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2023 Kentucky Derby: Horse by horse preview of the Triple Crown race

Forte, Tapit Trice, and Angel of Empire are among the early favorites.

Tapit Trice, trained by Todd Pletcher, has won his last three Derby prep races.
Tapit Trice, trained by Todd Pletcher, has won his last three Derby prep races.Read moreAndy Lyons / MCT
    by Ed Barkowitz, For The Inquirer
    Published 

The first Saturday in May is for mint juleps, mayhem, and the dozens of colorful characters the Kentucky Derby brings together.

There is never a shortage of story lines.

Last year, for instance, one of the longest shots in race history stunned the horse racing world. The year before, a failed drug test by winner Medina Spirit resulted in chaos. In 2019, Country House won by disqualification.

Let’s hope for a clean race. Let’s also get to know the 20 horses (and some of their connections) running on Saturday.

Essentials

  1. What: The 149th Kentucky Derby

  2. When: Saturday, 6:57 p.m. Race 12 of 14.

  3. Where: Churchill Downs, Louisville, Ky.

  4. Distance: 1 1/4 miles.

  5. TV: NBC10. Streaming: NBCSports.com, NBC Sports app.

  6. Weather: Partly cloudy, temperatures in the 60s.

  7. Total purse: $3,000,000. First place: $1,860,000. Second place: $600,000. Third place: $300,000. Fourth place: $150,000. Fifth place: $90,000.

  8. Other Triple Crown races: Preakness Stakes (May 20), Belmont Stakes (June 10).

The Field

1 - Hit Show (30-1)

  1. Trainer: Brad Cox. Jockey: Manny Franco.

  2. Career earnings: $404,375

  3. 2023 starts-1st-2nd-3rd: 2-1-1-0

  4. Career starts-1st-2nd-3rd: 5-3-1-0

  5. Last three: Wood Memorial (2nd), Withers Stakes (1st), Allowance/Oaklawn (1st).

  6. Notable: Has gone off as the favorite in all five races, even if only two of those runs were stakes races. Even with the new gates added in 2021, starting on the rail is no bargain in this race.

2 - Verifying (15-1)

  1. Trainer: Brad Cox. Jockey: Tyler Gaffalione.

  2. Career earnings: $489,900.

  3. 2023 starts-1st-2nd-3rd: 3-1-1-0

  4. Career starts-1st-2nd-3rd: 6-2-2-0

  5. Last three: Blue Grass Stakes (2nd), Rebel Stakes (4th), Allowance/Oaklawn (1st).

  6. Notable: Lost by a neck to Tapit Trice in the Blue Grass as the two battled down the stretch. Gaffalione has won six consecutive riding titles at Churchill Downs.

» READ MORE: Pennsylvania-bred Angel of Empire is among the Kentucky Derby favorites

3 - Two Phil’s (12-1)

  1. Trainer: Larry Rivelli. Jockey: Jareth Loveberry.

  2. Career earnings: $683,450.

  3. 2023 starts-1st-2nd-3rd: 3-1-1-1

  4. Career starts-1st-2nd-3rd: 8-4-1-1

  5. Last three: Jeff Ruby Stakes (1st), Risen Star Stakes (3rd), Lecomte Stakes (2nd).

  6. Notable: Finished seventh in his first graded-stakes race but has been competitive in his last four. Trainer and jockey are Derby rookies.

4 - Confidence Game (20-1)

  1. Trainer: Keith Desormeaux. Jockey: James Graham.

  2. Career earnings: $785,525

  3. 2023 starts-1st-2nd-3rd: 2-1-0-1

  4. Career starts-1st-2nd-3rd: 7-3-1-2

  5. Last three: Rebel Stakes (1st), Lecomte Stakes (3rd), Allowance/Churchill (1st).

  6. Notable: Hasn’t run since Feb. 25 when he held on for his only stakes-race victory. Broke his maiden at Churchill in August.

