Kentucky Derby Start Time 2014: Race Post Info, NBC TV Coverage and More
It’s California Chrome’s world, and the rest of us are just living in it.
The overwhelming favorite at the Kentucky Derby will race for the first leg of the elusive Triple Crown Saturday against a field that isn’t quite as deep or strong as once thought thanks to the scratch from Hoppertunity. Whether anyone can beat California Chrome remains to be seen, but the only way you will see it is by tuning in.
With that in mind, here is a look at the broadcast schedule.
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| Saturday, May 3 | 4-7 p.m. (actual race expected around 6:32 p.m.) | NBC | NBC Sports Live Extra |
Rick Snider of the Washington Post Express has some good news for those not wanting to tune in for all three hours of coverage and are more interested in just the race post:
For those interested in a certain aspect of horse racing that always seems to draw some attention, here is a glance at the updated odds, along with the jockeys and trainers, according to Odds Shark as of Friday, May 2:
| 1 | Vicar's In Trouble | Rosie Napravnik | Mike Maker | 25-1 |
| 2 | Harry's Holiday | Corey Lanerie | Mike Maker | 50-1 |
| 3 | Uncle Sigh | Irad Ortiz Jr. | Gary Contessa | 35-1 |
| 4 | Danza | Joe Bravo | Todd Pletcher | 8-1 |
| 5 | California Chrome | Victor Espinoza | Art Sherman | 21-10 |
| 6 | Samraat | Jose Ortiz | Rick Violette Jr. | 16-1 |
| 7 | We Miss Artie | Javier Castellano | Todd Pletcher | 33-1 |
| 8 | General A Rod | Joel Rosario | Mike Maker | 18-1 |
| 9 | Vinceremos | Joe Rocco Jr. | Todd Pletecher | 50-1 |
| 10 | Wildcat Red | Luis Saez | Jose Garoffalo | 18-1 |
| 11 | Hoppertunity | Mike Smith | Bob Baffert | SCRATCHED |
| 12 | Dance With Fate | Corey Nakatani | Peter Eurton | 14-1 |
| 13 | Chitu | Martin Garcia | Bob Baffert | 22-1 |
| 14 | Medal Count | Robby Albarado | Dale Romans | 22-1 |
| 15 | Tapiture | Ricardo Santana Jr. | Steve Asmussen | 20-1 |
| 16 | Intense Holiday | John Velazquez | Todd Pletcher | 12-1 |
| 17 | Commanding Curve | Shaun Bridgmohan | Dallas Stewart | 33-1 |
| 18 | Candy Boy | Gary Stevens | John Sadler | 18-1 |
| 19 | Ride On Curlin | Calvin Borel | William G. Gowan | 18-1 |
| 20 | Wicked Strong | Rajiv Maragh | James A. Jerkens | 8-1 |
| 21 | Pablo Del Monte | Jeffrey Sanchez | Wesley Ward | SCRATCHED |
Predicted Winner: California Chrome
It may not be particularly bold to predict a title for the favorite, but that is exactly what is going to happen at the Kentucky Derby.
California Chrome has six victories under his belt, plenty of experience and a talented jockey with an impressive resume. In the past four races, he has not only won but dusted the rest of the field. Included in that stretch were wins at the Santa Anita Derby and San Felipe.
The only question now is whether he will be comfortable running outside of California, but once the race starts, natural athleticism and instincts will certainly kick in. SportsCenter let fans know that he was getting comfortable with the surface bright and early at Churchill Downs:
The field cleared out a bit for California Chrome when Hoppertunity was scratched because he was seen as possibly the biggest challenger. Victor Espinoza, who guided War Emblem to a Kentucky Derby win in 2002, will serve as the jockey for California Chrome, and trainer Art Sherman is looking to become the oldest trainer to win at the Derby at age 77.
Kentucky trainer Mike Maker broke California Chrome’s chances down in simple terms, via Childs Walker of The Washington Post: “He deserves to be the favorite. What does he do so well? He likes to win.”
It’s a good thing he likes to win because that is exactly what is going to happen.
California Chrome is the most proven horse in the field and has a jockey who knows what to do on the sport’s biggest stage. What’s more, he won’t be trapped on the rail or stuck on the outside from his posting and should jump out to a fast start.
From there, California Chrome will show off that closing speed that earned him such dominant victories recently. Get ready to start talking Triple Crown in the immediate aftermath.
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