20 post through any space he could find before eventually passing Epicenter.Ĭountry House was ninth at the three-quarter mile point before surging through the slop into the top three and finishing 1 3/4 lengths behind Maximum Security before the historic DQ after a 22-minute review. Little was known about Rich Strike, hence the high odds, but the racing world quickly learned about him as he navigated from the outside No.
Wayne Lukas scratched Ethereal Road the Friday before the Derby. Rich Strike was the first of two also-eligibles poised to get in with a defection, which occurred at the last minute when Hall of Fame trainer D. “There has to be a certain standard to get into the Derby in the first place, so there is quality control.”įrom there, a horse needs a combination of ability, determination and a little luck. “Every horse that runs in the Derby absolutely needs to be taken seriously because of the nature of the Derby that you need to qualify,” said Andrew Moore, racing general manager for. The qualifying process begins in the fall with points awarded to the top four in selected graded stakes races, increasing in value in early spring championship races that largely determine the field and presumed favorites. While wide-ranging odds are common in most races, horsemen and handicappers note the gaps in Derby horses don’t necessarily reflect quality. Japan-bred horse Mandarin Hero, who replaced Lord Miles following trainer Saffie Joseph Jr.’s suspension, and Confidence Game are listed at 20-1. Disarm, Hit Show, Cyclone Mischief - who got in on Thursday after Practical Move was scratched - and Rocket Can are listed as 30-1. Angel of Empire (8-1) is the third choice and trained by Louisville-born Brad Cox.Įverybody else has double-digit odds, with Jace’s Road, Raise Cain, Reincarnate, Sun Thunder and just-added King Russell the longest shots at 50-1. Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher has the top two 3-year-old choices on Saturday in Forte (3-1), who is on a five-race winning streak, and Tapit Trice (5-1), who rallied to win the Blue Grass at Keeneland.
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