The field is set for Kentucky Derby 147! Read on to learn about each of this year’s entrants!
#1 Known Agenda (Curlin – Byrama by Byron)
Odds: 6-1
Record: 6:3-1-1
Trainer: Todd Pletcher
Jockey: Irad Ortiz, Jr.
Owner: St. Elias Stable
Despite drawing the dreaded rail post position, Known Agenda still looks to go off one of the betting favorites for Derby 147. After debuting with a second place effort behind fellow Derby runner Highly Motivated, Known Agenda returned to break his maiden going 1 ⅛ miles at Aqueduct. Following a distant third place behind Brooklyn Strong in a sloppy edition of the Remsen Stakes and a head scratcher in his three-year-old debut, trainer Todd Pletcher put blinkers on the son of Curlin and returned him to allowance ranks. Known Agenda romped to an eleven length allowance score with blinkers on for the first time. He followed it up with an ultra impressive 2 ¾ length victory in the Florida Derby, closing from midpack to overhaul Soup and Sandwich in the stretch, to firmly place himself in the Derby picture. Installed the third betting choice in the field, Known Agenda is one of four entrants for Todd Pletcher.
#2 Like the King (Palace Malice – Like a Queen by Corinthian)
Odds: 50-1
Record: 6: 3-2-1
Trainer: Wesley Ward
Jockey: Drayden Van Dyke
Owner: M Racing Group LLC
A polytrack superstar, Like the King is still searching for his first career victory over a dirt surface. After a distant second on the dirt in his career debut, Like the King broke his maiden by 7 ½ lengths over the grass at Belterra Park. A return to the main track saw him finish a soundly beaten third in a Keeneland allowance before wintering at Turfway Park. Over the tapeta surface, Like the King posted a 3 ½ length allowance score to close out his juvenile season. He returned as a three-year-old to finish a troubled second in the John Battaglia Memorial before making amends with an impressive late rally to score the Jeff Ruby Steaks by a length.
#3 Brooklyn Strong (Wicked Strong – Riviera Chic by Medaglia d’Oro)
Odds: 50-1
Record: 5: 3-0-1
Trainer: Daniel Velazquez
Jockey: Umberto Rispoli
Owner: Mark Schwartz
A surprise last minute addition to the Derby field, Parx-based Brooklyn Strong, sired by Pennsylvania stallion Wicked Strong, secured his spot in the Kentucky Derby field only two days before entries were drawn. The New York-bred broke his maiden at first asking in a maiden claimer at Delaware Park before tackling New York-bred stakes at Belmont Park. He finished third in the Bertram F. Bongard Stakes prior to scoring an impressive 2 ¼ length victory in the Sleepy Hollow Stakes. Taking another step up, Brooklyn Strong gave trainer Danny Velazquez his first graded stakes victory when fighting his way to a hard-fought neck victory in the 1 ⅛ mile Remsen Stakes at Aqueduct. With some minor setbacks over the winter delaying his three-year-old debut, Brooklyn Strong was ready in time for one prep race prior to the Derby. Returning to Aqueduct for the Wood Memorial, he finished a troubled but decent fifth off the four month layoff. Purchased for only $5,000 as a two-year-old, Brooklyn Strong is the biggest bargain in the Derby field and provides Pennsylvania with its own rooting interest.
#4 Keepmeinmind (Laoban – Inclination by Victory Gallop)
Odds: 50-1
Record: 6: 1-2-1
Trainer: Robertino Diodoro
Jockey: David Cohen
Owners: Spendthrift Farm LLC, Cypress Creek Equine, and Arnold Bennewith
Certain to be closing late, Keepmeinmind returns to the site of his only career victory. Debuting with a close second place in maiden company at Churchill Downs, Keepmeinmind was put straight into Grade 1 stakes next out and finished second behind eventual champion Essential Quality in the Breeders’ Futurity at whopping odds of 57-1. He proved his previous effort was no fluke when closing from fourteenth and last while as many as seventeen lengths off the pace in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile to finish third, beaten only two lengths by Essential Quality and Hot Rod Charlie. Tackling the Kentucky Jockey Club next, Keepmeinmind finally broke his maiden in the Grade 2 stakes by again closing from last to get up by ¾ of a length. Spending the winter at Oaklawn Park, the colt’s plans were interrupted by the polar vortex that gripped much of the south in February. Missing two weeks of training and delaying his three-year-old debut by four weeks, Keepmeinmind finally returned in the Rebel Stakes to finish a disappointing sixth. He attempted the Blue Grass Stakes at Keeneland in his final prep, but a change of tactics sitting closer to the pace resulted in a fifth place effort. Getting blinkers off for the first time since the Breeders’ Futurity, Keepmeinmind looks to get back on track in the Derby.
