Kentucky Derby field, stats and staff picks
Our three selectors are picking three different winners now that Omaha Beach has been scratched.
Everything there is to know about the fastest two minutes, including insights from award-winning horse racing expert Dick Jerardi.
Quick Chart
Opening odds via Churchill Downs/Mike Battaglia
Saturday’s TV schedule
Churchill Downs undercard: 12-2:30 p.m. (NBCSN); 2:30-5:30 p.m. (NBC)
More pre-race coverage: 5:30 p.m. (NBC)
Kentucky Derby post time: 6:50 p.m. (NBC)
Streaming: NBC Sports Live
Staff picks
At A Glance
When: Saturday, 6:50 p.m. post time (Race 12). Where: Churchill Downs, Louisville, Ky.
Wagering Info: 1-888-BET-2-WIN or www.parxracing.com/phonebet.php
Distance: 1 1/4 miles. Weights: 126 pounds. Purse: $3 million (if 20 start).
First place: $1,860,000. Second: $600,000. Third: $300,000. Fourth: $150,000. Fifth: $90,000.
Remaining Triple Crown schedule: Preakness Stakes, May 18; Belmont Stakes, June 8.
The Field
1 War of Will
Morning Line: 15-1
Owner: Gary Barber. Trainer: Mark Casse. Jockey: Tyler Gaffalione .
Career Earnings: $501,569, 2019 Starts-1st-2nd-3rd: 3-2-0-0
Last three: Louisiana Derby (9th), Risen Star Stakes (1st), LeComte Stakes (1st).
DJ’s breakdown: Put a line through his last race when had major problems early. Talented horse got very difficult post for his running style.
2 Tax
Morning Line: 20-1
Owner: R.A. Hill Stable, et. al. Trainer: Danny Gargan. Jockey: Junior Alvarado.
Career Earnings: $326,300. 2019 Starts-1st-2nd-3rd: 2-1-1-0
Last three: Wood Memorial (2nd), Withers Stakes (1st), Ramsen Stakes (2018, 3rd)
DJ’s breakdown: Claimed for $50,000 from his second start. Tries hard every time and will be a big price. Hitting the board is possible.
3 By My Standards
Morning Line: 15-1
Owner: Allied Racing Stable. Trainer: Bret Calhoun. Jockey: Gabriel Saez.
Career Earnings: $653,710. 2019 Starts-1st-2nd-3rd: 3-2-0-1
Last three: Louisiana Derby (1st), maiden/Fair Grounds (1st), maiden/Fair Grounds (3rd)
DJ’s breakdown: Totally blew up in last two starts in Louisiana. No horse has looked better in the mornings at Churchill.
4 Gray Magician
Morning Line: 50-1
Owner: Wachtel Stable, et. al. Trainer: Peter Miller. Jockey: Drayden Van Dyke.
Career Earnings: $584,140. 2019 Starts-1st-2nd-3rd: 4-0-2-0
Last three: UAE Derby (2nd), Miracle Wood Stakes (2nd), allowance/Santa Anita (5th)
DJ’s breakdown: Not close to fast enough to have any chance. Finished second in a very bad rendition of the UAE Derby.
5 Improbable
Morning Line: 5-1
Owner: WinStar Farm, et. al. Trainer: Bob Baffert. Jockey: Irad Ortiz Jr.
Career Earnings: $619,520. 2019 Starts-1st-2nd-3rd: 2-0-2-0
Last three: Arkansas Derby (2nd), Rebel Stakes (2nd), Los Alamitos Cash Call Futurity (2018, 1st)
DJ’s breakdown: Have a good friend who got 125-1 in November. Same connections as 2018 Triple Crown winner Justify. Super talented.
6 Vekoma
Morning Line: 15-1
Owner: R. A. Hill & Gatsas stables. Trainer: George Weaver. Jockey: Javier Castellano.
