Meet the horses running in the 2023 Kentucky Derby
Tyler Lauletta
- The 149th running of the Kentucky Derby will take place this Saturday at Churchill Downs.
- While it's a wide-open field this year, two horses — Forte and Tapit Trice — stand above the rest.
The field for the 149th running of the Kentucky Derby is officially set.
Earlier in the week, posts were drawn for this weekend's Run for the Roses. After four scratches, the field is down to 19 horses set to run the race.
This Saturday, fans will don their most spectacular hats, grab a mint julep, and head to Churchill Downs to take in the year's biggest event in horse racing and see who wins the first race of the Triple Crown.
Take a look below as we go post by post to give you the rundown on every horse racing this weekend at the Kentucky Derby.
1. Hit Show (34/1)
Trainer/Jockey: Brad Cox/Manny Franco
Career wins: 3
Recent result: 2nd at Wood Memorial
One thing to know: Jockey Manny Franco rode Tiz the Law to a second-place finish at the 2020 Kentucky Derby and a win at the Belmont Stakes that same year. Hit Show has won two of his last three races, and the only horse to best him at the Wood Memorial — Lord Miles — was scratched from the Derby.
2. Verifying (22/1)
Trainer/Jockey: Brad Cox/Tyler Gaffalione
Career wins: 2
Recent result: 2nd at Blue Grass Stakes
One thing to know: Trainer Brad Cox has technically won one Kentucky Derby already, but not the way you dream of winning the biggest race in the world. In 2021, his horse Mandaloun crossed the finish line second behind Bob Baffert's Medina Spirit. While Medina Spirit wore the roses that day, an investigation would later lead to the horse's belated disqualification from the race. Thus Mandaloun was officially declared the winner of the 2021 Kentucky Derby nearly a year after the race. This year, Cox is looking to win the race at the line.
3. Two Phil's (8/1)
Trainer/Jockey: Larry Rivelli/Jareth Loveberry
Career wins: 4
Recent result: 1st at Jeff Ruby Steaks
One thing to know: The last Jeff Ruby Steaks winner to win the Kentucky Derby was Animal Kingdom in 2011.
4. Confidence Game (17/1)
Trainer/Jockey: J. Keith Desormeaux/James Graham
Career wins: 3
Recent result: 1st at Rebel Stakes
One thing to know: Confidence Game hasn't finished lower than third in any of his past four races, winning two of them. He might be something of a long shot to win on Saturday, but he's a good horse to keep in mind for trifecta bettors.
5. Tapit Trice (5/1)
Trainer/Jockey: Todd Pletcher/Luis Saez
Career wins: 4
Recent result: 1st at Blue Grass Stakes
One thing to know: No gate has produced more winners at the Kentucky Derby than No. 5, which has given 10 winners, most recently to Always Dreaming in 2017. Todd Pletcher's Tapit Trice has a good chance at becoming the 11th winner from Post 5 com Saturday.
6. Kingsbarns (12/1)
Trainer/Jockey: Todd Pletcher/Jose Ortiz
Career wins: 3
Recent result: 1st at Louisiana Derby
One thing to know: Kingsbarns has never lost a race he's entered, running out front three times in three outings at three different tracks. He's the only horse in the field sporting an undefeated record heading into Saturday.
7. Reincarnate (15/1)
Trainer/Jockey: Tim Yakteen/John Velazquez
Career wins: 2
Recent result: 3rd at Arkansas Derby
One thing to know: Jockey John Velazquez has won the Kentucky Derby three times in his career, most recently riding Authentic in 2020. He was also on the back of Medina Spirit when he crossed the line first in 2021, though that win was later taken away.
8. Mage (18/1)
Trainer/Jockey: Gustavo Delgado/Javier Castellano
Career wins: 1
Recent result: 2nd at Florida Derby
One thing to know: Jockey Javier Castellano has 15 mounts in the Kentucky Derby in his career, more than any other jockey in the field other than John Velazquez. Despite his experience in the race, he's yet to finish higher than third.
9. Skinner (Scratched)
Trainer/Jockey: John Shirreffs/Juan Hernandez
Career wins: 1
Recent result: 3rd at Santa Anita Derby
One thing to know: Skinner was scratched from the race on Friday due to an "elevated temperature," Churchill Downs said.
10. Practical Move (Scratched)
Trainer/Jockey: Tim Yakteen/Ramon Vazquez
Career wins: 4
Recent result: 1st at Santa Anita Derby
One thing to know: Practical Move had good odds to win in the days leading up to the race but was scratched due to an elevated temperature.
11. Disarm (31/1)
Trainer/Jockey: Steven Asmussen/Joel Rosario
Career wins: 1
Recent result: 3rd at Lexington Stakes
One thing to know: Trainer Steven Asmussen has won more races than any trainer in North America, but the greatest prize in the sport has escaped him his entire career. Last year was supposed to be the breakthrough, with Epicenter entering the race as a notable favorite, but Epicenter came up short, finishing second to Rich Strike, one of the biggest long shots ever to win the roses. This year, Asmussen's hopes ride with Disarm.
