Where 2022’s Kentucky Derby contenders were born and how they made it to Churchill Downs
LEXINGTON, Ky. — Kentucky is not just the “horse capital of the world” because the Kentucky Derby happens to be here. It’s the horse capital of the world because almost all the contenders for this signature American classic are born and bred in the commonwealth.
This year, 17 of the 20 horses entered in the Derby were born in the Bluegrass. Only three come from outside the state (but you don’t have to go too far back in their pedigrees to find their Kentucky ties.)
Here’s a rundown of all the horse farms that nurtured Saturday’s runners, listed in post-position order with morning-line odds:
1. MO DONEGAL (10-1)
Foaled: April 19, 2019, at Ashview Farm in Versailles, Ky. Jockey: Irad Ortiz Jr.
Trainer: Todd Pletcher.
Owner: Donegal Racing.
Breeder: Ashview Farm and Colts Neck Stables.
Sire: Uncle Mo.
Dam: Callingmissbrown.
Record: Three firsts and two thirds in five starts, 112 Derby points.
Notes: Mo Donegal won the Remsen Stakes, was third in the Holy Bull Stakes at Gulfstream and won the Wood Memorial Stakes at Aqueduct.
2. HAPPY JACK (30-1)
Foaled: March 17, 2019, at Calumet Farm in Lexington, Ky. Jockey: Rafael Bejarano.
Trainer: Doug O’Neill.
Owner: Calumet Farm.
Breeder: Calumet Farm.
Sire: Oxbow.
Dam: Tapitstry.
Record: One first and two thirds in four starts, 30 Derby points. Notes: Happy Jack was fifth in the Robert B. Lewis Stakes, third in the San Felipe Stakes and third in the Santa Anita Derby, all at Santa Anita Park.
3. EPICENTER (7-2)
Foaled: Jan. 29, 2019, at Bettersworth Westwind Farms in Bowling Green, Ky.
Jockey: Joel Rosario.
Trainer: Steve Asmussen.
Owner: Winchell Thoroughbreds.
Breeder: Westwind Farms.
Sire: Not This Time.
Dam: Silent Candy.
Record: Four firsts and one second in six starts, 164 Derby points.
Notes: Epicenter won the Gun Runner Stakes, was second in the Lecomte Stakes, and won the Risen Star Stakes and the Louisiana Derby, all at Fair Grounds.
4. SUMMER IS TOMORROW (30-1)
Foaled: April 24, 2019, at Airdrie Stud in Midway, Ky. Jockey: Mickael Barzalona.
Trainer: Bhupat Seemar.
Owner: Michael Hilary Burke and Negar Burke. Breeder: Brereton C. Jones.
Sire: Summer Front.
Dam: Always Tomorrow.
Record: Two firsts and three seconds in seven starts, 40 Derby points.
Notes: Summer Is Tomorrow was second in the UAE Derby at Meydan Racecourse.
5. SMILE HAPPY (20-1)
Foaled: Feb. 20, 2019, at Springmint Farm in Nicholasville, Ky. Jockey: Corey Lanerie.
Trainer: Kenneth McPeek.
Owner: Lucky Seven Stable (Michael Mackin). Breeder: Moreau Bloodstock International and White Bloodstock.
Sire: Runhappy
Dam: Pleasant Smile
Record: Two firsts and two seconds in four starts, 70 Derby points.
Notes: Smile Happy won the Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes at Churchill Downs in November, then finished second in the Risen Star Stakes at Fair Grounds and second in the Toyota Blue Grass Stakes at Keeneland.
6. MESSIER (8-1)
Foaled: March 24, 2019, in Ontario, Canada.
Jockey: John R. Velazquez.
Trainer: Tim Yakteen.
Owner: Golconda Stable, Madaket Stables, SF Racing, Siena Farm, Starlight Racing, Waves Edge Capital, Catherine Donovan, Robert E. Masterson, and Jay A. Schoenfarber. Breeder: Sam-Son Farm.
Sire: Empire Maker.