Career Earnings: $788,850. 2019 Starts-1st-2nd-3rd: 2-1-0-1
Last three: Blue Grass Stakes (1st), Fountain of Youth Stakes (3rd), Nashua Stakes (2018, 1st)
DJ’s breakdown: Early position will be everything from a tricky post with better speed to his outside. Dominated a weak Blue Grass.
7 Maximum Security
Morning Line: 8-1
Owner: Gary & Mary West. Trainer: Jason Servis. Jockey: Luis Saez.
Career Earnings: $649,400. 2019 Starts-1st-2nd-3rd: 3-3-0-0
Last three: Florida Derby (1st), claiming/Gulfstream (1st), claiming/Gulfstream (1st)
DJ’s breakdown: Florida Derby winner unbeaten in four starts. Could have been claimed for $16,000 Dec. 20. Part of the pace.
8 Tacitus
Morning Line: 8-1
Owner: Juddmonte Farms. Trainer: Bill Mott. Jockey: Jose Ortiz.
Career Earnings: $653,000. 2019 Starts-1st-2nd-3rd: 2-2-0-0
Last three: Wood Memorial (1st), Tampa Bay Derby (1st), maiden/Aqueduct (2018, 1st)
DJ’s breakdown: Wood Memorial winner is the best bred horse in the race by superstar sire Tapit out of Grade I winner Close Hatches.
9 Plus Que Parfait
Morning Line: 30-1
Owner: Imperial Racing. Trainer: Brendan Walsh. Jockey: Ricardo Santana Jr.
Career Earnings: $1,590,400. 2019 Starts-1st-2nd-3rd: 3-1-0-0
Last three: UAE Derby (1st), Risen Star Stakes (13th), LeComte Stakes (5th)
DJ’s breakdown: Won a very weak running of the UAE Derby in Dubai after being overmatched in Louisiana. Seems very unlikely.
10 Cutting Humor
Morning Line: 30-1
Owner: Starlight Racing. Trainer: Todd Pletcher. Jockey: Corey Lanerie.
Career Earnings: $516,967. 2019 Starts-1st-2nd-3rd: 3-1-1-0
Last three: Sunland Derby (1st), Southwest Stakes (7th), allowance/Gulfstream (2nd)
DJ’s breakdown: Sunland Derby winner is improving, but would need another huge jump against this excellent field.
11 Haikal
Morning Line: 30-1
Owner: Shadwell Stable. Trainer: Kiaran McLaughlin. Jockey: Raviv Maragh
Career Earnings: $373,900. 2019 Starts-1st-2nd-3rd: 3-2-0-1
Last three: Wood Memorial (3rd), Gotham Stakes (1st), Jimmy Winkfield Stakes (1st)
DJ’s breakdown: Never raced anywhere but Aqueduct in mostly small fields. Did not train Thursday because of a hoof issue. Could be scratched.
12 Omaha Beach
Scratched
>>READ MORE: Omaha Beach coughs up a chance to run the Derby
13 Code of Honor
Morning Line: 12-1
Owner: W.S. Farish. Trainer: Shug McGaughey. Jockey: John Velazquez.
Career Earnings: $478,820. 2019 Starts-1st-2nd-3rd: 3-1-0-1
Last three: Florida Derby (3rd), Fountain of Youth Stakes (1st), Mucho Macho Man Stakes (4th)
DJ’s breakdown: Liked him more last fall than now. May have to pass most of the field, never easy in this cavalry charge.
14 Win Win Win
Morning Line: 12-1
Owner: Live Oak Plantation. Trainer: Mike Trombetta. Jockey: Julian Pimentel.
Career Earnings: $367,300. 2019 Starts-1st-2nd-3rd: 3-1-1-1
Last three: Blue Grass Stakes (2nd), Tampa Bay Derby (3rd), Pasco Stakes (1st)
DJ’s breakdown: Grandson of Smarty Jones has come from way back in his last two starts, never the optimum Derby style with traffic.
15 Master Fencer
Morning Line: 50-1
Owner: Katsumi Yoshizawa. Trainer: Koichi Tsunoda. Jockey: Julien Leparoux .
