Kentucky Derby 2019 Contenders: Horse Pedigree and Jockey Info for Top Favorites

There are multiple factors that go into winning the Kentucky Derby. It is the most glamorous and arguably the most important horse race of the year, and factors like the horse's pedigree and the jockey can have a huge influence.

Those factors may not be more important than the trainer, track condition or past performances, but they can have a huge impact on any horse race, particularly one with a 20-horse field. 

Here's a look at the pedigree of the top four favorites in the race as well as their jockeys.

Post position, horse, trainer, jockey, odds

1. War of Will, Mark Casse, Tyler Gaffalione, 20-1

2. Tax, Danny Gargan, Junior Alvarado, 20-1

3. By My Standards, Bret Calhoun, Gabriel Saez, 20-1

4. Gray Magician, Peter Miller, Drayden Van Dyke, 50-1

5. Improbable, Bob Baffert, Irad Ortiz Jr., 6-1

6. Vekoma, George Weaver, Javier Castellano, 20-1

7. Maximum Security, Jason Servis, Luis Saez, 10-1

8. Tacitus, Bill Mott, Jose Ortiz, 10-1

9. Plus Que Parfait, Brendan Walsh, Ricardo Santana Jr., 30-1

10. Cutting Humor, Todd Pletcher, Corey J. Lanerie, 30-1

11. Haikal, Kiaran McLaughlin, Rajiv Maragh, 30-1

12. Omaha Beach, Richard Mandella, Mike Smith, 4-1

13. Code of Honor, Shug McGaughey, John Velazquez, 15-1

14. Win Win Win, Michael Trombetta, Julian Pimentel, 15-1

15. Master Fencer, Japanese qualifier, Koichi Tsunoda, Julien Leparoux, 50-1

16. Game Winner, Bob Baffert, Joel Rosario, 5-1

17. Roadster, Bob Baffert, Florent Geroux, 6-1

18. Long Range Toddy, Steve Asmussen, Jon Court, 30-1

19. Spinoff, Todd Pletcher, Manny Franco, 30-1

20. Country House, Bill Mott, Flavien Prat, 30-1

Odds courtesy of Covers.com

Charlie Riedel/Associated Press

Omaha Beach is the 4-1 favorite in the Kentucky Derby, and War Front is his sire while Charming is the dam.

The three-year-old colt has been in the money in all six of his races. After finishing third in his first race and following up with back-to-back second-place finishes, Omaha Beach has won his last three races.

The first of those victories was a maiden race, but the last two came in the Grade 2 Rebel Stakes and the Grade 1 Arkansas Derby. 

Omaha Beach defeated Improbable in the Arkansas Derby and Game Winner in the Rebel Stakes.

Mike Smith is Omaha Beach's jockey, and this will be the veteran rider's 25th Kentucky Derby. He piloted Justify last year to the Triple Crown, and the 53-year-old also rode Giacomo to a victory in the Run for the Roses in 2005.

Bob Baffert trains Improbable, Game Winner and Roadster. Baffert has trained five Kentucky Derby winners, and one of them was Justify. 

Game Winner is the 5-1 second choice in the race, while Improbable and Roadster are right behind at 6-1. 

The Bob Baffert trained colt is sired by Candy Ride, and his dam is Indyan Giving. Candy Ride had four first-place finishes and two second-place finishes in his six races, and he has earned more than $1.8 million.

Game Winner will be ridden by 34-year-old Joel Rosario, who has eight previous rides in the Derby, winning aboard Orb in 2013. 

Improbable has also been in the money in all five of his races, but all of his wins were in 2018 as a two-year-old.

In addition to winning his maiden race, Improbable picked up victories in the Street Sense Stakes and the Los Alamitos Futurity.

Improbable has two second-place finishes this year in the Rebel Stakes and the Arkansas Derby. Improbable was sired by City Zip, and his dam is Rare Event.

Irad Ortiz Jr. is riding Improbable in his third Kentucky Derby. Ortiz has won the Shoemaker Award and an Eclipse Award. He has not had much success in the Derby, though, as his best finish came aboard Hofburg last year when he came in seventh.

Roadster was sired by Quality Road and his dam is Ghost Dancing. He has been to the post four times and won three times. His only loss was a third-place finish in the Del Mar Futurity, and his most impressive victory was in the Grade 1 Santa Anita Derby in April.

Florent Geroux will ride Roadster, and this is the jockey's third Derby assignment. His best finish came in 2016 when he finished third aboard Gun Runner. Geroux is from France, and he has become one of the top riders in the business since coming to the United States in 2016.