Dam: Checkered Past.
Record: Three firsts and three seconds in four starts, 40 Derby points.
Notes: Messier was second in the Los Alamitos Futurity, won the Robert B. Lewis Stakes at Santa Anita Park and was second in the Santa Anita Derby.
7. CROWN PRIDE (20-1)
Foaled: May 4, 2019, at Shadai Farm in Japan. Jockey: Christophe Lemaire.
Trainer: Koichi Shintani.
Owner: Teruya Yoshida.
Breeder: Shadai Farm.
Sire: Reach The Crown.
Dam: Emmy’s Pride.
Record: Three firsts in four starts, 100 Derby points. Notes: Crown Pride won the UAE Derby at Meydan Racecourse.
8. CHARGE IT (20-1)
Foaled: April 3, 2019, at Timber Town Stable in Lexington, Ky. Jockey: Luis Saez.
Trainer: Todd A. Pletcher.
Owner: Whisper Hill Farm.
Breeder: Whisper Hill Farm.
Sire: Tapit.
Dam: I’ll Take Charge.
Record: One first and two seconds in three starts, 40 Derby points.
Notes: Charge
Gulfstream Park.
It was second in the Florida Derby at
9. TIZ THE BOMB (30-1)
Foaled: Feb. 2, 2019, at Spendthrift Farm in Lexington, Ky. Jockey: Brian Hernandez Jr.
Trainer: Kenneth McPeek.
Owner: Magdalena Racing (Sherri McPeek).
Breeder: Spendthrift Farm.
Sire: Hit It A Bomb.
Dam: Tiz The Key.
Record: Five firsts and one second in eight starts, 110 Derby points.
Notes: Tiz the Bomb won the John Battaglia Memorial Stakes and the Jeff Ruby Steaks, both at Turfway Park.
10. ZANDON (3-1)
Foaled: March 21, 2019, at Airdrie Stud in Midway, Ky. Jockey: Flavien Prat.
Trainer: Chad Brown.
Owner: Jeff Drown.
Breeder: Brereton C. Jones.
Sire: Upstart.
Dam: Memories Prevail.
Record: Two firsts, a second and a third in four starts, 114 Derby points.
Notes: Zandon was second in the Remsen Stakes at Aqueduct, third in the Risen Star and won the Toyota Blue Grass Stakes at Keeneland.
11. PIONEER OF MEDINA (30-1)
Foaled: Feb. 24, 2019, at Sumaya Farm in Paris, Ky. Jockey: Joe Bravo.
Trainer: Todd A. Pletcher
Owner: Sumaya U.S. Stable.
Breeder: International Equities Holding.
Sire: Pioneerof the Nile.
Dam: Lights of Medina.
Record: Two firsts, one second and two thirds in six starts, 25 Derby points.
Notes: Pioneer of Medina was fourth in the Risen Star Stakes and third in the Louisiana Derby.
12. TAIBA (12-1)
Foaled: April 13, 2019, at Millennium Farms in Lexington, Ky. Jockey: Mike Smith.
Trainer: Tim Yakteen.
Owner: Zedan Racing Stables.
Breeder: Bruce C. Ryan.
Sire: Gun Runner.
Dam: Needmore Flattery.
Record: Two firsts in two starts, 100 Derby points. Notes: Taiba won the Santa Anita Derby.
13. SIMPLIFICATION (20-1)
Foaled: Feb. 28, 2019, in Florida.
Jockey: Jose L. Ortiz.
Trainer: Antonio Sano.
Owner: Tami Bobo.
Breeder: France Weiner aind Irwin Weiner.
Sire: Not This Time.
Dam: Simply Confection.
Record: Three firsts, one second and two thirds in seven starts, 74 Derby points.
Notes: Simplification was second in the Holy Bull Stakes, won the Fountain of Youth Stakes and was third in the Florida Derby, all at Gulfstream Park.
14. BARBER ROAD (30-1)
Foaled: March 8, 2019, at Glenridge in Lexington, Ky. Jockey: Reylu Gutierrez.
