The two top choices on the morning line will start from posts at different ends of the gate when an expected field of 20 horses lines up for the 150th edition of the Kentucky Derby (G1) at about 6:57 p.m. May 4 at Churchill Downs.
Florida Derby (G1) winner Fierceness, the 5-2 morning-line favorite, is scheduled to start from post 17 in the single gate of 20 stalls while Blue Grass Stakes (G1) winner Sierra Leone, the 3-1 second choice, will start from post 2.
Trainer Todd Pletcher, seeking his third Kentucky Derby score, will watch last year's champion 2-year-old male Fierceness start from post 17.
"I'm fine with it," Pletcher said. "We were hoping to draw outside somewhere. Of the numbers that were left at that time (of the draw), it was one of the better ones. It gives enough time to get loaded and set up without having to hopefully stand in the gate too long."
Pletcher said in the days ahead he'll go over race strategy with three-time Derby-winning rider John Velazquez. In winning last year's Breeders' Cup Juvenile (G1), Fierceness rated just off the pace early and he enters off a front-running score in the Florida Derby (G1), where he drew off to a record 13 1/2-length victory in the prep race that has produced the most Kentucky Derby winners at 25.
"It looks like most of the speed is inside of them," Pletcher said. "So hopefully they break cleanly and then let Johnny make a decision on how fast he wants to go and survey things inside."
If there are no changes to his inside in the field, Repole Stable homebred Fierceness will start from the only post that has never produced a Derby winner. While owner/breeder Mike Repole has had his share of bad luck during Derby week, he wasn't sweating this oddity—instead he embraced the challenge of being the first.
"I love it," he said.
While Fierceness will be looking for a good start from the outside, late-running Sierra Leone figures to be looking to save ground while avoiding traffic when he starts from post 2. The son of record-breaking sire Gun Runner rallied from ninth to win the Blue Grass April 6 at Keeneland.
"It's a touch further in than I had wanted if I was able to pick the post, but I wouldn't want him way on the outside," said trainer Chad Brown, who is looking for his first Derby victory after twice previously placing in the classic. "I think for a closer if you draw outside you'd have to grab them and guide them over before the turn comes; that's challenging when you're way outside. So with that said, I'd rather be inside."
Sierra Leone will try to become the first Blue Grass winner since Strike the Gold in 1991 to win the Kentucky Derby and the first Derby starter to break from post 2 to win the classic since Affirmed in 1978. Ahead of this year's Blue Grass, Sierra Leone acted up a bit as he was being loaded in post position 10. In loading in post 2 in the Derby chute, he'll largely be away from the crowd.
"That's not a bad thought," Brown said when asked about that scenario. "I'm not really sure; potentially.
"I took him to the gate this week a couple of times. He did great. So I'm really confident that he'll be able to load and so is the crew at Churchill led by the starter Scott Jordan. I don't anticipate the gate being a determining factor. If he wins or loses, it's really going to come down to the trip and if he's good enough."
Brown also will saddle Tampa Bay Derby (G3) winner Domestic Product, who is 30-1 on the morning line and drew post 15.
While the two top choices in the field will see an expected 14 gates between them, that divide is not as wide as the gulf between trainer Danny Gargan's two Derby starters, who drew the inside post—Fountain of Youth Stakes (G2) winner Dornoch—and the outside post—Wood Memorial Stakes (G2) runner-up Society Man—in the field of 20.
Post 1 has been one to avoid in recent years—no horse has won from the inside post since Ferdinand in 1986—but with Churchill now using a 20-stall gate, the post could be kinder than the auxiliary gate years.
"Dornoch is going to come out of there running so it's not the end of the world," Gargan said. "It's the new gate so a lot of people are saying the one hole is not what it used to be. So we're not breaking into that funny turn and that will help too. I don't think it's the kiss of death.
"There's no speed on our outside so hopefully he'll break running and we'll put him on the front end and see how it goes. We planned on keeping his face clean, now we'll keep it real clean. And Society Man is a closer so he'll just break and get over and sit mid-pack, maybe 10th, and hopefully make a big run."
Louisville, Ky., native Brad Cox will try to land his second Derby when he sends out Louisiana Derby (G2) winner Catching Freedom (post 4), Blue Grass runner-up Just a Touch (post 8), and Lexington Stakes (G3) winner Encino (post 9).
Cox liked the post positions for his runners and said he hopes late-running Catching Freedom can get away well.
"He needs to find his stride," Cox said. "He's going to be in the second half of the field and (jockey Flavien Prat) will navigate a good trip and we'll see what happens."
