Kentucky Derby Update for Sunday, April 28, 2024: Five Derby Entrants Plus Three Oaks Hopefuls Put in Sunday Works

Apr 28, 2024 Kevin Kerstein

KENTUCKY DERBY PRESENTED BY WOODFORD RESERVE UPDATES

With the weather again cooperating with a mild and dry Sunday morning, five entrants for the $5 million Kentucky Derby presented by Woodford Reserve (GI) plus three Longines Kentucky Oaks hopefuls put in works over a fast main track at Churchill Downs.

The first to work was BC Stables’ Just Steel (four furlongs in :50.40) with L and N Racing, Clark Brewster, Jerry Caroom and Breeze Easy’s Track Phantom (five furlongs in 1:00 in company) following before 6 o’clock.

During the 7:30-7:45 training window for Derby and Oaks horses, Eric and Sharon Waller’s Stronghold worked five furlongs in company in :59.80 and was followed by Emily Bushnell and Ric Waldman’s Resilience (four furlongs in :49.20), and Tami Bobo, Julie Davies and George Isaacs’ Catalytic (four furlongs in :47.80 in company).

Working toward the Kentucky Oaks shortly after the track opened for training was Courtlandt Farms’ Our Pretty Woman. Listed as the first also-eligible for the $1.5 million race, Our Pretty Woman worked a half-mile in :50.60. Working during the 7:30-7:45 window were George Krikorian’s Just F Y I (four furlongs in :49.40) and Foster Family Racing, William Wargel, R.K. Eckrich Racing and Maxis Stable’s Everland (four furlongs in :51.60).

CATALYTIC – Tami Bobo, Julie Davies and George Isaacs’ Catalytic had his final workout Sunday ahead of next Saturday’s Kentucky Derby. With jockey Jose Ortiz aboard, Catalytic was timed in :47.80 for the half-mile.

“It was a good time, a good work,” said trainer Saffie Joseph Jr., who was pleased in drawing the No. 5 post position for the Run for the Roses. “I thought it went as good as we could have asked, and Jose is happy with him. Hopefully we have a good week, and go on from here.”

Joseph said he has noticed a difference in Catalytic since he arrived from South Florida. “He’s showing a lot more energy here than he does at Gulfstream. And there, he doesn’t seem to pay attention, here he seems very focused.”

Ortiz gave a thumbs-up to the work for Catalytic, a 30-1 proposition on the morning line.

“He looked great, felt great. It was just a maintenance work, and exactly what we were looking for. The horse is happy,” he said. “Keeping him happy is all we have to do until Saturday.”

CATCHING FREEDOM/ENCINO/JUST A TOUCH – Trainer Brad Cox’s Derby trio of Catching Freedom, Encino and Just a Touch all had a scheduled walk day following their respective works Saturday morning.

All three are expected to return to the track Monday.

DOMESTIC PRODUCT/SIERRA LEONE – Trainer Chad Brown’s Kentucky Derby (GI)-bound duo of Grade I winner Sierra Leone and Tampa Bay Derby (GIII) winner Domestic Product both walked the shedrow a day after working five furlongs in company.

'We look in good shape,” Brown said. “I just checked everyone and I’m really pleased.'

Brown added that he likely will do some paddock schooling with his charges over the coming days.

“I’m not sure about (gate schooling) yet. Sierra Leone is good. The other horses, they did some gate schooling before they came here so I’m not sure I really need to bring them back,” Brown said. “Definitely paddock schooling. I’m not sure when I’m going to start that. Maybe Tuesday, at the latest Wednesday.”

Sierra Leone, who won the Blue Grass Stakes (GI) in his most recent start, is owned by Peter Brant, Mrs. John Magnier, Michael Tabor, Derrick Smith, Westerberg and Brook Smith. Domestic Product is a Klaravich Stables homebred.

DORNOCH/SOCIETY MAN – One day after working four furlongs in company in their final moves ahead of the Kentucky Derby, Dornoch and Society Man both had a walk day on Sunday for trainer Danny Gargan.

“They’re good. Dornoch is strong and happy, he’s acting like a wild man,” Gargan said.

ENDLESSLY – Trainer Mike McCarthy, as is his wont, was on it early with his good colt Endlessly, giving exercise rider Walter Davila a leg up at 6 a.m. out of Barn 35 en route to a one-mile gallop around Churchill Downs Sunday morning.

