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| Staff Writer |
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The field for the 151st running of the Kentucky Derby is taking shape ahead of the historic race at Churchill Downs on 3 May, with post positions to be drawn this Saturday evening.
Twenty Thoroughbreds have earned their spots through the Derby points series that began last September, creating a compelling mix of established stars and emerging talents for the US racing calendar's most anticipated contest.
Michael McCarthy's impressive colt Journalism will enter the Run for the Roses off the back of victory in the Gr.1 Santa Anita Derby on 5 April. The likely morning-line favourite brings a four-race winning streak into Churchill Downs, including three graded stakes triumphs.
Meanwhile, Bill Mott's Sovereignty arrives having finished second in the Gr.1 Florida Derby on 29 March at Gulfstream Park. The colt broke his maiden at Churchill Downs, winning the Gr.3 Street Sense by five lengths over fellow Derby contender Tiztastic last October.
Sovereignty is one of three Into Mischief colts set to run in the Derby, alongside Tappan Street and Citizen Bull.
After a three-year absence, legendary trainer Bob Baffert returns with two contenders. Rodriguez enters off a victory in the Gr.2 Wood Memorial in April at Aqueduct. The colt is named for Sixto Rodriguez, the American musician who gained fame in South Africa and was the subject of the 2012 documentary "Searching for Sugar Man."
Baffert's second chance comes with Citizen Bull, who enters the Derby off a fourth-place finish in the Santa Anita Derby. The colt was crowned 2YO champion after winning the Breeders' Cup Juvenile last November at Del Mar at 15-1 odds. The last Breeders' Cup Juvenile winner to capture the Run for the Roses was Nyquist (2015-16).
For the second consecutive year, Japanese-trained horses are making their presence felt. Luxor Café, trained by Noriyuki Hori, enters the Derby off a victory in the Fukuryu Stakes in March at Nakayama. All six of his races have come in Japan, and he arrives at Churchill Downs riding a four-race winning streak.
Japan's second contender, Admire Daytona, trained by Yukihiro Kato, enters off a victory in the Gr.2 UAE Derby in April at Meydan. Since 2019, six horses bred in Japan have competed in the Kentucky Derby, with Forever Young's third-place finish in 2024 being the best result to date.
Ian Wilkes-trained Burnham Square will enter the Kentucky Derby off a victory in the Gr.1 Blue Grass in April at Keeneland. The gelding will look to become the 10th of his kind to win the Derby and first since Mine That Bird in 2009.
Mark Casse's Sandman comes in following a win in the Gr.1 Arkansas Derby in March at Oaklawn Park. The colt raced three times at Churchill Downs as a 2YO, his best finish a third-place showing in the Gr.3 Street Sense last October.
Steve Asmussen, who holds the record for most Derby starters (26) without a victory, saddles Tiztastic, entering off a win in the Gr.2 Louisiana Derby in March at Fair Grounds. Tiztastic is from the first crop of Tiz the Law, who finished second as the favourite in the 2020 Kentucky Derby.
Brad Cox brings two contenders with Tappan Street and Final Gambit. Tappan Street enters off a victory in the Gr.1 Florida Derby, while Final Gambit comes in following a win in the Gr.3 Jeff Ruby Steaks in March at Turfway Park.
Lonnie Briley's Coal Battle enters off a third-place finish in the Arkansas Derby. The 72-year-old Briley had never even entered a horse in a graded stake—much less won one—until Coal Battle's score in the Gr.2 Rebel in February.
Ethan West's bargain-basement purchase Chunk of Gold enters following a second-place finish in the Louisiana Derby, having never finished worse than second in four career starts.
Brendan Walsh's East Avenue arrives after finishing second in the Blue Grass Stakes. East Avenue won his first two starts as a 2YO and was among favourites in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile last November but stumbled badly at the start and finished ninth.
Asmussen's second contender, Publisher, enters off a runner-up finish in the Arkansas Derby and will become just the 13th maiden to start in the Kentucky Derby since 1937.
Legendary trainer D. Wayne Lukas saddles American Promise, who enters off a victory in the Virginia Derby in March at Colonial Downs. The colt needed six races to break his maiden, finally doing so in December at Oaklawn Park.
Whit Beckman's Flying Mohawk enters off a second-place finish in the Jeff Ruby Steaks. The Kentucky Derby will be his first race on dirt after racing exclusively on turf and synthetic surfaces.
Todd Pletcher's Grande arrives after a second-place finish in the Wood Memorial. Grande did not race as a 2YO and will try to become the fifth horse to win the Kentucky Derby after just three career starts.
Wayne Catalano's Built enters off a fifth-place finish in the Louisiana Derby. Hard Spun, Built's sire, set the pace in the 2007 Kentucky Derby before finishing second behind Street Sense.
Brian Lynch's Owen Almighty enters after a sixth-place finish in the Blue Grass Stakes. Owen Almighty has enjoyed success at Churchill Downs, breaking his maiden there last June and finishing second in the Gr.3 Iroquois Stakes last September.
Post time for the 151st running of the Kentucky Derby is set for 6:57 p.m. on 3 May, with coverage expected to attract millions of viewers worldwide as these 20 contenders battle for glory in the Run for the Roses.