#5 Sainthood (Mshawish – Lemon Hero by Lemon Drop Kid)
Odds: 50-1
Record: 3: 1-2-0
Trainer: Todd Pletcher
Jockey: Corey Lanerie
Owners: China Horse Club Inc. and WinStar Farm LLC
The lightly raced Sainthood did not race as a two-year-old, debuting on January 9th to finish second while only beaten a head at Gulfstream Park. Shipping to Fair Grounds for a 1 1/16th mile maiden race, Sainthood battled to a hard-fought wire-to-wire victory, dueling for the entirety of the stretch run to prevail by a nose. Tackling the Jeff Ruby Steaks over the tapeta surface at Turfway Park, Sainthood encountered worlds of trouble before finally getting in the clear and exploding late to finish a tough-luck second, beaten one length by Like the King.
#6 O Besos (Orb – Snuggs and Kisses by Soto)
Odds: 20-1
Record: 5: 2-0-1
Trainer: Gregory Foley
Jockey: Marcelino Pedroza
Owners: Bernard Racing LLC, Tagg Team Racing, West Point Thoroughbreds, and Terry Stephens
The “wise guy” horse, O Besos has become one of the most talked about longshots in the Derby field. After starting his career with a poor effort over a sloppy track, O Besos broke his maiden by 5 ½ lengths at Fair Grounds. He followed up with a 2 ¼ length allowance victory before tackling Derby prep races. After a reasonable fourth place effort in the Risen Star Stakes, O Besos settled a bit further off the pace in the Louisiana Derby and closed with a head of steam late to finish third, beaten only two lengths by Hot Rod Charlie and Midnight Bourbon at odds of 28-1.
#7 Mandaloun (Into Mischief – Brooch by Empire Maker)
Odds: 15-1
Record: 5: 3-0-1
Trainer: Brad Cox
Jockey: Florent Geroux
Owner: Juddmonte
One of two starters for trainer Brad Cox, Mandaloun has turned heads with his morning training. Breaking his maiden at first asking by a half length at Keeneland, Mandaloun followed up with a 1 ¼ length allowance score at Churchill Downs before heading south to Fair Grounds for the winter. Going off the heavy 4-5 favorite in the Lecomte Stakes, the colt had to settle for third while beaten a length by Midnight Bourbon. Getting blinkers added in the Risen Star Stakes seemed to do the trick as Mandaloun was able to turn the tables on Midnight Bourbon with a 1 ¼ length victory. Favored again in the Louisiana Derby, Mandaloun put forth a puzzling performance when not firing and ultimately finishing sixth, beaten eleven lengths by Hot Rod Charlie. Training forwardly since, Mandaloun will attempt to put the head scratching performance behind him in the Kentucky Derby.
#8 Medina Spirit (Protonico – Mongolian Changa by Brilliant Speed)
Odds: 15-1
Record: 5: 2-3-0
Trainer: Bob Baffert
Jockey: John Velazquez
Owner: Zedan Racing Stables
While trainer Bob Baffert looked to have another strong hand of expensive, blue-blooded Derby hopefuls coming into Derby 147, he finds himself left with only one colt who was purchased for a mere $1,000 as a weanling and $35,000 as a two-year-old. The hard-knocking Medina Spirit looks to become Baffert’s record seventh Kentucky Derby winner. Breaking his maiden first out by three lengths at Los Alamitos, Medina Spirit nearly upstaged Baffert’s early Derby favorite next out in the Sham Stakes when closing fast to finish second, beaten only ¾ of a length by Life Is Good. Trying the Robert B. Lewis Stakes next, Medina Spirit went to the lead and set swift fractions before doggedly holding off his competitors in the stretch to prevail by a neck in a three-horse photo finish that included Hot Rod Charlie. Meeting Life Is Good again in the San Felipe, Medina Spirit again settled for second behind his stablemate, this time beaten eight lengths. Going off heavily favored for his final prep in the Santa Anita Derby, Medina Spirit was upstaged by the up-and-comer Rock Your World by 4 ¼ lengths while again finishing second.