5 - Tapit Trice (5-1)

  1. Trainer: Todd Pletcher. Jockey: Luis Saez.

  2. Career earnings: $883,650.

  3. 2023 starts-1st-2nd-3rd: 3-3-0-0

  4. Career starts-1st-2nd-3rd: 5-4-0-1

  5. Last three: Blue Grass Stakes (1st), Tampa Bay Derby (1st), Allowance/Gulfstream (1st).

  6. Notable: Fifth different track in his last five races. The change of scenery hasn’t bothered him as he has won at Kenneland, Tampa Bay, and Gulfstream after breaking his maiden at Aqueduct.

6 - Kingsbarns (12-1)

  1. Trainer: Todd Pletcher. Jockey: Jose Ortiz.

  2. Career earnings: $657,300.

  3. 2023 starts-1st-2nd-3rd: 3-3-0-0

  4. Career starts-1st-2nd-3rd: 3-3-0-0

  5. Last three: Louisiana Derby (1st), Allowance/Tampa Bay (1st), Maiden/Gulfstream (1st).

  6. Notable: The only unbeaten horse in the field, he led wire-to-wire in his most recent outing to beat Disarm by 3½ lengths.

7 - Reincarnate (50-1)

  1. Trainer: Tim Yakteen. Jockey: John Velazquez.

  2. Career earnings: $345,650.

  3. 2023 starts-1st-2nd-3rd: 3-1-0-2

  4. Career starts-1st-2nd-3rd: 7-2-3-2

  5. Last three: Arkansas Derby (3rd), Rebel Stakes (3rd), Sham Stakes (1st).

  6. Notable: A grandson of Holy Bull, the 1994 horse of the year despite finishing 12th at the Derby. He’s freckled gray and will be a hefty long shot.

8 - Mage (15-1)

  1. Trainer: Gustavo Delgado. Jockey: Javier Castellano.

  2. Career earnings: $247,200.

  3. 2023 starts-1st-2nd-3rd: 3-1-1-0

  4. Career starts-1st-2nd-3rd: 3-1-1-0

  5. Last three: Florida Derby (2nd), Fountain of Youth Stakes (4th), Maiden/Gulfstream (1st).

  6. Notable: His sire, Good Magic, finished second to Justify in the 2018 Derby. On that day, Castellano was aboard Audible, who finished third. He’s 0-for-15 at the Derby.

9 - Skinner (20-1)

  1. Trainer: John Shirreffs. Jockey: Juan Hernandez.

  2. Career earnings: $216,300.

  3. 2023 starts-1st-2nd-3rd: 3-1-0-2

  4. Career starts-1st-2nd-3rd: 6-1-0-3

  5. Last three: Santa Anita Derby (3rd), San Felipe Stakes (3rd), Maiden/Santa Anita (1st).

  6. Notable: Sired by Curlin, who finished third in the 2007 Derby and won the Preakness. Changing jockeys from Victor Espinoza to Hernandez, who has never ridden in the Derby.

10 - Practical Move (10-1)

  1. Trainer: Tim Yakteen. Jockey: Ramon Vazquez.

  2. Career earnings: $884,200.

  3. 2023 starts-1st-2nd-3rd: 2-2-0-0

  4. Career starts-1st-2nd-3rd: 7-4-1-2

  5. Last three: Santa Anita Derby (1st), San Felipe Stakes (1st), Los Alamitos Futurity (1st, 2022).

  6. Notable: Has hit the board in all seven starts. Yakteen made his Derby debut last year filling in for the suspended Bob Baffert. He placed 12th with Taiba and 15th with Messier.

