Kentucky derby cheat sheet
The charts ; 5. Sainthood. Stalker ; 6. O Besos. Closer ; 7. Mandaloun. Stalker ; 8. Medina Spirit. Speed/Press the Pace. Colts are the boys and fillies are the girls. A gelding is a male who has been castrated. Why? Usually to calm him down. •. The th Kentucky Derby is just around the corner! Derby Jackpot is pleased to present the ultimate Kentucky Derby Cheat Sheet. Just Beyond the Clouds. 50 Kentucky derby cheat sheet States Read and Solve Crossword Puzzles. Fast Food Nation. Managing Sport Events. The Kentucky Derby. American Psycho.
2023 Kentucky Derby Cheat Sheet: Get to Know the Horses
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Kentucky Derby 2024
ET on May 1. The broadcast shifts to NBC from p. Known Agenda morning-line odds. Jockey: Irad Ortiz Jr. Trainer: Todd Pletcher. Owner: St. Elias Stable. Highly regarded since the start of his career, this well-bred son of top sire Curlin disappointed in his first start as a 3-year-old when he finished fifth in the Sam F. Davis Stakes back in February. After that, trainer Todd Pletcher added blinkers to improve focus, and the colt responded with a blowout length win in a Gulfstream Park allowance race on Feb.
In both of those races, Known Agenda rated off of the early pace — but not too far off — and showed an impressive turn of foot to take command at the top of the stretch and pull away. Drawing the rail post position is something all Derby trainers want to avoid, but one positive for Known Agenda in this year's draw is that four longshots are lined up to his immediate outside.
Even so, Irad Ortiz Jr. His best finish came in on fourth-place Improbable. Owner Vincent Viola has also enjoyed prior Derby success as his St. Elias Stable was part-owner of Always Dreaming. Like the King Jockey: Drayden Van Dyke. Kentucky derby cheat sheet Trainer: Wesley Ward. Owner: M Racing Group. He has excelled competing on the Tapeta Footings synthetic main track at Turfway Park, winning a race there last December and then earlier this year finishing second in the John Battaglia Memorial Stakes and first in the Jeff Ruby Steaks on March The latter win gave Like the King Derby qualifying points and cinched his spot in the starting gate, and he overcame some traffic trouble on the far turn to kick clear late in a visually impressive performance.
That said, he was well beaten in both of his starts on dirt as a juvenile, and his Equibase Speed Figures are a cut below the top Derby contenders. In the Jeff Ruby, he closed from a position farther back than normal to win, and repeating that strategy would probably give him the best chance to hit the board at long odds in the Derby. Brooklyn Strong Jockey: Umberto Rispoli.
Trainer: Daniel Velazquez. Owner: Mark Schwartz. Notable achievements and interesting facts: The connections for this New York-bred gelding moved him into consideration for the Kentucky Derby on April 25 when Caddo River was withdrawn from the Top 20 leaderboard.
Back in December, he jumped on the Derby futures market with a game neck win in the Remsen Stakes at Aqueduct, earning a 99 Equibase Speed Figure Known Agenda was more than eight lengths back in third. After that, he was kept on the shelf for four months due to an illness and made his 3-year-old debut in the Wood Memorial Stakes Presented by Resorts World Casino.
It will also be the first Derby for jockey Umberto Rispoli, who began his career in his native Italy and has become a top rider on the California circuit. Keepmeinmind Jockey: David Cohen. Trainer : Robertino Diodoro. 
Notable achievements and interesting facts : Keepmeinmind drew into the Kentucky Derby seven days before the race when Get Her Number was withdrawn from consideration.
As a 3-year-old, however, Keepmeinmind has regressed in two starts, finishing sixth by eight lengths in the Rebel Stakes and then fifth by 16 lengths behind Essential Quality in the Toyota Blue Grass Stakes. He adds blinkers for the Kentucky Derby. Sainthood Jockey: Corey Lanerie. He has been competitive in all three, losing his career debut by a head, winning his second start by a nose, and then finishing second by a length to Like a King in the Jeff Ruby Steaks at Turfway Park after a troubled trip.
All in all, the Kentucky Derby shapes up as an incredibly tough assignment for a colt who clearly has talent but who concedes an experience and class advantage to nearly all of his competitors. Kentucky-based jockey Corey Lanerie has made four prior Derby starts and finished second in aboard Lookin At Lee. O Besos Jockey: Marcelino Pedroza.