12. Jace's Road (37/1)
Trainer/Jockey: Brad Cox/Florent Geroux
Career wins: 2
Recent result: 3rd at Louisiana Derby
One thing to know: Jockey Florent Geroux was on the back of Mandaloun in 2021 when he crossed the finish line second. While that finish was later elevated to a win, he has yet to earn the glory of a Kentucky Derby win on raceday.
13. Sun Thunder (32/1)
Trainer/Jockey: Kenneth McPeek/Brian Hernandez, Jr.
Career wins: 1
Recent result: 4th at Blue Grass Stakes
One thing to know: Sun Thunder is trending in the wrong direction heading into the Kentucky Derby, finishing fourth and fifth in his past two races. Both outings saw Sun Thunder finish behind several other Derby contenders.
14. Angel of Empire (5/1)
Trainer/Jockey: Brad Cox/Flavien Prat
Career wins: 4
Recent result: 1st at Arkansas Derby
One thing to know: Jockey Flavien Prat rode Country House from the 20th post to victory at the 2019 Kentucky Derby. He's mighty comfortable riding at Churchill Downs, finishing in the top three at the Derby in four of his five mounts.
15. Forte (9/2)
Trainer/Jockey: Todd Pletcher/Irad Ortiz Jr.
Career wins: 6
Recent result: 1st at Florida Derby
One thing to know: Forte is a significant favorite heading into the race, and with good reason. The colt has won six of the seven races he's entered, most recently at the Florida Derby, where he faced some of the competition he'll take on come Saturday. Jockey Irad Ortiz Jr. has won more races than any other jockey every year, dating back to 2016. Despite that success, he has yet to win the Kentucky Derby. Could this be the year?
16. Raise Cain (36/1)
Trainer/Jockey: Ben Colebrook/Gerardo Corrales
Career wins: 2
Recent result: 5th at Blue Grass Stakes
One thing to know: Raise Cain didn't fare well his last time out against Kentucky Derby competition, finishing behind fellow Derby horses Tapit Trice, Verifying, and Sun Thunder at the Blue Grass Stakes in April. He'll need a great ride out of jockey Gerardo Corrales, making his Kentucky Derby debut, to be a factor on Saturday.
17. Derma Sotogake (8/1)
Trainer/Jockey: Hidetaka Otonashi/Christophe Lemaire
Career wins: 1
Recent result: 1st at UAE Derby
One thing to know: Derma Sotogake had a gorgeous run at the UAE Derby, catching the eyes of many race fans looking ahead to the Kentucky Derby, but he has history working against him — since the start of the UAE Derby in 2000, no winner has ever gone on to take the roses at Churchill Downs.
18. Rocket Can (34/1)
Trainer/Jockey: William Mott/Junior Alvarado
Career wins: 2
Recent result: 4th at Arkansas Derby
One thing to know: Rocket Can ran behind three other Kentucky Derby horses at the Arkansas Derby. He's likely a long shot to win but could be a horse to keep an eye on to add to the tail end of your trifectas and superfectas.
19. Lord Miles (Scratched)
Trainer/Jockey: Saffie Joseph Jr./Paco Lopez
Career wins: 2
Recent result: 1st at Wood Memorial
One thing to know: Lord Miles was scratched from the Kentucky Derby on Thursday. The suspension came as trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. was suspended after the sudden death of two of his horses at Churchill Downs.
20. Continuar (Scratched)
Trainer/Jockey: Yoshito Tahagi/Ryusei Sakai
Career wins: 0
Recent result: 3rd at UAE Derby
One thing to know: Trainer Yoshito Yahagi decided to pull Continuar from the race on Thursday, saying "he has not been able to reach the peak fitness required to take on a race as tough as the Kentucky Derby."
21. Cyclone Mischief (45/1)
Trainer/Jockey: Dale Romans/TBD
Career wins: 2
Recent result: 3rd at Florida Derby
One thing to know: Cyclone Mischief was not initially in the field of 20 horses slated to run on Saturday but made it into the field after several scratches. As of Friday, it's still unclear what jockey will get the mount. Jockeys Tyler Gaffalione and Javier Castellano, who have ridden Cyclone Mischief in his four races this year, are already promised to other horses.
22. Mandarin Hero (29/1)
Trainer/Jockey: Terunobu Fujita/Kazushi Kimura
Career wins: 0
Recent result: 2nd at Santa Anita Derby
One thing to know: Japanese horses have historically not performed well at the Kentucky Derby. However, after Mandarin Hero nearly closed out Practical Move at Santa Anita, he'll certainly garner some interest from bettors.
23. King Russell (44/1)
Trainer/Jockey: Ron Moquett/Rafael Bejarano
Career wins: 1
Recent result: 2nd at Arkansas Derby
One thing to know: King Russell hasn't finished lower than second in a race so far this year. Running out of the outside gate, he's a long shot that could find himself a factor to hit the board late, if not win the race.
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