LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Destiny has not been variety to Mike Repole within the Kentucky Derby. The outspoken proprietor is 0 for 7, though he’s maybe greatest recognized for his two champions that by no means made the beginning gate.
In 2011, Uncle Mo was scratched the day earlier than the race due to a gastrointestinal an infection. Final 12 months, Forte was scratched the morning of the race attributable to a bruised proper entrance foot.
Now, the self-made billionaire from Queens, New York, is again with Fierceness, the morning-line favourite for Saturday’s one hundred and fiftieth Derby. The bay colt was final 12 months’s 2-year-old champion and is coming off a 13 1/2-length win within the Florida Derby.
Fierceness should overcome a little bit of Derby historical past: No horse has ever gained out of the No. 17 publish.
“The horse is only a totally different variety. He does all the things really easy, so calm, so cool,” mentioned Repole, recognized for his excessive vitality and utilizing his account on X as an incubator for racing reform and difficult critics. “A horse like this calms me down.”
A pointy-dressed crowd of about 150,000 is anticipated to jam Churchill Downs to wager and watch the 1 1/4-mile Derby. Submit time is 6:57 p.m. EDT. The forecast requires 79 levels (26 Celsius) and a 40% likelihood of showers.
Fierceness is skilled by Todd Pletcher and ridden by John Velazquez, who’ve gained a mixed 5 derbies.
“I hope it would not take so long as it took the Cubs to win the World Sequence,” Repole mentioned of his efforts to bag one.
Like Repole, coach Chad Brown is 0 for 7. He’ll saddle early 3-1 second selection Sierra Leone, who is named a more in-depth, and lengthy shot Home Product. Sierra Leone is the priciest horse within the area, having price $2.3 million.
In addition to Brown, trainers Brad Cox and Danny Gargan have two entries apiece.
Louisville-born Cox gained his first Derby belatedly when Mandaloun was elevated to first place after Medina Spirit’s disqualification 9 months after the 2021 race. Now he has early 8-1 third selection Catching Freedom and 10-1 co-fourth selection Only a Contact, who did not race at age 2 like his sire, 2018 Triple Crown winner Justify.
Gargan’s long-shot duo is Dornach and Society Man. Entrance-running Dornach breaks from the No. 1 publish for co-owner and retired Philadelphia Phillies star Jayson Werth.
“Hopefully he’ll break operating and we’ll put him on the entrance finish and see the way it goes,” Gargan mentioned. “We deliberate on conserving his face clear. Now we’ll preserve it actual clear.”
Society Man is ridden by Frankie Dettori, who’s again within the Derby at age 53 after 24 years.
Larry Demeritte is simply the second Black coach since 1951 to take a shot at successful the Derby. The 74-year-old who has fought most cancers for a number of years will saddle the star of his 11-horse steady, West Saratoga, a colt that price $11,000.
“My motto is, ‘I do not purchase low-cost horses, I purchase good horses low-cost,'” he mentioned.
Japan is represented by early 10-1 shot Ceaselessly Younger (winner of 5 straight begins) and 30-1 shot T O Password. No horse from that nation has ever gained the Derby.
A 12 months in the past, two horses died on Derby day at Churchill Downs, the place a complete of 12 horses died within the weeks surrounding the race. The historic observe has deepened its dust racing floor and added to its security protocols in an effort to stop extra tragedy.
Final Might, Churchill Downs suspended coach Saffie Joseph Jr. after two of his horses died and it scratched his Derby horse, Lord Miles. He’s again this week with Catalytic.
Six-time Derby winner Bob Baffert shouldn’t be. The coach had his two-year suspension for Medina Spirit’s failed drug take a look at in 2021 prolonged to a 3rd 12 months by Churchill Downs regardless of not having any additional remedy violations.
4-time winner D. Wayne Lukas saddled lengthy shot Simply Metal, ridden by Keith Asmussen, the son of coach Steve Asmussen. The elder Asmussen entered Observe Phantom in an effort to cease his 0 for 25 skid within the Derby.
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