Trainer: Greg Foley. Notable achievements and interesting facts: Among the Kentucky Derby longshots, O Besos profiles as one of the more interesting contenders. The son of Kentucky Derby winner Orb started his career at sprint distances last year and won two races at Fair Grounds by open lengths before his connections decided to join the Derby trail in the Risen Star Stakes Presented by Lamarque Ford.
O Besos finished a well-beaten fourth in the Risen Star — his first start around two turns — but improved in the Twinspires. Those two horses were in front from start to finish in the Louisiana Derby, and O Besos nearly got past Midnight Bourbon with his late run, losing second by a head. If the pace is indeed swift and O Besos can nudge his 96 Equibase Speed Figure from the Louisiana Derby up a few more points, he could hit the board at hefty odds.
Mandaloun Jockey: Florent Geroux. Trainer: Brad Cox. Owner: Juddmonte Farms. Notable achievements and interesting facts: Mandaloun is somewhat of a mystery horse in the Kentucky Derby, as he was highly rated by many analysts after showing improvement in his first two starts as a 3-year-old but then regressed in his final prep, all at Fair Grounds.
But in the Twinspires. Jockey Florent Geroux has been aboard Mandaloun in each of his starts; he finished third in the Derby on Gun Runner. Juddmonte Farms has been a leading international owner for decades after it was founded by Khalid Abdullah, who died earlier this year. It has started five horses in the Kentucky Derby, finishing second in with Aptitude, second in with subsequent Belmont Stakes winner Empire Maker, and third in with Tacitus.
Medina Spirit Jockey: John Velazquez. Trainer: Bob Baffert. Owner: Zedan Racing Stables. Lewis Stakes back on Jan. It would be a surprise to see this colt wearing the garland of roses around 7 p. May 1, but not at all to see his name on the tote board filling out the trifecta or superfecta. Baffert also has three runner-up Derby finishes Cavonnier, ; Pioneerof the Nile, ; Bodemeister, and three third-place finishes.
Velazquez has also finished second twice in the Derby Invisible Ink in and Code of Honor in Owner Amr Zedan is making his first appearance in the Derby. Hot Rod Charlie Jockey: Flavien Prat. Then, after a winter break, he has been just as impressive in his two Derby preps, finishing third by a neck in the Robert B.
This son of Preakness Stakes winner Oxbow has raced well when on the lead, pressing the pace, and stalking, and that versatility should serve him well on the Derby. Flavien Prat will be making his fourth Derby start. He finished third in on Battle of Midway and then in was aboard Midnight Bourbon Jockey: Mike Smith. Trainer: Steve Asmussen. Detroit odds to win super bowl Owner: Winchell Thoroughbreds.
He should be one of several horses prominently placed early, as he won the Lecomte Stakes in January to kick off his 3-year-old season in wire-to-wire fashion and pressed the pace in two subsequent starts when third to Mandaloun in the Risen Star Stakes Presented by Lamarque Ford in February and then second to Hot Rod Charlie in the Twinspires.
He also finished third with two future superstars: Curlin in and Gun Runner in Winchell Thoroughbreds, founded by the late Verne Winchell and now managed by his son Ron, has owned several Derby starters solely and in partnership; its best finish came with Gun Runner, co-owned with Besilu Stables and Three Chimneys Farm.
Mike Smith has appeared in 26 Kentucky Derbys and won the race in on longshot Giacomo and again in on favored Justify , who went on to sweep the Triple Crown. Dynamic One Jockey: Jose Ortiz. Notable achievements and interesting facts: Last seen finishing second to stablemate Bourbonic in the Wood Memorial Stakes Presented by Resorts World Casino , Dynamic One actually may get more betting support than the He ran creditably at He definitely sits beneath the top rung of contenders, and maybe even below the second group, but if he gets a good stalking trip under Jose Ortiz, Dynamic One could fill out the trifecta or superfecta in the Derby.