#9 Hot Rod Charlie (Oxbow – Indian Miss by Indian Charlie)
Odds: 8-1
Record: 7: 2-1-2
Trainer: Doug O’Neill
Jockey: Flavien Prat
Owners: Roadrunner Racing, Boat Racing LLC, Strauss Bros Racing, and Gainesway Thoroughbreds Ltd
It took Hot Rod Charlie four tries to break his maiden, but he has yet to miss a beat since. After attempts sprinting on both dirt and turf and going two turns on grass, a two-turn maiden race on the dirt saw Hot Rod Charlie break his maiden by a gritty neck at Santa Anita. Trainer Doug O’Neill was so confident in the colt that he entered him in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile next out, and Hot Rod Charlie nearly shocked the world at odds of 94-1 when beaten only ¾ of a length by champion Essential Quality. He returned as a three-year-old to finish third beaten a neck in the three-horse stretch duel won by Medina Spirit in the Robert B. Lewis. Shipping east for the Louisiana Derby, the longest Kentucky Derby prep race at 1 3/16th miles, Hot Rod Charlie was sent to the lead for the first time in his career and proved himself to be a tough customer. After setting swift fractions early on, the colt held off the late charges from Midnight Bourbon and O Besos to post a secure two length score.
#10 Midnight Bourbon (Tiznow – Catch the Moon by Malibu Moon)
Odds: 20-1
Record: 7: 2-2-3
Trainer: Steven Asmussen
Jockey: Mike Smith
Owner: Winchell Thoroughbreds LLC
One of the most seasoned individuals in the Derby field, Midnight Bourbon has never finished off the board and never raced at less than a mile. After finishing third on debut, the colt broke his maiden by 5 ½ impressive lengths at Ellis Park. He returned to finish second beaten 2 ½ lengths in the Iroquois Stakes at Churchill before heading to New York to finish third in the Champagne Stakes. Getting three months off and wintering at Fair Grounds, Midnight Bourbon started his three-year-old season with a wire-to-wire, one length victory in the Lecomte Stakes over Mandaloun. Settling for third, beaten 1 ¾ lengths, when Mandaloun turned the tables in the Risen Star, Midnight Bourbon put forth another honest effort in the Louisiana Derby. Sitting just off of Hot Rod Charlie throughout the race, Midnight Bourbon was unable to catch his foe late and settled for second, beaten two lengths, just ahead of a late charging O Besos.
#11 Dynamic One (Union Rags – Beat the Drums by Smart Strike)
Odds: 20-1
Record: 5: 1-2-0
Trainer: Todd Pletcher
Jockey: Jose Ortiz
Owners: Phipps Stable, Repole Stable, and St. Elias Stable
After a slow start to his career, Dynamic One has been impressive in his past two starts. Hitting the gate and never a factor in his first career start, Dynamic One took a couple cracks at Gulfstream Park maidens, finishing a respectable second behind an eventual graded stakes winner and an extremely troubled fourth. Trainer Todd Pletcher sent him back north for one of Aqueduct’s 1 ⅛ mile maiden races, and Dynamic One drew away to a widening 5 ¼ length victory. Always thinking highly of the colt, Pletcher was confident enough to wheel him back in the Wood Memorial. Closing from midpack to take the lead at the head of the stretch, Dynamic One looked a winner at 15-1 odds before his late-charging, longshot stablemate Bourbonic exploded in the final strides to nail him on the wire.
#12 Helium (Ironicus – Thundering Emilia by Thunder Gulch)
Odds: 50-1
Record: 3: 3-0-0
Trainer: Mark Casse
Jockey: Julien Leparoux
Owner: D J Stable LLC
Starting his career in Canada, Helium broke his maiden at first asking by 3 ¼ lengths over the tapeta surface at Woodbine. He returned only three weeks later to post a 4 ¼ length victory in the Display Stakes over the same racetrack. Put away for the winter, Helium reappeared 5 ½ months later to make his dirt debut in the Tampa Bay Derby. Midpack in the early going, Helium launched an early bid that carried him to the lead around the far turn. In front turning for home, he valiantly turned back the late challenge from Hidden Stash to score by ¾ of a length. Shortly after his victory, the decision was made to train the colt up to the Derby for eight weeks rather than run again. Helium will be bucking a century’s worth of history by attempting to win the Derby with only one start in 7 ½ months, off an eight week layoff, and never running further than 1 1/16th miles.
