Classic Empire pegged as 4-1 favorite

Juvenile champion draws post No. 14 in wide-open Derby.

LOUISVILLE, KY. — After he endured hoof and back injuries and a reluctance to train, things are looking up for Classic Empire.

The bay colt was made the early 4-1 favorite for the Kentucky Derby on Wednesday, with just four of the 20 horses listed at single digits in a wide-open race.

Classic Empire was idle for three months after winning the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile and being named 2-year-old champion last year. He made his 3-year-old debut with a third-place finish in the Holy Bull Stakes in February. Then came two more months off, and twice during that time, the colt didn’t want to train.

“It’s been a crazy road, but we’re right where we want to be,” trainer Mark Casse said.

Classic Empire restored Casse’s confidence in him by delivering a half-length victory in the Arkansas Derby.

“With the average horse you couldn’t do what we have done,” Casse said. “You need so many things to go right and the good news with this horse is he’s so talented he can overcome a lot.”

Classic Empire will break from the No. 14 post Saturday. Classic Empire’s sire, 1. Lookin At Lee 2. Thunder Snow 3. Fast and Accurate 4. Untrapped 5. Always Dreaming 6. State of Honor 7. Girvin 8. Hence 9. Irap 10. Gunnevera 11. Battle of Midway 12. Sonneteer 13. J Boys Echo 14. Classic Empire 15. McCraken 16. Tapwrit 17. Irish War Cry 18. Gormley 19. Practical Joke 20. Patch Royal Mo Master Plan 126 pounds. $400,000.

6:34 p.m. EDT $60,000. Pioneerof the Nile, finished second in the 2009 Derby.

Recent history is on Classic Empire’s side, too. The favorite has won the Derby each of the last four years. It’s the longest such streak since the 1970s.

Always Dre a mi n g a n d McCraken, a three-time winner at Churchill Downs, are co-second choices at 5-1.

Trained by Todd Pletcher, Always Dreaming drew the No. 5 post, which has produced nine Derby winners, most re c e nt ly Cal i forni a Steve Asmussen Saeed bin Suroor Michael Maker Steve Asmussen Todd Pletcher Mark Casse Joe Sharp Steve Asmussen Doug O’Neill Antonio Sano Jerry Hollander Keith Desormeaux Dale Romans Mark Casse Ian Wilkes Todd Pletcher Graham Motion John Shirreffs Chad Brown Todd Pletcher John Shirreffs Todd Pletcher 1 1/4 miles.

$200,000. Corey Lanerie 20-1 Christophe Soumillon 20-1 Channing Hill 50-1 Ricardo Santana, Jr. 30-1 John Velazquez 5-1 Jose Lezcano 30-1 Mike Smith 15-1 Florent Geroux 15-1 Mario Gutierrez 20-1 Javier Castellano 15-1 Flavien Prat 30-1 Kent Desormeaux 50-1 Luis Saez 20-1 Julien Leparoux 4-1 Brian Hernandez Jr. 5-1 Jose Ortiz 20-1 Rajiv Maragh 6-1 Victor Espinoza 15-1 Joel Rosario 20-1 Tyler Gaffalione 30-1 Gary Stevens 20-1 John Velasquez 50-1 2 million. $1,240,000.

$100,000. Chrome in 2014. Blue Grass Stakes winner McCraken will break from the No. 15 hole. The last of five winners from there was Triple Crown champion American Pharoah two years ago.

Irish War Cry is the fourth choice at 6-1 odds and drew the No. 17 post. No horse has ever won from there, but trainer Graham Motion was pleased.

“Being in the auxiliary gate keeps you in the clear, keeps you away from the craziness,” he said.

Lookin At Lee drew the dreaded No. 1 hole in the starting gate. His sire, Lookin At Lucky, had the same spot in 2010. He was the 6-1 favorite that year but was pinched against the rail at the start and finished sixth.

Patch, whose left eye was removed because of infection, drew the No. 20 post on the far outside. He won’t be able to see the rest of the field to his left.

“He’ll get to see the crowd wh e n h e l e av e s t h e r e , ” Pletcher said.