Kentucky Derby 2019: Post Time, TV Schedule and Race Live Stream
The field for the 145th running of the Kentucky Derby underwent a big change on Wednesday.
Omaha Beach, the early betting favorite to win this year's Run for the Roses, was scratched from the race due to a respiratory issue.
That leaves three Bob Baffert-trained horses—Game Winner, Improbable and Roadster—as the favorites to be the victor.
With Omaha Beach out of the field, perhaps that could lead to a longshot notching an upset victory in this year's Kentucky Derby.
Kentucky Derby Information
Post Time: Saturday at 6:50 p.m. ET
TV: NBC
Live Stream: NBC Sports Live
Preview
It's not often that a Kentucky Derby favorite is scratched from the lineup only days before the race, but Omaha Beach suffered an entrapped epiglottis. That means longtime trainer Richard Mandella won't notch his first career Kentucky Derby win, and jockey Mike Smith, who rode Justify to last year's Triple Crown, won't be in this year's Run for the Roses.
But more importantly, Omaha Beach will be OK.
"I'm a little bummed out, but the horse is OK and we're going to be all right," Smith told the Associated Press (h/t ESPN.com). "The good news is it wasn't anything that is life-threatening.''
Baffert has five career Kentucky Derby wins, including with Justify last year and fellow Triple Crown-winner American Pharoah in 2015. He has a good chance to secure another victory this year.
Game Winner is now the favorite to win with 9-2 odds (as of Thursday at 3 a.m. ET, per SportsLine). Improbable and Roadster each have 5-1 odds.
It will be interesting to see how Game Winner and Roadster come out of their posts, as they'll be starting alongside each other in the Nos. 15 and 16 spots—the horses in posts Nos. 13-20 have all moved up one following Omaha Beach's withdrawal.
Improbable could be the Baffert horse that finishes the best, perhaps even winning, after its favorable post draw of No. 5.
Improbable nearly won the Arkansas Derby on April 13, making a strong push down the final stretch but coming up short against Omaha Beach.
Baffert, who is one of two trainers to win a pair of Triple Crowns, is looking to make more history this weekend. His next Kentucky Derby victory will tie him with Ben Jones, who trained six Derby winners from 1938-52.
"I don't even think about it," Baffert said, according to the Los Angeles Times' John Cherwa. "It was a different era. Nowadays the Derby is bigger than it was then. Now it's pretty intense. Back then, horses ran 40 times a year. [The Derby] was just a race between other races. It's like comparisons of football players and baseball players from different times until now."
With Omaha Beach out of the race, Maximum Security and Tacitus (each have 8-1 odds) may be the most likely horses to beat Baffert's trio.
Maximum Security is undefeated, including a win in the Florida Derby on March 30. However, it hasn't been tested much as many of its races did not feature the other top Kentucky Derby contenders.
Tacitus notched wins in the Tampa Bay Derby on March 9 and the Wood Memorial Stakes on April 6, and it may have only competed in four races, but it has won three of them.
Omaha Beach, the early betting favorite to win this year's Run for the Roses, was scratched from the race due to a respiratory issue.
CLICK HERE TO WATCH NOW LIVE
With Omaha Beach out of the field, perhaps that could lead to a longshot notching an upset victory in this year's Kentucky Derby.
Kentucky Derby Information
Post Time: Saturday at 6:50 p.m. ET
TV: NBC
Live Stream: NBC Sports Live
Preview
It's not often that a Kentucky Derby favorite is scratched from the lineup only days before the race, but Omaha Beach suffered an entrapped epiglottis. That means longtime trainer Richard Mandella won't notch his first career Kentucky Derby win, and jockey Mike Smith, who rode Justify to last year's Triple Crown, won't be in this year's Run for the Roses.
But more importantly, Omaha Beach will be OK.
"I'm a little bummed out, but the horse is OK and we're going to be all right," Smith told the Associated Press (h/t ESPN.com). "The good news is it wasn't anything that is life-threatening.''
Baffert has five career Kentucky Derby wins, including with Justify last year and fellow Triple Crown-winner American Pharoah in 2015. He has a good chance to secure another victory this year.
Game Winner is now the favorite to win with 9-2 odds (as of Thursday at 3 a.m. ET, per SportsLine). Improbable and Roadster each have 5-1 odds.
It will be interesting to see how Game Winner and Roadster come out of their posts, as they'll be starting alongside each other in the Nos. 15 and 16 spots—the horses in posts Nos. 13-20 have all moved up one following Omaha Beach's withdrawal.
Improbable could be the Baffert horse that finishes the best, perhaps even winning, after its favorable post draw of No. 5.
Improbable nearly won the Arkansas Derby on April 13, making a strong push down the final stretch but coming up short against Omaha Beach.
Baffert, who is one of two trainers to win a pair of Triple Crowns, is looking to make more history this weekend. His next Kentucky Derby victory will tie him with Ben Jones, who trained six Derby winners from 1938-52.
"I don't even think about it," Baffert said, according to the Los Angeles Times' John Cherwa. "It was a different era. Nowadays the Derby is bigger than it was then. Now it's pretty intense. Back then, horses ran 40 times a year. [The Derby] was just a race between other races. It's like comparisons of football players and baseball players from different times until now."
With Omaha Beach out of the race, Maximum Security and Tacitus (each have 8-1 odds) may be the most likely horses to beat Baffert's trio.
Maximum Security is undefeated, including a win in the Florida Derby on March 30. However, it hasn't been tested much as many of its races did not feature the other top Kentucky Derby contenders.
Tacitus notched wins in the Tampa Bay Derby on March 9 and the Wood Memorial Stakes on April 6, and it may have only competed in four races, but it has won three of them.
No comments:
Post a Comment