» READ MORE: Kentucky Derby odds: Forte favored to win 149th Run for the Roses

11 - Disarm (30-1)

  1. Trainer: Steve Asmussen. Jockey: Joel Rosario.

  2. Career earnings: $327,850.

  3. 2023 starts-1st-2nd-3rd: 3-0-2-1

  4. Career starts-1st-2nd-3rd: 5-1-2-2

  5. Last three: Lexington Stakes (3rd), Louisiana Derby (2nd), Allowance/Oaklawn (2nd).

  6. Notable: Asmussen is 0-for-24 at the Derby, including last year when runner-up Epicenter was stunned by 80-1 shot Rich Strike.

12 - Jace’s Road (15-1)

  1. Trainer: Brad Cox. Jockey: Florent Geroux.

  2. Career earnings: $238,050.

  3. 2023 starts-1st-2nd-3rd: 2-0-0-1

  4. Career starts-1st-2nd-3rd: 6-2-0-2

  5. Last three: Louisiana Derby (3rd), Southwest Stakes (5th), Gun Runner Stakes (1st).

  6. Notable: The longest shot of the four trained by Cox, who won here in 2021 when Mandaloun supplanted Medina Spirit following a failed drug test.

13 - Sun Thunder (50-1)

  1. Trainer: Ken McPeek. Jockey: Brian Hernandez Jr.

  2. Career earnings: $247,500.

  3. 2023 starts-1st-2nd-3rd: 4-0-1-0

  4. Career starts-1st-2nd-3rd: 6-1-1-1

  5. Last three: Blue Grass Stakes (4th), Louisiana Derby (5th), Risen Star Stakes (2nd).

  6. Notable: Will be wearing blinkers following two mediocre starts. McPeek’s first Derby was 28 years ago when Tejano Run ran second to Thunder Gulch. He has not hit the board in seven tries since.

14 - Angel of Empire (8-1)

  1. Trainer: Brad Cox. Jockey: Flavien Prat.

  2. Career earnings: $1,069,375

  3. 2023 starts-1st-2nd-3rd: 3-2-1-0

  4. Career starts-1st-2nd-3rd: 6-4-1-0

  5. Last three: Arkansas Derby (1st), Risen Star Stakes (1st), Smarty Jones Stakes (2nd).

  6. Notable: Roared back to win the Arkansas Derby, closing impressively at the top of the stretch. Bred at Blackstone Farm in Pine Grove, Pa.

15 - Forte (3-1)

  1. Trainer: Todd Pletcher. Jockey: Irad Ortiz Jr.

  2. Career earnings: $2,409,830

  3. 2023 starts-1st-2nd-3rd: 2-2-0-0

  4. Career starts-1st-2nd-3rd: 7-6-0-0

  5. Last three: Florida Derby (1st), Fountain of Youth Stakes (1st), Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (1st).

  6. Notable: One of Forte’s owners is Vincent Viola, who also owns the Florida Panthers. A win by Forte here would make it an epic week.

16 - Raise Cain (50-1)

  1. Trainer: Ben Colebrook. Jockey: Gerardo Corrales.

  2. Career earnings: $296,328.

  3. 2023 starts-1st-2nd-3rd: 3-1-0-0

  4. Career starts-1st-2nd-3rd: 7-2-1-1

  5. Last three: Blue Grass Stakes (5th), Gotham Stakes (1st), Leonatus Stakes/Black (5th).

  6. Notable: This is his fourth different jockey in his last four races. Both Colebrook and Corrales are making their Derby debuts.

17 - Derma Sotogake (10-1)

  1. Trainer: Hidetaka Otonashi. Jockey: Christope Lemaire.

  2. Career earnings: $1,162,164

  3. 2023 starts-1st-2nd-3rd: 2-1-0-1

  4. Career starts-1st-2nd-3rd: 8-4-0-2

  5. Last three: UAE Derby (1st), Saudi Derby (3rd), Zennippon Nisai Yushun (1st).

  6. Notable: UAE Derby winners are 0-for-18 at the Kentucky Derby. Master of Hounds, fifth in 2011, had the best finish.

18 - Rocket Can (30-1)

  1. Trainer: Bill Mott. Jockey: Junior Alvarado.

  2. Career earnings: $383,413.

  3. 2023 starts-1st-2nd-3rd: 3-1-1-0

  4. Career starts-1st-2nd-3rd: 7-2-2-0

  5. Last three: Arkansas Derby (4th), Fountain of Youth Stakes (2nd), Holy Bull Stakes (1st).

  6. Notable: Couldn’t find the needed gear his last time out and finished a disappointing fourth. Broke his maiden at Churchill in October. Placed second here a month later in an allowance race.

