Post Positions and Morning Line Betting Odds for the 147th Kentucky Derby

 The posted gate time for the147th Kentucky Derby has been announced as 6:57 pm EDT.  This morning, post positions for the $3 million guaranteed race were drawn, and morning-line betting odds were announced.  Unless there are scratches, a full field of 20 will start the race on Saturday, 1 May, at Churchill Downs.  All of the 3-year-old colts will carry 1126 pounds in the 10 furlong (1 1/4 miles) race. The early betting favorite, Essential Quality, drew the 14 post and has the lowest morning-line betting odds of 2 to 1.

Hidden Stash, post 13 in the Derby, trained by Victoria Oliver

   Of the 20 entries, all are colts except Brooklyn Strong, the only New York-bred, who is a gelding.  There are two Florida-breds, Medina Spirit and Soup and Sandwich; the other 17 entries were bred in Kentucky.   There are two gray/roan colts (Essential Quality, Soup and Sandwich) in the field, six chestnuts (O Besos, Known Agenda, Like the King, Dynamic One, Hidden Stash, King Fury) and 12 bays.  Two stallions are the sires of 5 entries:  Into Mischief is the sire of Mandaloun, Highly Motivated, and Soup and Sandwich; while Curlin sired Known Agenda and King Fury.

Medina Spirit, a dark bay trained by Bob Baffert, will have John R.

Velazquez as the jockey, breaking from post 8

   Four trainers have multiple entries:  Todd Pletcher has four; Brad Cox has two; Steve Asmussen has two; and Mark Casse has two.  Victoria Oliver is the only female trainer, with Hidden Stash.

Midnight Bourbon will have Mike Smith as his pilot, breaking from 

gate 10, with Steve Asmussen as the trainer

   The list of well-known jockeys is dizzying:  Mike Smith on Midnight Bourbon; John R. Velazquez on Medina Spirit; the Ortiz bothers - Irad on Known Agenda and Jose on Dynamic One; Julian Lepareaux on Helium; Luis Saez on Essential Quality; Joel Rosario on Rock Your World; Javier Castellano on Highly Motivated; and the only black jockey in the Derby, Kendrick Carmouche, on Bourbonic.

O Besos is trained by Gregory Foley, and breaks from post 6

  Below I am listing the post position, entry name, morning line betting odds, sire and dam:

1.    Known Agenda          6 to 1       Curlin        Byrama

2.    Like the King            50 to 1      Palace Malice      Like the Queen

3.    Brooklyn Strong       50 to 1       Wicked Strong      Riviera Chic

4.    Keepmeinmind         50 to 1        Laoban      Inclination

5.    Sainthood                  50 to 1       Mshawish      Lemon Hero

6.    O Besos                    20 to 1       Orb      Snuggs and Kisses

7.    Mandaloun               15 to 1        Into Mischief      Brooch

8.    Medina Spirit           15 to 1         Protonico      Mongolian Changa

9.    Hot Rod Charlie        8 to 1         Oxbow      Indian Miss

10.  Midnight Bourbon    20 to 1        Tiznow      Catch the Moon

11.  Dynamic One            20 to 1        Union Rags      Beat the Drum

12.  Helium                      50 to 1        Ironicus      Thundering Emilia

13.  Hidden Stash            50 to 1         Constitution      Making Mark Money

14.  Essential Quality        2 to 1         Tapit      Delightful Quality

15.  Rock Your World       5 to 1          Candy Ride      Charm the Maker

16.  King Fury                  20 to 1         Curlin      Taris

17.  Highly Motivated      10 to 1         Into Mischief      Strong Incentive

18.  Super Stock               30 to 1         Dialed In      Super Girlie

19.  Soup and Sandwich   30 to 1        Into Mischief      Souper Scoop

20.  Bourbonic                  30 to 1        Bernardini      Dancing Afleet   

Soup and Sandwich is a Florida-bred, breaking from gate 19 for

trainer Mark Casse

Caddo River Scratched From Kentucky Derby

 Caddo River, the son of Hard Spun, out of Pangburn, was withdrawn as an entry to the May 1st Kentucky Derby due to a fever.  That opens the way for Brooklyn Strong, a son of Wicked Strong, out of Riviera Chic, to be one of the 20 entries for the Derby.  Churchill Downs has no other entry alternates available as alternate entries, as the other point-earners have stated they are training for races, and/or do not plan to participate in the Derby.

   Therefore, the 2021 Run for the Roses will have 20 or less entries, if any other colt becomes ill or lame. The Draw for Post Positions will occur at 10:30 EDT tomorrow (Tuesday, 27 April).  Shortly thereafter, morning-line betting odds will be announced.  I will post all of that tomorrow.  The pre-race favorite has been Essential Quality, who won the Breeders Cup Juvenile, is undefeated, and has the most points qualifying for the Derby.