Endlessly, a winner of five of six starts – with four of them in stakes – drew post 14 in the 20-horse Kentucky Derby field upcoming this Saturday. He’ll have California-based Umberto Rispoli aboard for the $5 million feature that many people consider the most famous horse race in the world.

“He’ll gallop a mile again tomorrow,” McCarthy said. “Then we might stretch him out some later in the week.”

FIERCENESS – Repole Stable’s Fierceness, last year’s 2-year-old champion and this year’s favorite for Kentucky Derby 150, galloped approximately a mile and a quarter Sunday morning during the special Derby/Oaks training session between 7:30 and 7:45 at Churchill Downs. In the irons for trainer Todd Pletcher was Danny Wright, the Brit who once rode for the late Queen Elizabeth II.

Fierceness, who captured the Florida Derby in his most recent outing, once again will have veteran John Velazquez on his back as they break from post 17 in the 20-horse lineup.

Pletcher will follow the galloping routine for the balance of the week leading up to Saturday’s $5 million Derby. The conditioner also stated that he would gate school his City of Light colt Tuesday and take him to the paddock both Tuesday and Wednesday.

FOREVER YOUNG (JPN) – Susumu Fujita’s undefeated Forever Young (JPN) walked the mile chute for about an hour under Yusaku Oka for trainer Yoshito Yahagi.

Forever Young drew post 11 for the Kentucky Derby and Kate Hunter, Asia representative for the Kentucky Derby, said the connections of the UAE Derby (GIII) winner were pleased with the draw.

Forever Young is scheduled to work Tuesday in company with Derby entrant T O Password (JPN).

GRAND MO THE FIRST – Granpollo Stables’ Grand Mo the First jogged a mile and galloped a mile under Amel Macias for trainer Victor Barboza Jr.

Grand Mo the First drew post 16 for the Derby, a spot that pleased the connections.

Barboza had been hoping for an outside draw and as the pills were pulled most of the inside spots in the gate were taken. As the remaining gate spots drew larger, the smiles grew larger.

“I’m very, very happy with the draw,” said Barboza, who wanted anywhere between 12 and 18.

“We were the next to last one drawn,” owner David Geofrey said of the pill pull in which the final two spots were 13 and 16.

Geofrey said this will be the third Derby he has attended and the most different.

“I always wanted to come here and this time I have come with a horse,” Geofrey said.

Third to Kentucky Derby morning line favorite Fierceness in the Florida Derby (GI) Grand Mo the First is slated gallop up to the race with an open gallop and gate visit scheduled for Wednesday.

Emisael Jamarillo has the mount, his second in the Derby. He finished 18th on Majesto in 2016.

HONOR MARIE – Ribble Farms, Michael Eisterman, Earl Silver, Kenneth and Dave Fishbein’s Honor Marie galloped 1 ½ miles at 7:30 a.m. Sunday under regular rider Maurilio Garcia.

“This has always been a fun week my entire life,” said trainer Whit Beckman, who grew up in Louisville. “It’s just even more special to be involved with one of my horses. If he’s feeling good, I’m feeling good. And, right now, I’m all good.”

JUST STEEL – Right as the Churchill Downs track opened at 5:15 a.m., Hall of Famer D. Wayne Lukas was on the scene to send BC Stable’s Just Steel through his final timed workout in preparation for the colt’s expected start in the Kentucky Derby (GI).

As Lukas watched from astride his pony, Just Steel had the track practically to himself as he broke off and registered splits of :13.40 and :25.20 during an easy half-mile in :50.40 before being eased up on the gallop out.

“Just a slow maintenance work. We’re close to the race, we didn’t want to do much,” Lukas said. “We pretty much did what we thought. I didn’t want him to gallop out much because I didn’t want to do too much this close. He probably could have done more, but that’s what it was.”

Lukas worked Just Steel one mile at Churchill Downs on April 20, although stamina should be the last thing the son of Justify has to worry about come May 4.

“I think he has a pedigree to do this, very much so,” Lukas said. “And his running style probably complements it too. If he’s good enough, he’ll show up. But we’ve got something to work with his pedigree.”

MYSTIK DAN – After Lance Gasaway, 4 G Racing and Daniel Hamby III’s Mystik Dan put in his final major tune-up on Saturday for the Derby for trainer Kenny McPeek, so he walked the shedrow on Sunday.

“He walked today after his work,” said McPeek, who was satisfied in drawing the No. 3 post position in the Derby. He’ll have Brian Hernandez Jr. on board and was listed at 20-1 on the morning line.