Trainer: John Alexander Ortiz.
Owner: WSS Racing.
Breeder: Susan Forrester and Judy Curry.
Sire: Race Day.
Dam: Encounter.
Record: Two firsts, four seconds and a third in eight starts, 58 Derby points.
Notes: Barber Road was second in the Smarty Jones Stakes, second in the Southwest Stakes, third in the Rebel Stakes and second in the Arkansas Derby, all at Oaklawn Park.
15. WHITE ABARRIO (10-1)
Foaled: March 18, 2019, at Spendthrift Farm in Lexington, Ky. Jockey: Tyler Gaffalione.
Trainer: Saffie A. Joseph Jr.
Owner: C2 Racing Stable and La Milagrosa Stable. Breeder: Spendthrift Farm.
Sire: Race Day.
Dam: Catching Diamonds.
Record: Four firsts and a third in five starts, 112 Derby points. Notes: White Abarrio was third in the Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes at Churchill Downs last November, then won the Holy Bull Stakes and the Florida Derby, both at Gulfstream.
16. CYBERKNIFE (20-1)
Foaled: March 14, 2019, at Ramsey Farm in Nicholasville, Ky. Jockey: Florent Geroux.
Trainer: Brad Cox.
Owner: Gold Square.
Breeder: Kenneth and Sarah Ramsey.
Sire: Gun Runner.
Dam: Awesome Flower.
Record: Three firsts and two seconds in six starts, 100 Derby points.
Notes: Cyberknife won the Arkansas Derby at Oaklawn Park after finishing sixth in the Lecomte Stakes at Fair Grounds.
17. CLASSIC CAUSEWAY (30-1)
Foaled: Feb. 22, 2019, at Ashford Stud in Versailles, Ky. Jockey: Julien Leparoux.
Trainer: Brian Lynch.
Owner: Peachtree Stable.
Breeder: Kentucky West Racing LLC and Clark M. Cooper. Sire: Giant’s Causeway.
Dam: Private World.
Record: Three firsts, one second and one third in six starts, 66 Derby points.
Notes: Classic Causeway was third in the Claiborne Breeders’ Futurity at Keeneland, second in the Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes at Churchill Downs, won the Sam F. Davis Stakes and the Tampa Bay Derby, then was 11th in the Florida Derby.
18. TAWNY PORT (30-1)
Foaled: March 21, 2019, at WinStar Farm in Versailles, Ky. Jockey: Ricardo Santana Jr.
Trainer: Brad Cox.
Owner: Peachtree Stable.
Breeder: WinStar Farm.
Sire: Pioneerof the Nile.
Dam: Livi Makenzie.
Record: Three firsts and a second in five starts, 60 Derby points.
Notes: Tawny Port won the Stonestreet Lexington Stakes at Keeneland after finishing fifth in the Risen Star Stakes at Fair Grounds and second in the Jeff Ruby Steaks at Turfway Park.
19. ZOZOS (20-1)
Foaled: March 18, 2019, at Woodline Farm in Paris, Ky. Jockey: Manny Franco.
Trainer: Brad Cox.
Owner: Barry and Joni Butzow.
Breeder: Barry and Joni Butzow.
Sire: Munnings.
Dam: Papa’s Forest.
Record: Two firsts and a second in three starts, 40 Derby points.
Notes: Zozos was second in the Louisiana Derby at Fair Grounds.
20. ETHEREAL ROAD (30-1)
Foaled: Feb. 9, 2019, at Lane’s End Farm in Versailles, Ky. Jockey: Luis Contreras.
Trainer: D. Wayne Lukas.
Owner: Aaron Sones.
Breeder: Paul Pompa Jr.
Sire: Quality Road.
Dam: Sustained.
Record: One first, one second and one third in seven starts, 22 Derby points.
Notes: Ethereal Road was second in the Rebel Stakes at Oaklawn Park, seventh in the Toyota Blue Grass Stakes at Keeneland and fourth in the Stonestreet Lexington Stakes at Keeneland.