The 138th running of the Kentucky Derby will be held at Churchill Downs this Saturday, May 5, with the gates opening on the 1 1/4-mile first leg of the Triple Crown at about 6:24 p.m.
Twenty entrants were expected as of the post position draw, which was held yesterday (Wednesday, May 2) afternoon, after the Times Newsweekly went to press.
Below are the probable runners for the Kentucky Derby, each of which qualified for the race based on their graded stakes earnings. They are listed by their graded stakes earning rank, with their trainer, probable rider and result of their last race:
– Hansen, trained by Michael Maker, ridden by Ramon Dominguez, second in the Blue Grass Stakes at Keeneland Race Course in Lexington, Ky.;
– Daddy Long Legs, trained by Aiden O’Brien, ridden by Colm O’Donoghue, first in the UAE Derby at Meydan Race Course in Dubai;
– Union Rags, trained by Michael Matz, ridden by Julien Leparoux, third in the Florida Derby at Gulfstream Park in Hallandale, Fla.;
– Dullahan, trained by Dale Romans, ridden by Kent Desormeaux, first in the Blue Grass Stakes;
– Creative Cause, trained by Mike Harrington, ridden by Joel Rosario, second in the Santa Anita Derby at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, Calif.;
– Gemologist, trained by Todd Pletcher, ridden by Javier Castellano, first in the Wood Memorial Stakes at Aqueduct Racetrack in South Ozone Park;
– Sabercat, trained by Steve Asmussen, ridden by Corey Nakatani, third in the Arkansas Derby at Oaklawn Park in Hot Springs, Ark.;
– Take Charge Indy, trained by Patrick Byrne, ridden by Calvin Borel, first in the Florida Derby;
– Bodemeister, trained by Bob Baffert, ridden by Mike Smith, first in the Arkansas Derby;
– I’ll Have Another, trained by Doug O’Neill, ridden by Martin Gutierrez, first in the Santa Anita Derby;
– Daddy Nose Best, trained by Steve Asmussen, ridden by Garrett Gomez, first in the Sunland Derby at Sunland Park in Sunland Park, N.M.;
– Liaison, trained by Bob Baffert, ridden by Martin Garcia, sixth in the Santa Anita Derby;
– Alpha, trained by Kiaran McLaughlin, jockey TBA, second in the Wood Memorial Stakes;
– Prospective, trained by Mark Casse, ridden by Luis Contreras, sixth in the Blue Grass Stakes;
– Trinniberg, trained by Bisnath Parboo, ridden by Willie Martinez, first in the Bay Shore Stakes at Aqueduct;
– Done Talking, trained by Hamilton Smith, ridden by Sheldon Russell, first in the Illinois Derby at Hawthorne Race Course in Stickney, Ill.;
– Went the Day Well, trained by Graham Motion, ridden by John Velazquez, first in the Spiral Stakes at Turfway Park in Florence, Ky.;
– Rousing Sermon, trained by Jerry Hollendorfer, ridden by Jose Lezcano, third in the Louisiana Derby at the Fair Grounds Race Course in New Orleans;
– El Padrino, trained by Todd Pletcher, ridden by Rafael Bejarano, fourth in the Florida Derby; and
– Optimizer, trained by D. Wayne Lukas, ridden by Jon Court, ninth in the Arkansas Derby.
Also eligible to run in the Kentucky Derby, provided one of the 20 entrants is scratched before Friday morning, May 4, is My Adonis, trained by Kelly Breen, who finished seventh in the Wood Memorial.