#13 Hidden Stash (Constitution – Mining Mark Money by Smart Strike)
Odds: 50-1
Record: 7: 2-1-2
Trainer: Victoria Oliver
Jockey: Rafael Bejarano
Owner: BBN Racing LLC
Vickie Oliver is attempting to become the first woman to train a Kentucky Derby winner when she sends out Hidden Stash. After finishing fourth and third in his first two career races, Hidden Stash broke his maiden by three lengths at Keeneland. He followed up with a hard-fought half length allowance score at Churchill Downs the next month. Stepping up into stakes company at age three, Hidden Stash was a fast closing third, beaten 1 ¼ lengths in the Sam F. Davis while never changing leads. After running off during the post parade of the Tampa Bay Derby, Hidden Stash put forth a valiant effort to close from far back and appear as though he would pass Helium in the stretch, but his foe turned him back to win by ¾ of a length. In his final prep, Hidden Stash finished fourth in the Blue Grass behind Essential Quality and Highly Motivated.
#14 Essential Quality (Tapit – Delightful Quality by Elusive Quality)
Odds: 2-1
Record: 5: 5-0-0
Trainer: Brad Cox
Jockey: Luis Saez
Owner: Godolphin LLC
The undefeated champion two-year-old Essential Quality is looking to extend his unbeaten tally to six in the Kentucky Derby. Breaking his maiden by an ultra impressive four lengths on last year’s Kentucky Derby undercard, the colt followed up with consecutive Grade 1 victories when defeating Keepmeinmind and Super Stock by 3 ¼ lengths in the Breeders’ Futurity and running down Hot Rod Charlie in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile by ¾ of a length. He picked up where he left off as a three-year-old, running away with the Southwest Stakes by 4 ¼ lengths over a sloppy track. Returning to the site of his prior Grade 1 scores, Essential Quality sat just off the pace of Highly Motivated in the Blue Grass Stakes before dueling with his rival throughout the duration of the Keeneland stretch and finally prevailing by a neck. A versatile horse, Essential Quality has won from midpack and just off the pace.
#15 Rock Your World (Candy Ride – Charm the Maker by Empire Maker)
Odds: 5-1
Record: 3: 3-0-0
Trainer: John Sadler
Jockey: Joel Rosario
Owners: Hronis Racing LLC and David Michael Talla
In his short career, Rock Your World has been nothing short of brilliant. Making his career debut on New Year’s Day, Rock Your World ran away to a 1 ¾ length victory on the grass. He returned the following month in the Pasadena Stakes, also over the grass, where he kicked clear to another easy 2 ¼ length score. Making his dirt debut in the Santa Anita Derby was a tall task, but Rock Your World went to the front and never looked back. Clipping off rapid fractions under pressure from a 45-1 longshot, Rock Your World shook clear around the far turn and ran everyone off their feet, continually widening to an eventual 4 ¼ length victory over Medina Spirit. The eye-popping triumph was enough to install him as the second betting choice in the Derby.
#16 King Fury (Curlin – Taris by Flatter) SCRATCH
Odds: 20-1
Record: 6: 3-0-0
Trainer: Kenneth McPeek
Jockey: Brian Hernandez, Jr.
Owners: Fern Circle Stables, Three Chimneys Farm, and Magdalena Racing
The most expensive horse in the Derby field, King Fury was purchased for $950,000 as a yearling. Breaking his maiden at first asking at Churchill Downs, King Fury closed from midpack to run away to a 2 ¾ length victory. After a no-show in the Breeders’ Futurity, he returned to Churchill for the Street Sense Stakes and fought his way to a half length score over Super Stock. He put forth another non-effort in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile two weeks later and ended his year with a failed blinkers experiment in the Kentucky Jockey Club. Spending his winter out at pasture at Three Chimneys Farm, King Fury returned to training better than ever as a three-year-old, but he only debuted three weeks ago. The layoff proved no problem with King Fury relishing a sloppy track at Keeneland, posting an eye-opening closing kick from ten lengths back to take the Lexington Stakes by a widening 2 ¾ lengths. All six of King Fury’s races have come at 1 1/16th miles.
