Full house, no limits on Kentucky Derby field

LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Twenty eager colts breaking from the starting gate, a full house for the first time in three years, and a Kentucky Derby lacking a dominant favorite.

Things could get interesting Saturday at Churchill Downs, where the winners in 2019 and 2021 were both disqualified.

The biggest question for these 3-year-olds is whether they can handle running 1 1/4 miles while jostling for position in front of the biggest crowd they’ll ever see and hear.

“Things can get a little dodgy throughout the race, having to go through holes and take dirt and take some bumps along the way,” trainer Chad Brown said. “You just never know what’s going to happen when you open the gate.”

Zandon is the early 3-1 favorite and breaks from the No. 10 post, which has produced the second-most winners with nine.

The dark bay colt is trained by Brown, seeking his first Derby win after six losses.

“It would mean everything,” said Brown, who has had his own stable for 15 years. “It’s so hard to get these Derby horses, especially the favorite.”

After two years of COVID-19 restrictions, the Derby returns in all its noisy, colorful glory. Attendance is back to full capacity, which means about 150,000 people jammed into Churchill Downs, dressed to the nines and fortified by mint juleps served in souvenir glasses. Post time is 3:57 p.m. PT.

“You want to adopt the philosophy that it’s just another race, but of course most definitely it’s not just another race,” said trainer Saffie Joseph Jr., who saddles White Abarrio.

In 2019, winner Maximum Security was disqualified for interference and Country House wore the garland of red roses.

In 2020, an eerie silence enveloped the track when no fans were allowed because of the pandemic and the race was pushed back to September.

Last year, the Derby returned to its usual spot on the first Saturday in May with attendance limited to about 52,000.

Steve Asmussen has won more races in North America than any other trainer, but he’s never won the Derby in 23 tries.

He’ll saddle Epicenter, the early 7-2 second choice that earned his first career victory at Churchill Downs last fall.

The 148th Derby is missing horse racing’s household name: Bob Baffert.

The Hall of Fame trainer with a record-tying six victories was banned by Churchill Downs this year and next after last year’s winner, Medina Spirit, flunked a post-race drug test.