The big concern is that Taiba hasn’t faced a field remotely this size. Tim Yakteen takes over the trainer duties, as former boss Bob Baffert serves his two-year suspension at Kentucky tracks. Prior to that, Taiba crushed the field in a six-furlong maiden sprint on March 5 at Santa Anita. Pedigree: Gun Runner - Needmore Flattery (Flatter)Īnalysis: The lightl-raced son of 2017 Breeders’ Cup champion Gun Runner won the Santa Anita Derby in just his second career start last time out. Jockey: Mike Smith | Trainer: Tim Yakteen He rode Hot Rod Charlie to second in last year’s race following the late Medina Spirit’s DQ from the win. Prat knows how to get a trip in these monster Derby fields, winning the 2019 event via disqualification under Country House. He took huge leap in the data as well, earning 107 Equibase Speed Figure after posting consecutive 93s in his three previous stakes events. Pedigree: Upstart - Memories Prevail (Creative Cause)Īnalysis: The Derby favorite put in a breathtaking run under jockey Flavien Prat in the Blue Grass, working his way through a ton of traffic (aka tired horses) and exploded down the lane to roll past runner-up Smile Happy. Jockey: Flavien Prat | Trainer: Chad BrownĬareer Record: 4 starts (2 wins | 1 second | 1 third) That said, let’s take a look at my rankings heading toward the annual “Run for the Roses” at Churchill Downs.Ģ022 Kentucky Derby Field Rankings No. Earlier races from Churchill Downs will air on USA Network from 12 p.m. ![]() ET, with TV coverage running from 2:30 p.m. Post time for this year’s Derby is set for 6:57 p.m. So, what about the other 19 contenders taking part in “The Fastest Two Minutes in Sports?” Well, I’ve taken the time to rank all of them from 1-20 to give more insight into their respective backgrounds and where they sit in the pecking order of this massive field. Twenty horses are set to enter the starting gate for Saturday’s 148th running of the Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs.ĭerby hopeful Zandon, who won the Toyota Blue Grass Stakes at Keeneland Race Course last time out, is the current 3-1 favorite ahead of the first leg of horse racing’s Triple Crown. Editor’s note: Ethereal Road was scratched from the Kentucky Derby early Friday and replaced by Rich Strike for Saturday’s $3 million race.
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