Kentucky Derby 2023 Contenders: Horse Pedigree and Jockey Info for Top Favorites
The 149th running of the Kentucky Derby takes place Saturday from historic Churchill Downs in Louisville, and this year's field as close in potential winners as ever.
The top three favorites are all candidates to pull out the victory, despite some being relatively inexperienced. The result should be a close Derby that thrives on drama, and for one jockey, it'll represent a moment he has spent his entire career racing toward.
Ahead of the most prestigious event in horse racing, these are the horses, jockeys and the stories to keep an eye on.
Current odds from KentuckyDerby.com.
Forte (3-1)
1 of 3
Pedigree: Violence and Queen Caroline
Trainer: Todd Pletcher
Jockey: Irad Ortiz Jr.
Forte is the favorite to win this year's Derby and it is not difficult to see why.
He has been trained for success by the legendary Todd Pletcher and is jockeyed by one of the most decorated in his field.
Forte is a fast, ferocious racer, right in line with the style of Ortiz, who has been disciplined in the past for his on-track aggression.
The race is as much about the jockey as the horse as Ortiz has won awards and trophies over the course of his acclaimed career, but the Derby Trophy continues to elude him. He has competed in the race six times but has yet to capture that one win that would validate an already all-time-great run.
He has as good a shot as any to halt that trend Saturday in Louisville, with a dark bay colt in the midst of a five-race win streak.
Tapit Trice (5-1)
2 of 3
Pedigree: Tapit and Danzatrice
Trainer: Todd Pletcher
Jockey: Luis Saez
It is a testament to Pletcher that he has trained two of the three favored horses in this year's race.
Tapit Trice is a gray colt riding a four-race win streak despite starting slow out of the gates. A resilient horse who finds his speed in the far turn and down the stretch, he will look to run past the competition and win Saez his first Derby Trophy.
Pletcher acknowledged the rough start at the Blue Grass race on April 8, saying, "It got a little hairy going into the first turn, but when he was able to secure that spot, Luis was able to take him out in the clear down the backside. That was the position we hoped to get into, and once he got into that stride, I thought we were in good shape."
He continued, expressing confidence in the son of Tapit, "We’re not going to make him into a quick horse. The distances, as they stretch out, we always felt like would make him better. I think [the 1¼-mile Kentucky Derby distance] is right in his wheelhouse."
He is the second favorite in this year's field and with good reason. He has the endurance to make the all-important final push and stun the competition, upsetting Forte and ensuring Pletcher still earns a Derby Trophy.
Angel of Empire (8-1)
3 of 3
Pedigree: Classic Empire and Armony's Angel
Trainer: Brad Cox
Jockey: Flavien Prat
Angel of Empire is a gritty bay colt who does not always win pretty or convincingly, but he has a history of winning tough races in come-from-behind manners.
Not likely to wow anyone visually, the third favorite has peaked of late and could provide the type of dramatic comeback victory that captivates audiences and makes the Kentucky Derby the most prestigious race in the sport.
The Pennsylvania-bred horse has recently netted a win in the Arkansas Derby and has momentum on his side. Whether it is enough to overcome the challenge of the two horses favored ahead of him is the question.
Prat has won a Kentucky Derby, in 2019 with Country House, and finished third the last two years. The jockey has experience in the race and knows what it takes to secure a quality finish.
Brad Cox has won two of the last three Eclipse Awards for excellence in training with a second-place Derby finish for Mandaloun on his resume.
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