On Saturday, he was timed for the five furlongs in 1:01.20 with Hernandez, finishing up in 1:14.40.

RESILIENCE – Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott is bringing Wood Memorial (GII) winner Resilience up to the Kentucky Derby (GI) in old school fashion. On Sunday, Mott sent Resilience out for his third work in 10 days as the colt covered four furlongs in :49.20 during the 7:30 a.m. training session.

Shortly after stablemate and champion Just F Y I completed her half-mile breeze in advance of the Kentucky Oaks (GI), Resilience got down to his own bit of serious business in a solo move with blinkers on. The son of Into Mischief was well in hand through fractions of :12.60 and :24.80 before galloping out in 1:01.40.

“I would say I was hoping to see exactly what we got,” Mott said. “I was hoping for a :49 work. We put a really good work into both horses six days ago so we just wanted our final work to be nice and smooth and cross our fingers and hope they come back good. It looked like they both breezed well, finished up well and came back nicely. Neither one of them was being pushed.”

The addition of blinkers has helped Resilience dial in his focus, with Mott now seeing a horse whose mind is on par with his physical ability. When he captured the Wood Memorial on April 6, he was able to not only finish up in strong fashion but do so with what appeared to be more left in the tank.

'He’s physically done well and with the blinkers he seems to be more focused on everything,” Mott said “He got jostled around a bit in the Wood but by the time he got to the backside, he had a nice trip, had a nice stalking position.”

Mott added that, rather than a walk day, he may send Resilience back to the track on Monday for an easy jog.

STRONGHOLD – Trainer Phil D’Amato put the finishing touches on his colt Stronghold as the Ghostzapper offspring heads toward Saturday’s 150th edition of the Kentucky Derby.

The conditioner sent Eric and Sharon Waller’s homebred trackside during the 7:30-7:45 training period for Derby and Oaks horses Sunday morning at Churchill Downs. He signed on rider Joe Talamo to handle the youngster in a team drill with his charge Motorious and rider Martin Garcia. Motorious is one of the horses D’Amato brought in from California and he’s bound for Saturday’s $600,000, Grade II Twin Spires Turf Sprint.

The trainer’s instructions were for the two to work in concert, but not go too, too fast for their five-furlong exercise. The riders did just that, breaking off at the five-eighths pole and going in unison to the wire where they finished all but even. Churchill clockers gave Stronghold, who worked outside, a final time of :59.80 and his workmate a clocking of 1:00.

“He felt real good,” Talamo said following the exercise. “I’ve worked this horse before (Talamo broke his maiden at Churchill last October) and today he showed me another gear. He’s a different horse now; he did this easy.”

D’Amato, who watched the work from the frontside grandstand, was quite pleased with the drill.

“I told them I just wanted a maintenance work today; nothing too serious. And in the end it was an ideal drill. I said maybe go in 1:01 or so, but the way the track is playing right now their times were plenty good. This horse has raced six times at six different racetracks and he knows what he’s doing out there now. We’ve checked all the boxes and I’m very happy with where we stand coming up to the Derby.”

With his wife and chief exercise rider Sherri Alexander at the wheel, the trainer headed out from the track to catch a plane back to California and his main string of runners. He

indicated he’d return Tuesday for the balance of Derby Week.

T O PASSWORD (JPN) – Tomoya Ozasa’s T O Password (JPN) warmed up for a half-hour in the mile chute with stablemate T O Saint Denis (JPN) and then galloped an easy mile before turning to the chute to cool down. Training assistant Yuichi Tomomichi rode T O Password this morning.

Jockey Kazushi Kimura is scheduled to arrive in Louisville Sunday and will take over the morning saddle activity on Monday.

T O Password drew post 10 for the Kentucky Derby and Kate Hunter, Asia representative for the Kentucky Derby, said the connections of the undefeated colt were pleased with the draw.

T O Password is scheduled to work Tuesday in company with Derby entrant Forever Young (JPN).

TRACK PHANTOM – Lecomte Stakes (GIII) winner Track Phantom had his final work prior to the Kentucky Derby, working a solid five furlongs in 1:00 outside stablemate Mugen.

Track Phantom began his move through a solid opening quarter-mile of :24.20 and galloped out six furlongs in 1:13.60, according to Churchill Downs Clocker John Nichols.