#17 Highly Motivated (Into Mischief – Strong Incentive by Warrior’s Reward)
Odds: 10-1
Record: 5: 2-2-1
Trainer: Chad Brown
Jockey: Javier Castellano
Owner: Klaravich Stables Inc.
Providing undefeated Derby favorite Essential Quality with the toughest challenge of his career, Highly Motivated is an interesting contender in the Run for the Roses. After getting beaten a neck over a muddy surface in his debut, Highly Motivated broke his maiden by 1 ¾ lengths over Known Agenda at Belmont Park. Tackling the Nyquist Stakes on the Breeders’ Cup undercard, the colt streaked to an impressive 4 ¼ length victory that saw him break the 6 ½ furlong track record at Keeneland, stopping the clock in 1:14.99. Not seen again for four months, Highly Motivated started his three-year-old year in the Gotham Stakes at Aqueduct. Sent off the favorite, he missed the start and ended up caught in traffic before charging late to finish third, beaten 1 ¾ lengths. Returning to Keeneland for the Blue Grass, Highly Motivated took advantage of a paceless race, setting the tempo for the first time in his career and proving a difficult challenger to get past. Dueling with Essential Quality throughout the stretch, he finally yielded in the final strides to lose by a neck. Expect to see him back off the pace in the Derby.
#18 Super Stock (Dialed In – Super Girlie by Closing Argument)
Odds: 30-1
Record: 8: 2-2-2
Trainer: Steven Asmussen
Jockey: Ricardo Santana, Jr.
Owners: Erv Woolsey and Keith Asmussen
Partially owned by trainer Steve Asmussen’s father Keith, and ridden by his son in his first three career starts, Super Stock is a family affair for the Asmussens. After a poor effort in his first start on grass, the colt was sent to Lone Star Park where he was second beaten a head in maiden ranks before breaking his maiden by a widening 3 ½ lengths in the Texas Thoroughbred Futurity. Venturing back to Kentucky, he finished third in the Iroquois Stakes, third in the Breeders’ Futurity behind Essential Quality and Keepmeinmind, and a close second to King Fury in the Street Sense Stakes to close out his juvenile season. Returning off a near five month layoff in the Rebel Stakes, Super Stock put forth a decent fourth place effort at 40-1 odds. Sent off at 12-1 next out in the Arkansas Derby, the colt sat off the fast early pace of the two race favorites before sweeping by to post a 2 ½ length upset.
#19 Soup and Sandwich (Into Mischief – Souper Scoop by Tapit)
Odds: 30-1
Record: 3: 2-1-0
Trainer: Mark Casse
Jockey: Tyler Gaffalione
Owner: Live Oak Plantation
It’s a name you either love or hate. The gray Florida-bred colt has been green but impressive in his short career. Not debuting until late January, Soup and Sandwich ran away from Florida-bred maiden field by 7 ¼ lengths while racing greenly throughout. He caught attention with another green, albeit eye-opening 2 ¾ length victory in the allowance ranks at Tampa Bay Downs. Taking the step up to the Florida Derby, Soup and Sandwich set the early pace at odds of 12-1 before being tackled in the stretch by Known Agenda. The colt continued on strongly down the stretch on his incorrect lead to finish second by 2 ¾ lengths. If his morning training has been any indication, he may finally have figured the lead change thing out.
#20 Bourbonic (Bernardini – Dancing Afleet by Afleet Alex)
Odds: 30-1
Record: 6: 3-1-0
Trainer: Todd Pletcher
Jockey: Kendrick Carmouche
Owner: Calumet Farm
After poor efforts in the first two races of his career, blinkers have seemed to transform Bourbonic into a new horse. Getting a class drop to maiden claiming ranks for his third career start, Bourbonic won easily by 4 ¾ lengths at Aqueduct. He posted a hard fought neck victory in a starter optional claimer next out before finishing second, beaten four lengths, in allowance ranks at Parx over a sloppy surface. Expecting him to relish the 1 ⅛ miles, trainer Todd Pletcher offered him a shot at the Wood Memorial. Trailing in last by ten lengths, Bourbonic uncorked a massive and perfectly-timed rally by jockey Kendrick Carmouche, passing the entire field in the stretch to nail stablemate Dynamic One by a head on the wire at monster odds of 72-1.
