Essential Quality is 2-1 favourite for the Kentucky Derby
LOUISVILLE, Kentucky (AP) — With the rail still open and Kentucky Derby post positions dwindling, Brad Cox grew anxious about the most notable of his two horses drawing the least desired spot.
The home-grown trainer soon breathed easier.
got something more palatable, though the hardest part awaits with the target firmly on his back.
Quality
Essential Quality
Agenda
Essential Quality,
Essential
is the 2-1 morning line favourite and will start from the number 14 post for tomorrow’s (May 1) 147th Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs.
“It got a little nerve-wracking with both horses still to go and the rail still being out there,” Cox said on Tuesday last. “I think it’ll be a good spot. He’s got good tactical speed that he’ll be able to get into a good position from there.”
The Us$3-million, 1 1/4-mile marquee race for threeyear-old colts is back on the first Saturday of May after being delayed to Labour Day weekend last fall because of the pandemic. About 45,000 spectators are expected at the track. is the 5-1 second choice from the number 15 slot with the 6-1 third choice despite drawing the rail in the 20-horse field. drew 8-1 odds as the fourth choice from the number 9 slot. The obvious focus is on the reigning
Rock Your World
Known
Hot Rod Charlie two-year-old champion who enters the Run for the Roses having won all five races and with Luis Saez aboard. His haul of graded stakes victories includes a gutsy Blue Grass victory at Keeneland on April 3 that vaulted the grey son of
to the top of the Derby standings with 140 points and cemented him as the projected favourite.
He’s one of two entries
Tapit trained by Cox, who grew up a few blocks from Churchill Downs and will make his Derby debut trying to become the first Louisville native to win the race. The Eclipse Award winner will also saddle
from the number 7 post as a 15-1 choice, with the bay colt looking to bounce back from a disappointing sixth in the Louisiana Derby.
At least their starting spots
Mandaloun are no longer an issue.
“That was more than I wanted to experience this early, but it worked for us,” Cox added.
trained by John Sadler, has won all three starts this year after not racing as a two-year-old. But he rolled to a 4¼-length victory in the Santa Anita Derby over favourite trained by Hall of Famer Bob Baffert, and
Rock Your World,
Medina Spirit, looks for another marquee win.
“It’s a good post and we’re happy with it,” Sadler said.
will start from the number 8 post at 15-1 odds.
leads Todd Pletcher’s four-horse contingent that includes who drew the outside number 20 post, (number 11, 20-1 odds), and
(number 5, 50-1). The chestnut colt has won two of three starts this season and has three wins, a second and a third in six career starts.
Even with Churchill Downs introducing a new 20-stall starting Derby gate last fall to replace the standard 14-slot and auxiliary six-slot gates,
has his work cut out for him to avoid being bunched inside and out of contention in a crowded field.
“Obviously, it’s not what we were hoping for,” Pletcher said. “Of course, this is one of the things you can’t control. With the new gate, we’re hopeful that things will be better than they were in the past and the post won’t be that bad.”
post draw in the middle brought a loud cheer from his contingent in the otherwise sedate setting as the colt avoided being bunched inside out of the gate. Trainer Doug O’neill’s horse won the Louisiana Derby by two lengths and was second to with 110 Derby points.
“We decided we were going to give it a pump no matter what post we drew,” O’neill said of the connections that include five 20-something former college football players. “But we’re delighted with the nine. It’s a real good post.”
Medina Spirit
Known Agenda
Known Agenda
Bourbonic,
Dynamic One Sainthood
Hot Rod Charlie’s
Essential Quality