“I think Track Phantom has a beautiful rhythm to him with a nice, beautiful stride,” trainer Steve Asmussen said. “I don’t think he’s a horse that has to be on the lead. In his last two starts there were very tepid paces. I think for him to be wrangled back in either of those two races wouldn’t have been to his style. I obviously expect there to be more pace in the Derby, everybody does with the quarter-mile run into the first turn. I think in a full field I still want him to jump away from there well but I’d be very surprised to see him on the lead in this year’s Derby.”

WEST SARATOGA – Harry Veruchi’s West Saratoga walked the shedrow Sunday morning following a three-eighths work in :37.20 under jockey Jesus Castanon on Saturday.

Trained by Larry Demeritte, West Saratoga will return to the track Monday. West Saratoga drew post 13 for the Derby.

“No matter what, I go to church on Sundays,” Demeritte said Saturday. “It’s normally a quiet day at the barn for us.”

ALSO ELIGIBLE – Welch Racing’s Epic Ride galloped a mile and a half under Sophie Doyle for trainer John Ennis.

Average Joe Racing Stables and Dan Wells’ Mugatu had a scheduled walk day for trainer Jeff Engler.

THE KENTUCKY DERBY FIELD – Here is the field for the 150th running of the $5 million Kentucky Derby presented by Woodford Reserve (Grade I) in order of post positions (with rider and morning line odds): Dornoch (Luis Saez, 20-1), Sierra Leone (Tyler Gaffalione, 3-1), Mystik Dan (Brian Hernandez Jr., 20-1), Catching Freedom (Flavien Prat, 8-1), Catalytic (Jose Ortiz, 30-1), Just Steel (Keith Asmussen, 20-1), Honor Marie (Ben Curtis, 20-1), Just a Touch (Florent Geroux, 10-1), Encino (Axel Concepcion, 20-1), T O Password (JPN) (Kazuski Kimura, 30-1), Forever Young (JPN) (Ryusei Sakai. 10-1), Track Phantom (Joel Rosario, 20-1), West Saratoga (Jesus Castanon, 30-1), Endlessly (Umberto Rispoli, 30-1), Domestic Product (Irad Ortiz Jr., 30-1), Grand Mo the First (Emisael Jaramillo, 50-1), Fierceness (John Velasquez, 5-2), Stronghold (Antonio Fresu, 20-1), Resilience (Junior Alvarado, 20-1), Society Man (Frankie Dettori, 50-1). Also-Eligible: Epic Ride (Adam Beschizza, 50-1), Mugatu (Joe Talamo, 50-1). All starters will carry 126 pounds.

LONGINES KENTUCKY OAKS UPDATE

EVERLAND – Foster Family Racing, William Wargel, R.K. Eckrich Racing and Maxis Stable’s Everland, winner of the Bourbonette Oaks (Listed) in her most recent start for trainer Eric Foster, worked a half-mile in :51.80 Sunday after shipping over from Keeneland the day before.

Everland drew the No. 9 post, and was listed on the morning line as a 30-1 shot with Abel Cedillo to ride. Cedillo was aboard Sunday.

“I thought she looked really good,” trainer Eric Foster said. “He (Cedillo) was smiling. I was tickled with her.”

Foster admitted “we’ve got a lot of unanswered here” heading into the Oaks – how she’ll handle the crowd, and the switch from an artificial racing surface to the dirt.

“We’re hoping her breeding will make the difference,” he said of the daughter of Arrogate. “There was an Arrogate that won at a mile-and-a-quarter last night, and we like Arrogates. We’re hoping he shines through on her.”

FIONA’S MAGIC – Stonehedge LLC’s Fiona’s Magic made her first visit to the track Sunday moirning since arriving from South Florida, galloping a mile and a quarter under exercise rider Alejandro Mariano for trainer Michael Yates.

Winner of the Davona Dale (GII) to punch her ticket to the Kentucky Oaks, Fiona’s Magic will exit post 7 under Luis Saez in Friday’s race.

Fiona’s Magic gives Yates an Oaks starter for the second consecutive year.  Last year, Dorth Vader was prominent throughout before tiring late to finish fifth, beaten only 3 ¼ lengths by Pretty Mischievous.

Yates said he would give Fiona’s Magic gate and paddock schooling sessions this week prior to the Oaks.

He said that owner Marilyn Campbell was scheduled to arrive in Louisville on Thursday.

