The running of the 152nd Kentucky Derby is next Saturday. The postpositions were drawn yesterday. Let’s look at this year’s favorites. We have numerous stories to share over the next few days about the greatest two minutes in sports!

 

Favorites for the Derby

 

The early favorite for the Derby is Renegade, who grabbed the first post position. Trainer Todd Pletcher’s horse is 4-1 as of Sunday morning. Next are two Brad Cox trained horses. Further Ado (6-1) in the 18th position and Commandment 6th. Chief Wallabee rounds out the early favorites, riding in at 8-1 and in the 12 post position.

Notes on the Derby

Technically there are 24 horses potentially. If any horse in the main draw of 20 scratches, any one of the four will step in. Right now, in order from 21-24th, the horses on the eligible list include Great White, Ocelli, Robusta, and Corona de Oro.

 

Nineteen of the twenty entries listed currently have ties to Secretariat. Last year all twenty were from the great horse!

 

Bob Baffert is back in the house again! After serving a suspension for his horse Medina Spirit’s disqualification back in 2021, the hall-of-fame trainer is gunning for a seventh Kentucky Derby winner. His horse, Potente, sits in 10th place on the points list. He also has Litmus Test running this year. Last year was technically his first back at Churchill Downs, but one of his horses was a scratch and Citizen Bull ended 15th.

 

Every year there are great stories. This year could be a plethora of them. So Happy, trained by Mark Glatt, is right up there for fans of the race. He has two wins this year (San Vincente and Santa Anita Derby) but you will have to wait for the rest of the story!

 

Another fascinating story is Danon Bourbon, who won most of the his in Japan. This horse is a stalker, a horse that loves to lay back, keep pace, then make their move. He has raced different styles and can be an interesting and lucrative Derby bet.

Which brings us to another gem that of Riley Mott, son of last year’s winning trainer, Bill Mott. The younger Mott has two horses in this race, Albus and Incredibolt, both part of the Pin Oak Stud farm owned by Dana Bernhard in her first Kentucky Derby! And the story of her husband’s death and the challenges they have overcome might make you a bit teary eyed.

 

So stay with us this week as we prepare you for the Most Exciting Two Minutes in Sports!

 

WHO: Three-Year-Old horses

WHAT: The 152nd running of the Kentucky Derby

WHEN: Saturday, May 2nd, Post time 6:57 PM EST.

WHERE: Churchill Downs, Louisville, KY

TRACK: 1 and 1/4 miles or 10 furlongs

PURSE: $5 million

TV: NBC, TwinSpires.com, Peacock

LAST YEAR WINNER: Sovereignty, Trainer (Bill Mott), Jockey (Junior Alvarado), Owner (GoDophin, Dubai)