By Alan Carasso
Friday morning 9 a.m. came and went without any defections from the main body of the field for Saturday's GI Kentucky Derby, meaning that also-eligibles Laoban (Uncle Mo) and Cherry Wine (Paddy O'Prado) will not be among the field of 20 when the gates are sprung shortly past 6:30 p.m.
We covered each of the Derby starters in great deal in our Special Kentucky Derby Edition that appeared in Friday's TDN, so with our hard handicapping to be found there, let's take a more statistical/bulletpoint look at this year's Run for the Roses.
Undefeated Eclipse Award champion Nyquist (Uncle Mo) is a deserving morning line favorite at 3-1 and is one of a remarkable three first-crop runners in the race for his successful young stallion. He will try to make Paul Reddam the first owner to win multiple Derbies since Bob and Beverly Lewis won with Silver Charm in 1997 and again with Charismatic two years later. Reddam's I'll Have Another (Flower Alley) upset the 2012 Derby. Mike Repole's Outwork (Uncle Mo) could be one of those that takes tote action from the favorite. The GI TwinSpires.com Wood Memorial S. hero turned in the work of the week in the eyes of many shrewd judges and he could own a tactical advantage by sitting close to a pace that appears murky at best. Mo Tom is the least-fancied of the Uncle Mo trio, and although the prevailing wisdom is that he's too slow to be any sort of a factor, there is also a sense that his best is yet to come. Could it be an Uncle Mo triple? It's not impossible.
Tapit rivals Uncle Mo in the sire ranks Saturday afternoon, with three similarly tiered gray offspring set to represent the Gainesway stalwart. Mohaymen was all the rage from the time he debuted last September until his much-anticipated clash with Nyquist in the GI Xpressbet.com Florida Derby Apr. 2. But for whatever reason–wide trip, rain-affected surface–he did not run his race when fourth and is no better than a 10-1 chance. Creator needed six starts to win his maiden, but looks to have figured it out as evidenced by his deep-closing defeat of Suddenbreakingnews (Mineshaft) and Whitmore (Pleasantly Perfect) in the GI Arkansas Derby, a race which has produced three Derby winners in the last 12 years. The enigmatic G2 UAE Derby winner Lani rounds out the threesome and for good measure, Tapit's sire son Trappe Shot is represented by My Man Sam, runner-up to Brody's Cause (Giant's Causeway) in the GI Toyota Blue Grass S. Apr. 9.
On the human side of the ledger, three jockeys have the opportunity to tie the legendary Bill Shoemaker for second place all-time with four Derby wins should they be draped with the roses Saturday afternoon. Of those, Victor Espinoza will be trying to make additional history as the first to ride three straight winners, having sat atop California Chrome (Lucky Pulpit) and eventual Triple Crown winner and Horse of the Year American Pharoah (Pioneerof the Nile) the last two years. Espinoza has also won five of the last six Triple Crown events. Gary Stevens last tasted Derby success with Silver Charm in 1997 (Winning Colors, 1988; Thunder Gulch, 1995), while Kent Desormeaux looks to add to victories aboard Real Quiet (1998), Fusaichi Pegasus (2000) and Big Brown (2008). On the other end of the spectrum is Emisael Jaramillo, the all-time leading rider in Venezuela, who rides in the Derby for the first time aboard Florida Derby runner-up Majesto (Tiznow). He gained valuable big-race experience when guiding X Y Jet to a runner-up effort in the G1 Dubai Golden Shaheen in late March. Trainer Bob Baffert already has four Derby trophies to his credit and is shooting for a second consecutive score in the race and fifth overall. He would claim second spot all time behind Ben Jones (6) with a fifth tally Saturday.
Some other Derby odds and ends:
• Pennsylvania-breds Lil E Tee and Smarty Jones won the Derby in 1992 and 2004, respectively. A dozen years later, could fellow Keystone-state breds Mor Spirit (Eskendereya) and Tom's Ready (More Than Ready) follow suit? The latter is owned by Tom and Gayle Benson's G M B Racing, who are also represented by Mo Tom.
• This year's Derby field has but two geldings: Suddenbreakingnews and Whitmore. There are 16 colts and two ridglings (Mor Spirit, Majesto).
• Seven of the Derby runners are homebreds.
• Betting favorites have won the last three Derbies and four of the last seven.
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