Derby History: Ortiz will be making his sixth Derby start; he finished second in the renewal on Good Magic and third in aboard Tacitus. Elias Stable was part-owner of Always Dreaming, and St. Elias and Mike Repole co-owned ninth-place Vino Rosso in Notable achievements and interesting facts: Tiz the Bomb has established himself as one of the most talented racehorses of his age group, racking up four stakes wins and a runner-up finish in a Grade 1 race through eight career starts.
If his Holy Bull effort was indeed a toss-out race and he runs to his synthetic and turf form on May 7, Tiz the Bomb could light up the tote board with a top-three finish as he fits the profile of a Derby horse based on stamina and class. Derby history: Trainer Ken McPeek has had six prior starters in the Kentucky and finished second with his first horse, Tejano Run in Jockey Brian Hernandez Jr.
Bet Tiz the Bomb in the Kentucky Derby. Zandon Jockey: Flavien Prat. Trainer: Chad Brown. Owner: Jeff Drown. The Equibase Speed Figure of Zandon earned in that victory is tied for the highest on dirt with Messier among Kentucky Derby starters, and represents a big leap forward from the three 93 figures he tallied in his prior starts, including a third-place effort behind Epicenter and Smile Happy in the Risen Star Stakes Presented by Lamarque Ford.
Nevertheless, Zandon has been training lights out over the past couple of months in Florida and Kentucky and could be sitting on his career-best race. If that indeed is the case — look out. He drew a favorable post position for his stalking style, midway through the field at post 10, and has been installed as the slight morning-line favorite over Epicenter.
Chad Brown, a four-time Eclipse Award-winning trainer, has had six prior Derby horses and finished second in with Good Magic. Jockey Flavien Prat rode Zandon for the first time in the Blue Grass; the native of France is on a fast track to becoming one of the preeminent riders in North America. Prat became a Kentucky Derby-winning jockey in when Country House was elevated from second to first after Maximum Security was disqualified for interference shortly after the race concluded.
And in February of this year, Prat and Hot Rod Charlie were officially moved up from third to second in the Kentucky Derby after first-place finisher Medina Spirit was disqualified from the win due to a medication violation. Bet Zandon in the Kentucky Derby. Pioneer of Medina Jockey: Joe Bravo. Owner: Sumaya U. Notable achievements and interesting facts: Pioneer of Medina joined the Derby field on May 1 after the connections of Early Voting decided to target the Preakness Stakes.
After posting a couple of nice wins in route races to start off his campaign at Fair Grounds , the bay colt pressed the pace in both the Risen Star Stakes Presented by Lamarque Ford and the Twinspires. His overall form and racing style indicates that this Pioneerof the Nile colt will be forwardly placed in the Kentucky Derby, so he should make an impact in terms of determining the early fractions.
Derby history: Todd Pletcher owns the record for trainers with the most Kentucky Derby starters, currently at This will be the first Derby for owner Oussama Aboughazale. Joe Bravo has had three prior Derby mounts, and finished third in Bet Pioneer of Medina in the Kentucky Derby. Kentucky derby cheat sheet Taiba Jockey: Mike Smith.
Owner: Zedan Racing Stables. Based on the eye test, Taiba should be one of the favorites in the th run for the roses, and he probably will be when the starting gate opens. That happened way back in Leonatus. Can Taiba become the second. Derby history: Smith has won the Kentucky Derby twice, with longshot Giacomo in and with favorite Justify in Smith has also finished second four times in the Derby and third once.
Amr Zedan owned Bob Baffert-trained Medina Spirit, who finished first in the Kentucky Derby but was disqualified earlier this year for a medication violation. Bet Taiba in the Kentucky Derby. Simplification Jockey: Jose Ortiz. Trainer: Antonio Sano. Owner: Tami Bobo. Overall, his Equibase Speed Figures are a cut below those earned by the top Kentucky Derby contenders, but Simplification is, to echo his name, simply too good of a racehorse to toss off of exotic tickets.
He has shown the versatility to press the pace, stalk, or come from farther back; on May 7, look for jockey Jose Ortiz to have him among the first five or six horses early on and continuing through the backstretch before asking him for his best. Derby history: Gunnevera finished seventh in the Derby for Sano.
This will be the first Derby for owner Tami Bobo. Bet Simplification in the Kentucky Derby. Barber Road Jockey: Reylu Gutierrez. Trainer: John Ortiz. Owner: WSS Racing. Notable achievements and interesting facts: This colt is a leading candidate for the unofficial fan favorite award in Derby If a hot pace develops, Barber Road could sneak into the superfecta or, less likely, the trifecta — which would be a great result for his connections and fans.
