Weather Setting Up for Large Derby Crowd

With a 10:30 a.m. EDT first race post time, hopefuls for the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I) went to the track early May 2 and then returned to their respective barns to await the classic later in the afternoon.

Churchill Downs designated a 5:45-6 a.m. time frame for only Derby horses to go the track before other horses could exercise. The track closed for morning training at 8, the same time gates opened for what is anticipated to be a huge crowd.

With a forecast of mostly sunny skies and a high temperature of 78 degrees, the track could surpass the 165,307 record for the 2013 Derby. On May 1 there was a record 123,763 for the Longines Kentucky Oaks (gr. I) victory of Lovely Maria.

Trainer Larry Jones, who had already returned to Lexington with Lovely Maria and her stablemate, Oaks third-place finisher I'm a Chatterbox, said both fillies are back at Keeneland. He said there are no plans for Lovely Maria, noting the Oaks was the primary goal.

In early Derby wagering at 9 a.m., morning-line favorite American Pharoah was still the 5-2 favorite, followed by stablemate Dortmund at 9-2.

The Derby odds as of 9 a.m. May 2:

1. Ocho Ocho Ocho, 27-1

2. Carpe Diem, 7-1

3. Materiality, 16-1

4. Tencendur, 61-1

5. Danzig Moon, 18-1

6. Mubtaahij, 15-1

7. El Kabeir, SCR

8. Dortmund, 9-2

9. Bolo, 45-1

10. Firing Line, 10-1

11. Stanford, SCR

12. International Star, 19-1 (scratch announced at 9:45 a.m. Derby Day)

13. Itsaknockout, 32-1

14. Keen Ice, 30-1

15. Frosted, 10-1

16. War Story, 43-1

17. Mr. Z, 27-1

18. American Pharoah, 5-2

19. Upstart, 33-1

20. Far Right, 41-1

21. Frammento, 99-1

22. Tale of Verve (Also eligible, did not draw in)