GIN GIN/TARIFA – Calumet Farm’s Gin Gin along with Godolphin’s Tarifa both had an easy training session Sunday morning for trainer Brad Cox.

“Both fillies are doing well out of their works from Friday,” Cox said. “We’ll gallop them this week and probably school in the paddock again.”

INTO CHAMPAGNE – Six Column Stables, Randy Bloch, Jim Gladden, Mike Davis and Michael Steele’s Into Champagne was out just before 6 a.m. for trainer Ian Wilkes. Exercise rider AdelsoOrantes was aboard.

“She galloped, about a mile-and-three-eighths today,” Wilkes said of his filly, who drew the No. 10 post with jockey Julian Leparoux.

The draw suits Into Champagne, listed at 30-1 on the morning line, Wilkes said. “No problem there. The post is fine … it’s better than the 1 or 2, and it gives us a few options.”

The Gulfstream Parks Oaks (GII) third-place finisher completed a five-furlong breeze Friday morning in 1:00, with Leparoux.

JUST F Y I – Jockey Junior Alvarado’s face visibly beams when discussing Just F Y I, the champion filly he has guided through each of her four career starts. The positive adjectives and broad smiles continued to flow from the rider Sunday shortly after he climbed off his Kentucky Oaks (GI) contender following as easy half-mile breeze in :49.40.

In registering her third workout in 10 days, George Krikorian’s homebred filly continued to flaunt good energy as she broke off solo during the 7:30 a.m. training period with trainer Bill Mott looking on from his pony. Alvarado was a passenger through splits of :24.80 with a gallop out in 1:02.40.

“It was a great work, it was nice and comfortable,” said Alvarado, who will also ride Resilience for Mott in the Kentucky Derby. “Today was more like a maintenance work to make sure she felt good. She traveled very well, nice and comfortable and galloped out with good energy.

“This track can go either way, sometimes horses don’t get a good hold of it. And she’s just been skipping over this ground,” Alvarado said. “She’s traveling as good as you want a horse to travel over this ground and that makes me happy because she’s a lengthy filly. I just love my chances. She’s handled the track and been galloping everyday with good energy, that’s all you can ask.”

In addition to her class, Just F Y I is indeed bringing fresh legs into the Kentucky Oaks as she has only made one start thus far in 2024. Following her Eclipse Award-clinching victory in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies (GI) last November, the daughter of Justify had her sophomore debut delayed by illness.

When she finally did return in the Ashland Stakes (GI) at Keeneland on April 5, she finished second, three lengths behind race winner Leslie’s Rose, but got a jolt of fitness out of the effort.

“I think she’s a little more mature now and doing very well,” Mott said. “She seems like having the race at Keeneland under her belt, she’s begun to wake up. Over the winter, they kind of let down and they’re going through the motions in their training but sometimes it takes a race to really put them on edge and I think we accomplished that with her race in the Ashland. Hopefully it will move her forward.”

Mott added he may send Just F Y I back to the track Monday for a light jog.

LEMON MUFFIN — Honeybee Stakes (GIII) winner Lemon Muffin had a walk day for trainer D. Wayne Lukas after working five furlongs in :58.20 on Saturday.

LESLIE’S ROSE/CANDIED – Trainer Todd Pletcher had his two Kentucky Oaks candidates trackside Sunday morning during the 7:30-7:45 training period for Oaks and Derby horses at Churchill Downs.

Exercise rider Joel Osorio was aboard Leslie’s Rose, while Carlos Quevedo handled Candied.

They both galloped roughly a mile and one quarter, then took turns standing in the starting gate. Pletcher indicated he’ll have both of them spend some time in the paddock both Tuesday and Wednesday.

Leslie’s Rose will be ridden in Friday’s $1.5 million Kentucky Oaks by regular rider, Irad Ortiz Jr. She drew the outside post 14 at Saturday’s draw. Candied is the second also-eligible and will need two withdrawals to make the field.

POWER SQUEEZE – Lea Farms’ Kentucky-bred Power Squeeze visited the Churchill Downs track for a gallop Sunday after arriving late Thursday from South Florida.

Trainer Jorge Delgado is expected to arrive in Louisville today to oversee the final preparation of the Union Rags filly for the Oaks.

Daniel Centeno has the riding assignment on Power Squeeze for the Oaks from post 12.

REGULATORY RISK/WAYS AND MEANS -- While Klaravich Stables’ Regulatory Risk walked the shedrow one day after putting in a half-mile work, her stablemate and fellow Kentucky Oaks (GI) contender Ways and Means returned to the track for a jog with trainer Chad Brown looking on.

