Kentucky Derby 2019 Starts With Baffert Trio

Two-time Triple Crown-winning trainer Bob Baffert has won the Kentucky Derby (G1) with horses who finished second in their starts before the Louisville classic—both Real Quiet in 1998 and Silver Charm in 1997 won the Derby off runner-up finishes in the Santa Anita Derby (G1).

Baffert has won the 1 1/4-mile Derby with horses who earned champion honors at 2—American Pharoah  took the juvenile male Eclipse one year ahead of his 2015 Triple Crown sweep.

And he's won the Run for the Roses with lightly raced emerging stars—Justify  won last year in his fourth career start on his way to a Triple Crown sweep.

As Baffert plans to send out a three-pronged attack for the 2019 Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve in Game Winner, Improbable, and Roadster, it's not unfamiliar territory for the conditioner who, with a win May 4 at Churchill Downs, would tie legendary Ben Jones in Derby victories with six.

Gary and Mary West's Game Winner, the 9-2 Derby favorite on the revised morning line, was champion 2-year-old male of 2018.

Co-second choice Improbable, campaigned by an ownership similar to Justify's with WinStar Farm, China Horse Club, and Starlight Racing on board, will look to bounce back from a runner-up finish in the Arkansas Derby (G1).

Santa Anita Derby winner Roadster, owned by Speedway Stables, will look to take home the roses in just the fourth start of his career.

"I think they've all been among the elite 3-year-olds this year," Baffert said. "Game Winner was the champion and he's right there and has never run a bad race. Roadster, who's a bit late to the party, ends up winning the grade 1 Santa Anita Derby and has been doing well since. And Improbable was so lucky to get in after his little gate antics (in the Arkansas Derby), which could have been disastrous for him. It's like one of those Final Four games where you win the semifinal by a basket and you get in the final and win the whole thing.

"They're horses who all have different little styles, but at the end of the day, they're just really top 3-year-olds and we're here," Baffert said. "That's what it's all about."

Like Real Quiet in 1998, Game Winner doesn't have a win this season as he enters the Derby, but the son of Candy Ride  has raced well in both of his starts at 3, finishing second by a nose to Derby runner Long Range Toddy in a division of the Rebel Stakes (G2) after a wide trip in March at Oaklawn Park, then second by a half-length to Roadster April 6 in the Santa Anita Derby.

Game Winner, who will have regular rider Joel Rosario aboard, already has an impressive win over the surface. He overcame an outside post to win the Sentient Jet Breeders' Cup Juvenile (G1) at Churchill in November.

Like Game Winner, Improbable will try to become the first horse since Super Saver  in 2010 to win the Derby off a loss in his final prep race. At 2, Improbable won the Los Alamitos CashCall Futurity (G1), and he enters the Derby off a one-length loss to Omaha Beach in the Arkansas Derby (G1).

Because Improbable needed points to ensure his Derby spot, his gate restlessness ahead of the Arkansas Derby created added concern, but he overcame a slow start and wide trip to finish second. 

Roadster is lightly raced after having a tie-back surgery to address an entrapped epiglottis after finishing third in last year's Del Mar Futurity (G1). He prepped with a one-mile allowance win at Santa Anita March 1 before picking up his needed qualifying points when he rallied from fifth to win the Santa Anita Derby.

Timing proved to be everything for Roadster as an entrapped epiglottis discovered Derby week forced Fox Hill Farm's Omaha Beach, the initial morning-line favorite for the Derby, to be scratched. Also scratched for the race is Shadwell Stable homebred Haikal, who has an abscess in his left front foot.

Even with maiden Bodexpress moving into the race off the also-eligible list, the expected field of 19 will mark the first time since 2015 that less than a full field of 20 has started.

Looking to spoil a Baffert party will be Juddmonte Farms homebred Tacitus, a regally bred son of Tapit —Close Hatches, by First Defence, who finished atop the Road to the Kentucky Derby points list off victories in the Lambholm South Tampa Bay Derby (G2) and Wood Memorial Stakes Presented by NYRA Bets (G2).

Hall of Fame Trainer Bill Mott, who will also send out Country House, by Preakness Stakes (G1) winner Lookin At Lucky , thinks both his starters fit at the 1 1/4-mile distance.

"I think we're bringing horses that are really meant for a mile and a quarter and this type of race," Mott concluded. "I think they fit the profile physically, mentally, and hopefully ability-wise." 

Taking a unique path to this year's Derby is Gary and Mary West's undefeated Maximum Security, who scored a frontrunning win in the Xpressbet Florida Derby (G1) after winning a maiden claiming race and a pair of starter allowance/optional claiming races by a combined 34 1/2 lengths. 

"He's fresh. He's not been a horse that's been behind and finished eighth, or sixth, or third," said his trainer, Jason Servis. "I've been careful with his spacing. … I don't mind being under the radar."

Looking to upset will be Gatsas Stables and R.A Hill Stable's Vekoma, who has won three of four races and rolled to a 3 1/2-length score in the Toyota Blue Grass Stakes (G2) April 6 at Keeneland. By My Standards, who rallied in the long Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots stretch to win the Twinspires.com Louisiana Derby (G2) March 23, will try to replicate that magic Saturday.

Also of note is the first Japanese-bred Derby starter, Master Fencer, who earned his way to Churchill Downs on the Japan Road to the Kentucky Derby.

Entries: Kentucky Derby presented by Woodford Reserve (G1)

Churchill Downs, Saturday, May 04, 2019, Race 12

• Grade I
• 1 1/4m
• Dirt
• $3,000,000
• 3 yo
• 6:50 PM (local)

PP	Horse	Jockey	Wgt	Trainer	M/L
1	1War of Will (KY)	Tyler Gaffalione	126	Mark E. Casse	20/1
2	2Tax (KY)	Junior Alvarado	126	Danny Gargan	20/1
3	3By My Standards (KY)	Gabriel Saez	126	W. Bret Calhoun	20/1
4	4Gray Magician (KY)	Drayden Van Dyke	126	Peter Miller	50/1
5	5Improbable (KY)	Irad Ortiz, Jr.	126	Bob Baffert	6/1
6	6Vekoma (KY)	Javier Castellano	126	George Weaver	20/1
7	7Maximum Security (KY)	Luis Saez	126	Jason Servis	10/1
8	8Tacitus (KY)	Jose L. Ortiz	126	William I. Mott	10/1
9	9Plus Que Parfait (KY)	Ricardo Santana, Jr.	126	Brendan P. Walsh	30/1
10	10Cutting Humor (KY)	Corey J. Lanerie	126	Todd A. Pletcher	30/1
11	11Haikal (KY)	Rajiv Maragh	126	Kiaran P. McLaughlin	30/1
12	12Omaha Beach (KY)	Mike E. Smith	126	Richard E. Mandella	4/1
13	13Code of Honor (KY)	John R. Velazquez	126	Claude R. McGaughey III	15/1
14	14Win Win Win (FL)	Julian Pimentel	126	Michael J. Trombetta	15/1
15	15Master Fencer (JPN)	Julien R. Leparoux	126	Koichi Tsunoda	50/1
16	16Game Winner (KY)	Joel Rosario	126	Bob Baffert	5/1
17	17Roadster (KY)	Florent Geroux	126	Bob Baffert	6/1
18	18Long Range Toddy (KY)	Jon Kenton Court	126	Steven M. Asmussen	30/1
19	19Spinoff (KY)	Manuel Franco	126	Todd A. Pletcher	30/1
20	20Country House (KY)	Flavien Prat	126	William I. Mott	30/1
21	21Bodexpress (KY)	Chris Landeros	126	Gustavo Delgado	30/1