3 minute read
It is certainly a derby unlike any other, being run without public and four months late.
And that's not the only difference: there may not be a rendition of "My Old Kentucky Home" as there is pressure on Churchill not to have it because of its connection with slavery and efforts to adhere to social justice norms.
There are 7 graded stakes races to look forward to even if they have to be viewed over the television screen. The first of these is the American Turf Stakes Gr 2 for 3yos over 1700m with 8 runners. We don't know much about these youngsters so will just quote the Morning Line which has Smooth Like Strait on 8/5, Field Pass 2/1, Fancy Licquor 9/2 and an interesting runner Sugoi (which means "great" in Japanese) who is by the Japanese sire Karakontie and comes in here on 8/1.
The Pat Day Mile is Gr 2 for the 3yos with 9 to run. Cezanne is by Curlin and is owned by Coolmore interests. Baffert trains and he's 3/1. Echo Town is 7/2 and we liked the run of Rushie the other day and he's 4/1.
The Iriquois is G3 over 1600m for 2yos and has 11 lining up. Therideofalifetime is by the Argentinian sire Candy Ride and is on 7/5 here for Correas and Geroux. Pico d'Or is by Curlin and on 5/1 and Midnight Bourbon is on 6/1 and he's by Tiz Now.
The Distaff Mile is on turf and G2 for f&m 4+ and has 8 runners. Newspaperofrecord is odds-on with Javier Castellano riding for Chad Brown. There are two Cox pupils here in Juliet Foxtrot and Beau Recall both on 5/1.
The Derby City Distaff is Gr 1 for 4+ f&m over 1400m and there are 10 runners headed by Serengeti Empress on 9/5. Bellafina and Ce Ce are on 3/1.
The Turf Classic is G1 for 4y+ over 1800m on the turf. 10 runners headed by Factor This on 3/1, Rockemperor on 7/2 and stablemate Digital Age is 6/1.
The Derby itself has only 3 runners on single-figure prices and the first odds-on favourite in Tiz The Law on 3/5 since Arazi in 1992. Tiz The Law has been favourite for some time now and has ticked every box. Honor AP has impressed the trackwork watchers at Churchill Downs and is on 5/1 with Bafffert's Authentic also having a following and is on 8/1.
There's a "happy" story here in Finnick The Fierce who has a rags-to-riches background and only one eye. His left eye had a congenital cataract in it and had to be removed. His other claims to fame are that he's the only horse in the field who has beaten Tiz The Law and it was on this track but in a lot of mud, and he's the great-grandson of Go For Gin who is the oldest living Kentucky Derby winner. He's drawn gate 1 which could suit him. The top runners have drawn the far side and originally Tiz The Law was drawn in gate 17 which is the only gate not to have produced a winner of the race. However King Guillermo has now been scratched so if they all move in one that slot will go to Authentic.