Kentucky Derby Entries 2019: Horses in the Field Best Suited for Churchill Downs

Get your copper mugs polished and your derby hats dusted off; the 145th running of the Kentucky Derby will get underway Saturday at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky. 

Arguably the most exciting of the three jewel races of the Triple Crown, the Kentucky Derby is a universe unto itself. It's a major brand and sponsorship opportunity, a huge television event and a celebrity-studded party. But, above all, it's a difficult race for the 20 horses involved. 

At 10 furlongs (1¼ miles) on dirt, the Kentucky Derby is the longest race many of these three-year-olds will have run to date—perhaps the longest they'll run in their racing careers. Thus, even the best horse may be upset by a horse who just happens to perform better on this kind of track. 

As a reminder, here is the entry list as well as each horse's post position.

Kentucky Derby Post Positions

1. War of Will

2. Tax

3. By My Standards

4. Gray Magician

5. Improbable

6. Vekoma

7. Maximum Security

8. Tacitus

9. Plus Que Parfait

10. Cutting Humor

11. Haikal

12. Omaha Beach

13. Code of Honor

14. Win Win Win

15. Master Fencer

16. Game Winner

17. Roadster

18. Long Range Toddy

19. Spinoff

20. Country House

(AE: Bodexpress)

Now, let's break down three horses in particular who are especially well-suited for the Churchill Downs track.

Tacitus (10-1)

Tacitus' odds improved slightly after the post-position draw, going from 14-1 to 10-1. However, the gray colt can't be considered a favorite by any means—he has the sixth-best Vegas odds to don the rose garland on Saturday. 

Still, a look into Tacitus' recent racing history suggests that of the horses in the field, he's particularly cut out for Churchill Downs. The three-year-old colt has demonstrated he can excel in long races on dirt, especially with his Wood Memorial at Aqueduct win coming over 1⅛ miles. 

He's also been bred for this, descending from dirt mare Close Hatches:

Roadster (6-1)

Charlie Riedel/Associated Press

The Bob Baffert-trained Roadster has plenty going for him ahead of the Derby, which is no surprise when you see his favorable odds. 

One accomplishment Roadster has under his belt is winning the Santa Anita Derby (G1) on April 6. As horse racing enthusiasts already know, the winner of that race has often gone on to win the Run for the Roses— most recently, Justify in 2018.

The Santa Anita Park track is 1⅛ miles on dirt, which explains why it has become such an important stepping stone to the Kentucky Derby. 

If a horse can win that race, he has a real shot at the rose garland. It's great news for Roadster.

However, the gray colt may have suffered a setback in Tuesday's post-position draw, when he got the unfavorable No. 17. In 40 runs, Gate 17 has never produced a winner.

Tax (20-1)

Though he may be overlooked in the odds, don't doubt Tax's ability as a dirt horse.

The three-year-old dark bay gelding has had success on longer dirt tracks recently, boasting a second-place finish in the Wood Memorial (1⅛ miles) on April 6—the runner-up to the aforementioned Tacitus—and first place in the Withers Stakes on February 2, which is the same distance. 

Tax is trained by Danny Gargan for owners R. A. Hill Stable, Reeves Thoroughbred Racing, Hugh Lynch and Corms Racing Stable. Gargan is excited about Tax's prospects on the Churchill Downs track. 

"When I claimed him, I had seen his run first time out," Gargan said, per Churchill Downs (h/t BloodHorse). "I actually thought he was going to be a grass router, being an Arch out of a Giant's Causeway mare, but when I breezed him, I saw that he was a dirt horse—and a good one. He showed he had speed when he ran first time out and a big horse who has that kind of speed is a good thing to have." 

If you want to make a smart bet and go against the odds, knowing which horses excel on dirt is a useful piece of information to have in your arsenal. 

Odds via SportsLine and current as of 11 a.m. ET Wednesday.