Bet Barber Road in the Kentucky Derby. White Abarrio Jockey: Tyler Gaffalione. Trainer: Saffie Joseph Jr. He won two of three starts as a 2-year-old with his only loss coming in a third-place finish last fall behind Smile Happy and Classic Causeway in the Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes at Churchill Downs. This colt has a perfect stalking running style for the Kentucky Derby; barring any early misfortune in the horse field, he should be angling out on the far turn from midpack and in position to finish strongly, as he has in all five of his starts.
Indy line , and the fact that all four of his wins have come at Gulfstream Park. That said, his third in the Kentucky Jockey Club was a solid effort, and White Abarrio has improved by leaps and bounds since that race. Gaffalione, who was aboard White Abarrio for both of his stakes wins in Florida, has won the jockey title for six meets and counting at Churchill Downs.
He should have this colt in contention to at least hit the board in the Derby, and possibly earn a history-making victory. Bet White Abarrio in the Kentucky Derby. Cyberknife Jockey: Florent Geroux. Trainer: Brad Cox. Owner: Gold Square. He could very well orchestrate a similar trip with Cyberknife.
This colt is a second-tier win candidate for the Derby but a definite threat to hit the board. Geroux previously finished third in the Derby aboard the aforementioned Gun Runner, who would be voted Horse of the Year in This is the first Derby for owner Al Gold. Bet Cyberknife in the Kentucky Derby. Classic Causeway Jockey: Julien Leparoux. Trainer: Brian Lynch. That prompted his connections to pull the colt out of Derby consideration despite his having earned more than enough qualifying points.
In that race, he set the early pace just as he did when dominating both the Sam F. This colt had a successful 2-year-old season, including a runner-up effort to Smile Happy in the Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes. That desultory finish in the Florida Derby is hard to forget, however. At the very least, Classic Causeway should help to ensure an honest pace in Derby Julien Leparoux has ridden in 13 prior Derbys, his best finish a fourth aboard Classic Empire in Bet Classic Causeway in the Kentucky Derby.
Tawny Port Jockey: Ricardo Santana Jr. Owner: Peachtree Stable. Truthfully, this son of Derby runner-up Pioneerof the Nile is still an outsider win candidate for Derby , but he silenced some doubters with his recent victory — and also boosted the form of Tiz the Bomb, who bested Tawny Port in the Jeff Ruby one race before the Lexington.
He should be positioned in midpack through the first mile or so in the Derby and has shown enough stamina in his five races all coming around two turns to be worthy of consideration as a trifecta or superfecta filler who could pass some tiring runners late. Jockey Ricardo Santana Jr. Bet Tawny Port in the Kentucky Derby. Zozos Jockey: Manny Franco. Owners: Barry and Joni Butzow.
Notable achievements and interesting facts: Lightly raced Zozos enters the Kentucky Derby off of a runner-up finish in the Twinspires. Jumping from a respectable Louisiana Derby finish into the much tougher waters of the Kentucky Derby threatens to derail that progress, however. Justify is only horse to win the Kentucky Derby without making a start as a 2-year-old since , and to borrow a phrase from the late Lloyd Bentsen, Zozos is no Justify.
Derby history: Cox earned his first Kentucky Derby win last year in his first appearance, when Mandaloun was elevated to victor in February via the disqualification of Medina Spirit. Jockey Manny Franco finished second in the September Derby aboard favorite Tiz the Law, who had already won the Belmont Stakes in that pandemic-altered year.
Bet Zozos in the Kentucky Derby. Rich Strike Jockey: Sonny Leon. Trainer: Eric Reed. Notable achievements and interesting facts: Rich Strike was listed as the first also-eligible in the Kentucky Derby field, and drew in to the race when Ethereal Road was withdrawn on May 6. Bet Rich Strike in the Kentucky Derby. Jockey: Luis Contreras.
Trainer: D. Wayne Lukas. Owners: Julie Gilbert and Aaron Sones. Notable achievements and interesting facts: Legendary trainer D. Wayne Lukas held the record for most Kentucky Derby starters until Todd Pletcher surpassed him several years ago.