Essential Quality, by Tapit, out of Delightful Quality

   Post time for the 147th running of the Kentucky Derby is at 6:50 EDT.  The purse is guaranteed at $3 million; the 3-year-old colts will each carry 126 pounds; and the race distance is 10 furlongs (1 1/4 miles) on the main (dirt) track.  The race is held at Churchill Downs, outside of Louisville, Kentucky.

The2021 Kentucky Derby Is One Week Away!

 At the moment, it looks as if a full field of 20 will contend the Run for the Roses at Churchill Downs on Saturday, 1 May.  Today, the racing connections of both Dream Shake and Hozier decided to bypass the Derby, which will allow King Fury to run, based on points earned.  There are usually 2 or 3 horses "on stand-by" in the points-earned arena that keep training for the Derby in case of a scratch due to injury, illness, or a decision of the owners and trainer.

Into Mischief will be represented by 3 colts in the Derby,

if there are no scratches.

   The race will be run at the usual mile and a quarter (10 furlongs), with a purse of $3 million guaranteed, on the first Saturday in May.  All the entries are colts, so each will carry 126 pounds.  In the top 23 points earners - I'm including the top three alternates - there are 18 stallions represented.  Two colts were sired by Curlin, Dialed In, and Union Rags; with three colts sired by Into Mischief.

Dialed In will be represented by 2 colts, if no scratches.

   Here are the top 23 point earners for the 2021 Kentucky Derby:

1.    Essential Quality

2.    Hot Rod Charlie

3.    Super Stock

4.    Like the King

5.    Known Agenda

6.    Rock Your World

7.    Bourbonic

8.    Medina Spirit

9.    Midnight Bourbon

10.  Mandaloun

11.  Caddo River

12.  Highly Motivated

13.  Helium

14.  Soup and Sandwich

15.  Dynamic One

16.  Sainthood

17.  Hidden Stash

18.  O Besos

19.  Get Her Number

20.  King Fury

~~~~  On stand-by, essentially ~~~~

21.  Hockey Dad

22.  Keepmeinmind

23.  Spielberg

Curlin will be represented by 2 colts, if there are

no scratches before the Derby.

The 2021 Kentucky Derby Is 20 Days Away

    The powers-that-be in the Triple Crown decided, apparently, that last year's mess, with the races being run in reverse order and the Belmont Stakes being run at a much shorter distance, was a disaster.  This year, with a second season of racing still occurring under pandemic conditions, the Triple Crown races will be run on the usual dates and at the usual distances, in the usual places.

    The Kentucky Derby will be run at Churchill Downs on Saturday, 1 May.  The 3-year-olds will race 1 1/4 miles and the colts will carry 126 pounds each.  The purse is $3 million.  There have been two notable scratches from the Derby ranks in the last week - the Shug McGaughey trainee, Greatest Honour, and Rebel's Romance, the winner of the UAE Derby will be missing.  Greatest Honour is getting a 60-day vacation from training; Rebel's Romance will be pointed at the Belmont Stakes, instead.

Essential Quality, with 140 points, is undefeated

    As in the recent past, a three-year-old must qualify to run in the Kentucky Derby by earning enough points  to be qualified.  Only 20 entrants are allowed to race each year.  The Kentucky Derby is sponsored by Woodford Reserve, and they approve 36 races which will award points for Derby qualifications.  The first four finishers in each of these approved points races receive a certain number of points.  -  Rebel's Romance won 100 points for winning the UAE Derby on 27 March in Dubai; and King Fury, who won the Lexington Stakes today, was awarded 20 points.

   On the day of the Post Position Draw for the Derby, besides the top 20 points-earners, who have declared their entry, a few more horses will also be drawn, in case one of the top 20 scratches, for whatever reason.  The colt with the most points is the 2-year-old champion of last year, Essential Quality, who won the Breeder's Cup Juvenile.

Bourbonic, who won the Wood Memorial, has 100 points

and is tied for the 6/7 position

   Below is a listing of the top 30 contenders for the Kentucky Derby - their ranking, name, and number of points earned to date:

1.   Essential Quality   140

2.   Hot Rod Charlie    110

3.   Super Stock       109

4.   Like the King     104

5.   Known Agenda    102

6.   Rock Your World     100

7.   Bourbonic           100

8.   Medina Spirit      74

9.   Concert Tour       70

10.  Midnight Bourbon     66

11.  Weyburn            60

12.  Mandaloun        52

13.  Caddo River      50

14.  Highly Motivated     50

15.  Helium              50

16.  Panadol             40

17.  Soup and Sandwich     40

18.  Dynamic One     40

19.  Crowded Trade   40

20.  Sainthood           40 

21.  Proxy             36

22.  Rombauer      34

23.  Hidden Stash      32

24.  Dream Shake      30

25.  O Besos         25

26.  Get Her Number     20

27.  Hozier             20

28.  King Fury        20

29.  Hockey Dad     20

30.  Keepmeinmind      18

Soup and Sandwich is one of 5 contenders with 40 points