Kentucky Derby 2019 Contenders: Horses, Jockeys with Best Chance at Triple Crown

Roaring down the stretch and winning the Kentucky Derby is a spectacular achievement for any jockey involved in the sport.

Just as baseball players dream of getting the winning hit in the World Series, or a football player wants to score the winning touchdown in the Super Bowl, jockeys want to be first under the wire in the Run for the Roses.

As good as winning the Derby will feel for the jockey and the winning horse's connections Saturday, it is not the ultimate. The horse, jockey, trainer and owner that are celebrating Saturday evening will be able to dream of winning the sport's Triple Crown.

The idea of winning the Derby, the Preakness and the Belmont Stakes in a five-week span is a remarkable confirmation of greatness for a three-year-old champion horse. History has demonstrated that it's the most challenging of undertakings.

Affirmed won the Triple Crown in 1978, and no horse was able to match that achievement until American Pharoah went on his magical run in 2015. The 37-year wait seemed interminable for all horse racing fans, and many thought the era of Triple Crown winners was over prior to American Pharoah's achievement. 

Justify matched that feat a year ago, making it two Triple Crown winners in a four-year span.

Two Triple Crown winners in a row seems like it's too much to ask, but it is not unprecedented. Seattle Slew and Affirmed won back-to-back Triple Crowns in 1977 and '78, but both were undeniably all-time great horses.

Here's a look at the horses and jockeys in this year's field that would seemingly have a chance to find success in the Derby, Preakness and the Belmont Stakes.

Post position, Horse, Trainer, Jockey, Odds

2. War of Will, Mark Casse, Tyler Gaffalione, 15-1

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

4. By My Standards, Bret Calhoun, Gabriel Saez, 15-1

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

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

7. Vekoma, George Weaver, Javier Castellano, 15-1

8. Maximum Security, Jason Servis, Luis Saez, 8-1

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

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

11. Cutting Humor, Todd Pletcher, Mike Smith, 30-1

12. Code of Honor, Shug McGaughey, John Velazquez, 12-1

13. Win Win Win, Michael Trombetta, Julian Pimentel, 12-1

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

15. Game Winner, Bob Baffert, Joel Rosario, 9-2

16. Roadster, Bob Baffert, Florent Geroux, 5-1

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

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

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

AE-20. Bodexpress, Gustavo Delgado, Chris Landeros, 30-1

Scratched—Haikal, Kiaran McLaughlin, Rajiv Maragh, 30-1

Scratched—Omaha Beach, Richard Mandella, Mike Smith

Odds courtesy of Churchill Downs PR.

Prior to getting scratched earlier in the week due to a breathing problem, Omaha Beach appeared to be the best and fastest horse in the field by a significant margin.

Haikal also scratched Friday morning due to an abscess, but he was one of the longest shots in the Kentucky Derby at 30-1, and his chances of a winning the Triple Crown were negligible.

The race appears to be much more wide open without Omaha Beach, and trainer Bob Baffert has the top three horses in the field: Game Winner, