tag was $50,000 as a weanling at the Keeneland November sale and he brought $85,000 the following year at Fasig-Tipton Co. July sale.
‣ Tale of Verve (Kentucky)
It should be noted that Tale of Verve is trained by Dallas Stewart, who was been the Derby runner-up the past two years with long shots. Tale of Verve earned his first career victory on April 23 at Keeneland. Kentucky connection: His maternal grandsire Unbridled won the Derby in 1990.
You might be interested in reading A Very Special Horse: Breeder Emilie Fojan looking to Dortmund to fulfill winner’s circle dream on NKyTribune.
(All photos from kentuckyderby.com)
Lexington-based freelance writer Liane Crossley is a lifelong lover of Thoroughbred racing who has held a variety of jobs in both barns and offices. Her favorite part of the industry is being with the horses and the people who share her passion for them. She can be reached at crossleyliane@yahoo.com