Kentucky Derby Entries 2014: Race-Day Predictions for All Horses and Jockeys
Almost every Kentucky Derby preview you read has a predicted winner and may even discuss potential trifectas, but we are going to give you a projected finishing position for every single horse and jockey in the race.
Before we do that, though, here is a look at all of your Churchill Downs essentials.
140th Kentucky Derby Broadcast Information
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Date: Saturday, May 3
Time: 4-7 p.m. ET (actual posting time expected to be 6:32 p.m. ET)
Television: NBC
Live Stream: NBC Live Extra
Here is the projected finish for every horse and jockey. After that we look at a few of the primary jockeys to watch, including the one who will eventually capture the Run for the Roses.
| 1 | Vicar's In Trouble | Rosie Napravnik | Mike Maker | 5 |
| 2 | Harry's Holiday | Corey Lanerie | Mike Maker | 17 |
| 3 | Uncle Sigh | Irad Ortiz Jr. | Gary Contessa | 16 |
| 4 | Danza | Joe Bravo | Todd Pletcher | 3 |
| 5 | California Chrome | Victor Espinoza | Art Sherman | 1 |
| 6 | Samraat | Jose Ortiz | Rick Violette Jr. | 6 |
| 7 | We Miss Artie | Javier Castellano | Todd Pletcher | 15 |
| 8 | General A Rod | Joel Rosario | Mike Maker | 7 |
| 9 | Vinceremos | Joe Rocco Jr. | Todd Pletecher | 19 |
| 10 | Wildcat Red | Luis Saez | Jose Garoffalo | 10 |
| 11 | Hoppertunity | Mike Smith | Bob Baffert | SCRATCHED |
| 12 | Dance With Fate | Corey Nakatani | Peter Eurton | 14 |
| 13 | Chitu | Martin Garcia | Bob Baffert | 13 |
| 14 | Medal Count | Robby Albarado | Dale Romans | 12 |
| 15 | Tapiture | Ricardo Santana Jr. | Steve Asmussen | 11 |
| 16 | Intense Holiday | John Velazquez | Todd Pletcher | 9 |
| 17 | Commanding Curve | Shaun Bridgmohan | Dallas Stewart | 18 |
| 18 | Candy Boy | Gary Stevens | John Sadler | 8 |
| 19 | Ride On Curlin | Calvin Borel | William G. Gowan | 4 |
| 20 | Wicked Strong | Rajiv Maragh | James A. Jerkens | 2 |
| 21 | Pablo Del Monte | Jeffrey Sanchez | Wesley Ward | SCRATCHED |
Jockeys to Watch
Victor Espinoza (Riding California Chrome)
Jockey Victor Espinoza gets the pressure-packed task of riding the best horse in the field.
Fortunately for Espinoza, he has experience winning on the sport’s biggest stage. He guided War Emblem to victory at the Kentucky Derby in 2002 and also won the Preakness that very same year. The magnitude of the moment certainly won’t get to Espinoza on Saturday because he has done this before.
Espinoza and California Chrome were given the No. 5 posting when the positions were announced, which trainer Art Sherman believes may be a positive omen, via Darren Rogers of KentuckyDerby.com: "I like it fine. Victor (jockey Victor Espinoza) says he likes it. Says he won the Kentucky Derby from the five (on War Emblem in 2002). I'm happy and I feel no pressure."
If Espinoza likes the positioning and the horse, that is bad news for the rest of the field.
California Chrome is the best horse in the Derby, has four straight victories and will be nearly impossible to catch if and when he gets an early lead.
Look for Espinoza to guide California Chrome to an ideal spot in the opening of the race, and then the horse will turn on his impressive closing speed to win the Run for the Roses. Perhaps Espinoza can win the Preakness with the same horse just like he did in 2002.
Rosie Napravnik (Riding Vicar’s In Trouble)
Rosie Napravnik is trying to become the first female jockey to ever win the Kentucky Derby.
Napravnik has more than 1,500 wins to her resume, was the first woman to win the Kentucky Oaks, the first woman to win the Louisiana Derby and the first woman to win a title at the Fair Grounds in New Orleans. She is a trailblazer in the sport and finished in fifth place at last year’s Kentucky Derby, which is the best performance in history for a female jockey.
While Napravnik is one of the best jockeys in the sport, she is starting against the rail Saturday. That may just be too much to overcome in such a crowded field, but Vicar’s In Trouble has flashed impressive starting speed before. He will have to do just that at the Derby to have any chance at all.
Calvin Borel (Riding Ride On Curlin)
Calvin Borel may be the most famous jockey at the 2014 Kentucky Derby, and he was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2013.
He won the Kentucky Derby in 2007 aboard Street Sense, in 2009 aboard long-shot Mine That Bird and in 2010 aboard Super Saver. Borel also counts a Preakness victory to his name from 2009.
If Borel hopes to add to that illustrious history on Saturday, Yahoo Sports’ Pat Forde provided something of a blueprint:
That will be much easier said than done for Borel, but he has proven himself more than capable of performing incredible feats in the past.
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