The two Japan-based runners in the field, UAE Derby (G2) winner Forever Young and T O Password, who topped the Japan Road to the Kentucky Derby points standings, will break side by side with Forever Young in post 11 and T O Password in post 10.
D. Wayne Lukas will send out his 50th Derby starter in Just Steel, who enters off a runner-up finish in the Arkansas Derby (G1). Four-time Derby winner Lukas noted that after the start, it's key for all runners to get position into the first turn of the 1 1/4-mile test. Just Steel is scheduled to start from post 6.
Churchill Downs, Saturday, May 4, 2024, Race 12Entries: Kentucky Derby presented by Woodford Reserve (G1)
PP Horse Jockey Wgt Trainer M/L 1 1Dornoch (KY) Luis Saez 126 Danny Gargan 20/1 2 2Sierra Leone (KY) Tyler Gaffalione 126 Chad C. Brown 3/1 3 3Mystik Dan (KY) Brian Joseph Hernandez, Jr. 126 Kenneth G. McPeek 20/1 4 4Catching Freedom (KY) Flavien Prat 126 Brad H. Cox 8/1 5 5Catalytic (KY) Jose L. Ortiz 126 Saffie A. Joseph, Jr. 30/1 6 6Just Steel (KY) Keith J. Asmussen 126 D. Wayne Lukas 20/1 7 7Honor Marie (KY) Ben Curtis 126 D. Whitworth Beckman 20/1 8 8Just a Touch (KY) Florent Geroux 126 Brad H. Cox 10/1 9 9Encino (KY) Axel Concepcion 126 Brad H. Cox 20/1 10 10T O Password (JPN) Kazushi Kimura 126 Daisuke Takayanagi 30/1 11 11Forever Young (JPN) Ryusei Sakai 126 Yoshito Yahagi 10/1 12 12Track Phantom (KY) Joel Rosario 126 Steven M. Asmussen 20/1 13 13West Saratoga (KY) Jesus Lopez Castanon 126 Larry W. Demeritte 50/1 14 14Endlessly (KY) Umberto Rispoli 126 Michael W. McCarthy 30/1 15 15Domestic Product (KY) Irad Ortiz, Jr. 126 Chad C. Brown 30/1 16 16Grand Mo the First (KY) Emisael Jaramillo 126 Victor Barboza, Jr. 50/1 17 17Fierceness (KY) John R. Velazquez 126 Todd A. Pletcher 5/2 18 18Stronghold (KY) Antonio Fresu 126 Philip D'Amato 20/1 19 19Resilience (KY) Junior Alvarado 126 William I. Mott 20/1 20 20Society Man (KY) Lanfranco Dettori 126 Danny Gargan 50/1 21 21Epic Ride (KY) Adam Beschizza 126 John Ennis 30/1 22 22Mugatu (KY) Joseph Talamo 126 Jeff Engler 30/1
Kentucky Derby field
Post Horse Trainer Jockey ML Odds
1 Dornoch Danny Gargan Luis Saez 20
2 Sierra Leon Chad Brown Tyler Gaffalione 3
3 Mystik Dan Kenny McPeek Brian Hernandez Jr. 20
4 Catching Freedom Brad Cox Flavien Prat 8
5 Catalytic Saffie Joseph Jr. Jose Ortiz 30
6 Just Steel D. Wayne Lukas Keith Asmussen 20
7 Honor Marie Whit Beckman Ben Curtis 20
8 Just a Touch Brad Cox Florent Geroux 10
9 Encino Brad Cox Axel Concepcion 20
10 T O Password Daisuke Takayanagi Kimura Kazushi 30
11 Forever Young Yoshito Yahagi Ryusei Sakai 10
12 Track Phantom Steve Asmussen Joel Rosario 20
13 West Saratoga Larry Demeritte Jesus Castanon 50
14 Endlessly Michael McCarthy Umberto Rispoli 30
15 Domestic Product Chad Brown Irad Ortiz Jr. 30
16 Grand Mo the First Victor Barboza Jr. Emisael Jaramillo 50
17 Fierceness Todd Pletcher John Velazquez 5-2
18 Stronghold Phil D'Amato Antonio Fresu 20
19 Resilience Bill Mott Junior Alvarado 20
20 Society Man Danny Gargan Frankie Dettori 50
AE21 Epic Ride John Ennis Adam Beschizza 50
AE22 Mugatu Jeff Engler Joe Talamo 50