Career Earnings: $234,392. 2019 Starts-1st-2nd-3rd: 3-1-1-0.
Last three: Fukuryu Stakes (2nd), Hyacinth Stakes (4th), allowance/Japan (1st)
DJ’s breakdown: Japanese horse is a complete mystery. There is great racing there, but no way to know how this horse matches up.
16 Game Winner
Morning Line: 9-2
Owner: Gary & Mary West. Trainer: Bob Baffert. Jockey: Joel Rosario.
Career Earnings: $1,846,000. 2019 Starts-1st-2nd-3rd: 2-0-2-0.
Last three: Santa Anita Derby (2nd), Rebel Stakes (2nd), Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (2018, 1st)
DJ’s breakdown: The 2018 2-year-old champion has never run a bad race, but is not any faster now than he was six months ago.
17 Roadster
Morning Line: 5-1
Owner: Speedway Stable. Trainer: Bob Baffert. Jockey: Florent Geroux.
Career Earnings: $706,200. 2019 Starts-1st-2nd-3rd: 2-2-0-0
Last three: Santa Anita Derby (1st), allowance/Santa Anita (1st), Del Mar Futurity (2018, 3rd)
DJ’s breakdown: Bob Baffert said Santa Anita Derby winner was his next superstar before a throat issue kept him away for six months.
18 Long Range Toddy
Morning Line: 30-1
Owner: Willis Horton Racing. Trainer: Steve Asmussen. Jockey: Jon Court.
Career Earnings: $854,459. 2019 Starts-1st-2nd-3rd: 4-1-1-1
Last three: Arkansas Derby (6th), Rebel Stakes (1st), Suthwest Stakes (3rd)
DJ’s breakdown: Upset Improbable in a division of the Rebel, but never ran that fast before and barely ran at all in the Arkansas Derby.
19 Spinoff
Morning Line: 30-1
Owner: Wertheimer and Frere. Trainer: Todd Pletcher. Jockey: Manny Franco.
Career Earnings: $260,000. 2019 Starts-1st-2nd-3rd: 2-1-1-0
Last three: Louisiana Derby (2nd), allowance/Tampa Bay (1st), Saratoga Special Stakes (2018, 3rd)
DJ’s breakdown: Finished a solid second in the Louisiana Derby. Should be in vicinity of early pace, but not sure he can finish with these.
20 Country House
Morning Line: 30-1
Owner: Mrs. J.V. Shields Jr., et. al. Trainer: Bill Mott. Jockey: Flavien Prat.
Career Earnings: $260,175. 2019 Starts-1st-2nd-3rd: 4-1-1-1
Last three: Arkansas Derby (3rd), Louisiana Derby (4th), Risen Star Stakes (2nd)
DJ’s breakdown: Trainer Bill Mott has won almost all of the big races except the Derby. A chance here, better chance with Tacitus.
21 Bodexpress
Morning Line: 30-1
Owner: Top Racing, et. al. Trainer: Gustavo Delgado. Jockey: Chris Landeros.
Career Earnings: $208,700. 2019 Starts-1st-2nd-3rd: 3-0-2-0.
Last three: Florida Derby (2nd), Maidens/Gulfstream (2nd), Maidens/gulfstream (4th).
DJ’s breakdown: Finished second in the Florida Derby at 71-1. Winless horse (0-5) he drew in when morning-line favorite Omaha Beach was scratched Wednesday.
Wagering Terms
Win: Betting a horse to finish first.
Place: Betting a horse to finish first or second.
Show: Betting a horse to finish first, second or third.
Across the board: Betting an equal amount to win, place and show.
Exacta: A bet on which horses will finish first and second, in order.
Quinella: A bet on which horses will finish first and second, regardless of order.
Trifecta: A bet on which horses will finish first, second and third, in order.
Superfecta: A bet on which horses will finish first, second, third and fourth, in order.
Pick Six: Correctly picking the winners of six consecutive designated races. Pick Six wagering on Saturday at Churchill Downs begins with Race 7.