Brown expressed concern that Ways and Means might have done too much when she worked four furlongs in a blistering in :46.20 on April 26 but he has been encouraged since by the way the daughter of Practical Joke has bounced out of that effort.

“She looked great today. She looked good,” Brown said. “Tomorrow, we’ll give her a little gallop and see how it goes. She came out really sound and happy and normally those things you don’t quite know the next week until you run them or work them again. But so far, so good.”

TAPIT JENALLIE – Willis Horton Racing’s Tapit Jenallie was on the track Sunday for trainer Eddie Milligan Jr. in preparation for the Oaks.

“I jogged her to the half-mile pole, then turned her around and galloped her back, so she basically went a mile galloping,” said Milligan.

Milligan sounded philosophical about drawing the No. 1 post position on Saturday. “The owner asked me before the draw what post I wanted,” he said. “I told him it really didn’t matter because where we ended up, because it’s where God wanted us. We’ll how this comes out. She was in the 1-hole at Oaklawn, and ran well. She was in the 2-hole at Delta Downs and won. She is an impatient filly, so I don’t like her to stand around while the others load.”

The Oaks’ 30-1 shot worked a half-mile Thursday with jockey Manny Esquivel, in :49.40.

THORPEDO ANNA – Brookdale Racing, Mark Edwards, Judy Hicks and Magdalena Racing’s Thorpedo Anna returned to the track on Sunday with exercise rider Martin Reyes, two days after she completed her final major workout for the Longines Kentucky Oaks for trainer Kenny McPeek.

“She jogged a mile and galloped a mile,” McPeek said. “That’s typical for the first day back for us.”

Thorpedo Anna, who will have Brian Hernandez Jr. on board, drew the No. 5 post for the Oaks, and was near the top of the morning line at 5-1. On Friday, Hernandez guided her to a five-furlong work in :59.40.

WHERE’S MY RING – Michael McMillan’s Where’s My Ring galloped a solid two miles under exercise rider David Rodriguez during the 7:30-7:45 special Derby/Oaks training session at Churchill Downs Sunday morning.

Trainer Val Brinkerhoff, who has guided the daughter of Twirling Candy through an eight-race career so far that peaked on April 6 at Aqueduct when she both broke her maiden and scored her first stakes victory in the Grade III Gazelle, watched his charge go through her exercise from the backside clockers’ stand. He seemed quite pleased with her leg stretching.

Veteran New York rider Jose Lezcano rode Where’s My Ring in her stakes tally and has signed on once more to take the controls when she goes in the Oaks Friday. They’ll begin from post 3 in the 14-horse field for the mile and one-eighth test.

SHAPING UP: THE KENTUCKY OAKS – Here is the field for the $1.5 million Longines Kentucky Oaks (Grade I) in order of post position (with jockey and morning line odds): The field for the Kentucky Oaks, from the rail out with riders and morning line odds, is: Tapit Jenallie (Manny Esquivel, 30-1), Gin Gin (Florent Geroux, 30-1), Where’s My Ring (Jose Lezcano, 15-1), Regulatory Risk (Jose Ortiz, 20-1), Thorpedo Anna (Brian Hernandez Jr., 5-1), Lemon Muffin (Keith Asmussen, 30-1), Fiona’s Magic (Luis Saez, 30-1), Tarifa (Flavien Prat, 7-2), Everland (Abel Cedillo, 30-1), Into Champagne (Julien Leparoux, 30-1), Ways and Means (Tyler Gaffalione, 5-1), Power Squeeze (Daniel Centeno, 12-1), Just F Y I (Junior Alvarado, 9-2), Leslie’s Rose (Irad Ortiz Jr., 4-1). Also-eligible: Our Pretty Woman (Joel Rosario, 15-1), Candied (Luis Saez, 20-1).

KENTUCKY DERBY MORNING WORKS PROGRAM AIRS DAILY – The Kentucky Derby Morning Works Show will air daily through Thurby and feature Churchill Downs’ expert handicappers Joe Kristufek, Kaitlin Free, Tony Calo and Kevin Kilroy along with an array of popular industry figures such as former leading rider Rosie Napravnik and Churchill Downs Track Announcer Travis Stone.

The 20-minute program will be streamed live on @KentuckyDerby on YouTube, Facebook and X.