Major contenders include: Tapit Trice, who is the most expensive horse in the race at $1.3 million Arkansas Derby winner Angel of Empire, who is trying to become just the third Pennsylvania-bred to win the Derby and Derma Sotogake (10-1), who is looking to become the first Japan-bred to win the Run for the Roses. On Friday morning, popular Derby underdog Skinner became the fourth horse scratched in a 24-hour period, with the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission citing an elevated temperature as the reason.Īs for the horses still scheduled to run in the Derby one year after longshot Rich Strike shocked the world by winning at 80-1 odds, this year's race features another wide-open field. Joseph has been suspended indefinitely by Churchill Downs Inc.Ĭontinuar became the third horse scratched on Thursday, with his trainer citing lack of 'peak fitness required' to compete in the Derby. Jr., died in races at Churchill Downs earlier this week. Lord Miles was also scratched Thursday by the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission out of precaution after two horses trained by Lord Miles' trainer, Saffie Joseph. Santa Anita Derby winner Practical Move (10-1) was another contender of note but was the first horse scratched from the race on Thursday due to an elevated temperature.

That Kentucky Derby was run in September due to a COVID-19 postponement, so a better parallel may be 2015, when American Pharoah won an 18-horse race that saw four scratches prior to post. 18 Authentic, who started furthest on the outside, beat No. It will be the smallest field to start the race since 2020, when No. With just three alternates available for the Derby, Forte's scratch reduces the size of the field to 18 horses. No immediate reason was given for Forte's removal, which came following a morning workout, though the horse stumbled during an on-track workout on Thursday. The storyline of Derby week has been the number of horses scratched from the race, as four were removed from the field in a 24-hour period from Thursday to Friday before morning-line favorite Forte became the fifth horse scratched on Saturday roughly 10 hours before post time. Equal parts party and pageantry, the Derby has been staged every year at Churchill Downs without interruption since the inaugural running on May 17, 1875. The country's oldest, continuously held major sporting event returns on Saturday when 20 3-year-old horses leave the starting gate in the 2023 Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Ky.

For all time by shanna miles