It’s not like we haven’t seen the “Out of the Clouds” scenario play out at Churchill Downs in the past.
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Post time for the Derby, the 12th of 14 races Saturday, is 6:34 p.m. He was the 4-5 favorite for the Florida Derby, which Kentucky Derby-favorite Nyquist won easily in the slop at Gulfstream Park. Winning the Triple Crown of thoroughbred racing is a hard feat for any horse. O’Neill, jockey Mario Gutierrez and owner Paul Reddam teamed to win the race in 2012 with I’ll Have Another. “He was number 13 when he won the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile at Keeneland so the post draw didn’t matter to us a ton”.
“Last year I had the 18th with American Pharoah and there was a scratch, but then we ended up at 16”, he said, adding he was not anxious about bucking the hex. On Wednesday, Moyhamen was right behind Nyquist at +700 odds but he’s down a notch to +800 due to his No. 14 post right beside the betting favorite.
Pletcher is the only other trainer in the race with a Derby victory. Cheers were heard from around the room as Santa Anita Derby victor Exaggerator, at 8-to-1, landed post position No. 11.
He is trained by Keith Desormeaux, whose Hall of Fame brother, Kent, will be aboard. The favorites for the race are: Nyquist at 3-1, Exaggerator at 8-1, Mohaymen at 10-1, Gun Runner at 10-1 and Creator at 10-1. He has loads of talent as indicated by three wins to start his career, but the Wood fiasco haunts him.
Baffert got his fourth Derby a year ago with American Pharoah, who went on to sweep the Triple Crown.
Bob Baffert was in the spotlight constantly past year, while leading American Pharoah’s Triple Crown run. I think Nyquist has shown the versatility to win on the lead, from off the pace. He can win from on or off the pace and easily put away Mohaymen and the rest of the Florida Derby field in his last start. A win by Mor Spirit on Saturday would move Baffert within one of the record held by Ben Jones.
On the other hand, Nyquist has almost as many Grade I wins (four) as the rest of the field combined (six). The lone defeat was a second-place finish to stablemate Destin in the Tampa Bay Derby.
John Velazquez, who won the 2011 Derby on Animal Kingdom, has the mount on Outwork and will break from post position 15.
Here is the complete field for Saturday’s 2016 Kentucky Derby, along with the jockey and odds for each horse (odds as of Thursday afternoon). Exaggerator will start from the No. 11 post. Both are trained by Steve Asmussen. “It might be in our favor”, trainer Cliff Sise said.
– Danzing Candy. He was very good in the San Felipe and probably didn’t like the slop in the Santa Anita Derby. Espinoza looks to make it three Derby victories in a row and confidence in the saddle is no concern.
The No. 13 post hasn’t been terribly lucky over the years, with just four winners in 69 tries. Trained by Mike Maker, Oscar Nominated (50-1) will be ridden by Julien Leparoux and break from post position seven. Ortiz rides regularly for Chad Brown, who has My Man Sam (second in the Blue Grass Stakes) and Shagaf (Gotham winner). After a 37-year drought, Pharoah’s sweep of the Derby, Preakness and Belmont stakes rejuvenated, at least briefly, a sport that needed a galvanizing star. I’ve been to one or two (races) maybe in Sweden just for the fun of it. It’s a quality that served American Pharoah past year and California Chrome in 2014.
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Creator opens at 10-1 on the morning line while Suddenbreakingnews and Whitmore are 20-1. Danzing Candy and Outwork (15) were considered to be the early speed in the race. Colts and geldings in the race carry 126 pounds (57 kg), and fillies in the race carry 121 pounds (55 kg).
