By Steve Sherack
LOUISVILLE, KY – Here we go again.
A year after making history as the wettest GI Kentucky Derby day in the record books with more than three inches of precipitation, another soaker is expected on the First Saturday in May.
The forecast calls for up to an inch of rain throughout the day in the Louisville area. Temperatures will be in the 60s. Post time for the 145th Kentucky Derby is 6:50 p.m. ET.
“Rain building in through the day on Saturday. Once it starts, it looks to be pretty persistent and at times heavy,” WLKY meteorologist Matt Milosevich said during his forecast.
With the complexion of the 1 1/4-mile Classic changing drastically after the Wednesday evening defection of favored Omaha Beach (War Front), all eyes will be on Bob Baffert as he has three shots at tying the legendary conditioner Ben Jones for a record sixth Derby win.
His trio of 'TDN Rising Stars' is led by the revised 9-2 morning-line favorite and last year's champion 2-year-old colt Game Winner (Candy Ride {Arg}), who captured the 2018 GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile beneath the Twin Spires. He will also saddle fellow Grade I winners Roadster (Quality Road) and Improbable (City Zip).
Barn 33, former home of Baffert's Triple Crown winners American Pharoah (Pioneerof the Nile) and Justify (Scat Daddy), was once again the place to be during training hours on the backstretch all week with the Hall of Famer frequently holding court with the media and signing autographs and taking pictures with fans.
“There are a lot of good horses in here,” Baffert said. “I think they're a pretty evenly matched group of horses. You don't see anybody really puffing off the screen here. When American Pharoah came in here, we knew he was from another planet.”
Baffert added, “[This year] reminds me a little bit of the Silver Charm Derby [in 1997]. You had a lot of good 3-year-olds in there and whoever gets the trip is going to win it.”
The unbeaten GI Florida Derby winner Maximum Security (New Year's Day), a debut winner for just $16,000 in December, puts his unbeaten record on the line for trainer Jason Servis. Owners Gary and Mary West also campaign the aforementioned Game Winner.
Hall of Famer Bill Mott will have two chances at saddling his first Derby winner with the stunning gray Juddmonte homebred Tacitus (Tapit) and the stretch-running 'TDN Rising Star' Country House (Lookin At Lucky).
By My Standards (Goldencents) has been tabbed as this year's backstretch buzz horse after putting on a show during training hours throughout Derby week. The handsome bay upset the GII Louisiana Derby at 22-1.
Two-time Kentucky Derby-winning trainer Todd Pletcher will tighten the girth on longshots Cutting Humor (First Samurai) and Spinoff (Hard Spun).
Other highlights on the Kentucky Derby's loaded 14-race program include: streaking sprinter Mitole (Eskendereya)'s debut at the top level in the GI Churchill Downs S., GI Pegasus World Cup Turf winner Bricks and Mortar (Giant's Causeway) taking on a full field in the GI Old Forester Turf Classic, and the talented sophomore Instagrand (Into Mischief) turning back in distance for the GIII Pat Day Mile S.
Post time for the day's first race is 10:30 a.m.
Happy Derby!
Not a subscriber? Click here to sign up for the daily PDF or alerts.
