Justify tops list of leading contenders in Kentucky Derby

Associated PressMay 4, 2018, 11:33 AM EDT

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) Justify tops the list of leading contenders to win the 144th Kentucky Derby.

Trainers have called this year’s 20-horse field one of the deepest in a while, though the Run For The Roses might come down to five considered to have the best prospects over 1 1/4 miles at Churchill Downs.

A look at the leading contenders:

JUSTIFY

One of two Derby charges for trainer Bob Baffert, the colt enters as the 3-1 race favorite thanks to a 3-0 record and an impressive win in the Santa Anita Derby. Justify’s challenge is putting aside 136 years of history and becoming the first Derby champion since Apollo in 1882 without racing as a 2-year-old. Hall of Fame jockey Mike Smith will try to keep him unbeaten and break the so-called “Apollo Curse.” His No. 7 post position is an encouraging omen.

Kentucky Derby: What Time, Where to Watch, Horses, Post Times

MENDELSSOHN

The 5-1 second choice has won his last three outings and four overall with a second in seven starts in Dubai, Great Britain and Ireland, where he’s been based. He might need more than international experience to become the first European horse to win the Derby. Strong, outgoing and trained by Aiden O’Brien, Mendelssohn must quickly learn Churchill Downs after hitting the track for the first time Thursday following quarantine since his arrival. He’ll start from the No. 14 post.

MAGNUM MOON

Trainer Todd Pletcher’s hopes of winning consecutive Derbys look good with this unbeaten colt, who has won all four starts beneath Luis Saez by a combined 14 lengths. His most recent outing was a four-length triumph in the Grade 1 Arkansas Derby on April 14, which was impressive but also narrowed the turnaround window. One of four members of Pletcher’s so-called Derby “Todd Squad,” he has career earnings of $1,177,800. He’ll start from the No. 16 post.

AUDIBLE

The jockey combination of Javier Castellano and John Velazquez has made another Pletcher pupil one of the horses to watch and a tempting betting choice at 8-1. The riders have two wins each over Audible’s last four starts, though Castellano will ride him in the Derby while Velazquez guides Vino Rosso for Pletcher. Audible’s No. 5 post position gives him a good spot to make noise.

BOLT D’ORO

Initially second to McKinzie in the Grade 2 San Felipe Stakes, the Kentucky bred was awarded the victory in his 3-year-old debut after a postrace disqualification. He’s 4-1-1 in six starts, with Corey Nakatani earning three of those wins during his juvenile season. Jockey Victor Espinoza, who rode American Pharoah to the 2015 Triple Crown, will make his first start atop Bolt d’Oro after two outings beneath Javier Castellano. He’ll have to work from the outside in with the No. 11 post.

Churchill Downs moves meet to Ellis Park to examine protocols following 12 horse deaths

Associated PressJun 2, 2023, 6:39 PM EDT

Michael Clevenger and Erik Mohn/USA TODAY NETWORK

Churchill Downs will suspend racing on Wednesday and move the remainder of its spring meet to Ellis Park in order to conduct a “top-to-bottom” review of safety and surface protocols in the wake of 12 horse fatalities the past month at the home of the Kentucky Derby.

No single factor has been identified as a potential cause for the fatalities or pattern detected, according to a release, but the decision was made to relocate the meet “in an abundance of caution.”

“What has happened at our track is deeply upsetting and absolutely unacceptable,” Churchill Downs Inc. CEO Bill Carstanjen said in Friday’s release. “We need to take more time to conduct a top-to-bottom review of all of the details and circumstances so that we can further strengthen our surface, safety and integrity protocols.”

Racing will continue at Churchill Downs through Sunday before shifting to the CDI-owned racing and gaming facility in Henderson, Kentucky. Ellis Park’s meet was scheduled to start July 7 and run through Aug. 27 but will now expand with Friday’s announcement.

Ellis Park will resume racing on June 10.

The move comes a day after track superintendent Dennis Moore conducted a second independent analysis of Churchill Downs’ racing and training surfaces as part of an emergency summit called this week by the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority (HISA) with the track and the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission. Meetings took place in Lexington, Kentucky, and at the Louisville track.

The head of the federally created oversight agency suggested ahead of the summit that it could recommend pausing the meet and that Churchill Downs would accept that recommendation.

Churchill Downs’ release stated that expert testing raised no concerns and concluded that the surface was consistent with the track’s prior measurements. Even so, it chose to relocate “in alignment” with HISA’s recommendation to suspend the meet to allow more time for additional investigation.

“We appreciate their thoughtfulness and cooperation through these challenging moments,” HISA CEO Lisa Lazarus said in a statement. “We will continue to seek answers and work with everyone involved to ensure that horses are running safely at Churchill Downs again in the near future.”

Carstanjen insisted that relocating the remainder of the spring meet to Ellis Park would maintain the industry ecosystem with minor disruption. He also said he was grateful to Kentucky horsemen for their support as they work to find answers.

Rick Hiles, the president of Kentucky Horsemen’s Benevolent and Protective Association, questioned the move, especially since there’s no conclusive evidence that Churchill Downs’ surface is the problem.

“We all want to find solutions that will improve safety for horses,” Hiles said in a statement. “However, we need to discuss allowing trainers and veterinarians to use therapeutic medications that greatly lessen the risk of breakdowns.

“Drastic steps, such as relocating an active race meet, should only be considered when it is certain to make a difference.”

The latest development comes a day after Churchill Downs and HISA each implemented safety and performance standards to address the spate of deaths.

HISA will conduct additional post-entry screening of horses to identify those at increased risk for injury. Its Integrity and Welfare Unit also will collect blood and hair samples for all fatalities for use while investigating a cause.

Churchill Downs announced it would immediately limit horses to four starts during a rolling eight-week period and impose ineligibility standards for poor performers. The track is also pausing incentives, such as trainer start bonuses and limiting purse payouts to the top five finishers instead of every finisher.

Forte works out, waits for Belmont Stakes clearance

Associated PressMay 27, 2023, 3:14 PM EDT

Matt Stone/USA TODAY NETWORK

NEW YORK — Forte, the early Kentucky Derby favorite who was scratched on the day of the race, worked out in preparation for a possible start in the Belmont Stakes on June 10.

Under regular rider Irad Ortiz Jr., Forte worked five-eighths of a mile for Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher. It was the colt’s second workout since being scratched from the Derby on May 6.

“It seems like he’s maintained his fitness level,” Pletcher said. “It seems like everything is in good order.”

Forte was placed on a mandatory 14-day veterinary list after being scratched from the Derby because of a bruised right front foot. In order to be removed from the list, the colt had to work in front of a state veterinarian and give a blood sample afterward, the results of which take five days.

“There’s protocols in place and we had to adhere to those and we’re happy that everything went smoothly,” Pletcher said. “We felt confident the horse was in good order or we wouldn’t have been out there twice in the last six days, but you still want to make sure everything went smoothly and we’re happy everything did go well.”

Pletcher said Kingsbarns, who finished 14th in the Kentucky Derby, will miss the Belmont. The colt is showing signs of colic, although he is fine, the trainer said.

Another Pletcher-trained horse, Prove Worthy, is under consideration for the Belmont. He also has Tapit Trice, who finished seventh in the Derby, being pointed toward the Belmont.