19 - Lord Miles (30-1)

  1. Trainer: Saffie Joseph Jr. Jockey: Paco Lopez.

  2. Career earnings: $451,100.

  3. 2023 starts-1st-2nd-3rd: 4-1-0-1

  4. Career starts-1st-2nd-3rd: 5-2-0-1

  5. Last three: Wood Memorial (1st), Tampa Bay Derby (5th), Holy Bull Stakes (6th).

  6. Notable: Won a very physical race at the Wood Memorial by a nose as a 59-1 shot (paying $120.50). Peter Vegso has owned horses for 30 years. This is his first Derby.

20 - Continuar (50-1)

  1. Trainer: Yoshito Yahagi. Jockey: Ryusei Sakai.

  2. Career earnings: $337,889.

  3. 2023 starts-1st-2nd-3rd: 2-0-0-1

  4. Career starts-1st-2nd-3rd: 5-1-1-1

  5. Last three: UAE Derby (3rd), Saudi Derby (5th), Cattleya Stakes (1st, 2022).

  6. Notable: Two winners have come from the No. 20 post. Big Brown (paid $6.80) was a heavy favorite in 2008. Rich Strike ($163.60) was a historic underdog last year.

Welcome to the foaled

Birth dates in 2020 for the horses running in the Kentucky Derby, the most prestigious race for 3-year-olds. Horse’s program number is in parentheses.

Jan. 17: Kingsbarns (6)

Feb. 17: Tapit Trice (5)

Feb. 18: Skinner (9)

Feb. 28: Disarm (11)

March 7: Continuar (20)

March 11: Forte (15)

March 12: Sun Thunder (13)

March 16: Two Phil’s (3)

March 30: Lord Miles (19)

April 1: Reincarnate (7)

April 7: Raise Cain (16)

April 9: Angel of Empire (14)

April 18: Mage (8)

April 23: Confidence Game (4)

April 25: Jace’s Road (12)

April 28: Derma Sotogake (17), Rocket Can (18)

April 30: Practical Move (10)

May 9: Hit Show (1)

May 11: Verifying (2)

Run for the Derby standings

Forte, 190 points – Saturday’s post: 15

Practical Move, 160 points – Saturday’s post: 10

Angel of Empire, 154 points – Saturday’s post: 14

Tapit Trice, 150 points – Saturday’s post: 5

Two Phil’s, 123 points – Saturday’s post: 3

Lord Miles, 105 points – Saturday’s post: 19

Derma Sotogake (Japan), 100 points – Saturday’s post: 17

Kingsbarn, 100 points – Saturday’s post: 6

Raise Cain, 64 points – Saturday’s post: 16

Rocket Can, 60 points – Saturday’s post: 18

Hit Show, 60 points – Saturday’s post: 1

Confidence Game, 57 points – Saturday’s post: 4

Verifying, 54 points – Saturday’s post: 2

Sun Thunder, 54 points – Saturday’s post: 13

Mage, 50 points – Saturday’s post: 8

Disarm, 46 points – Saturday’s post: 11

Reincarnate, 45 points – Saturday’s post: 7

Jace’s Road, 45 points – Saturday’s post: 12

Skinner, 45 points – Saturday’s post: 9

Continuar (Japan), N/A points – Saturday’s post: 20

Note: Continuar qualified through Japan’s road to the Kentucky Derby series.

Sources: Inquirer research, Equibase.com.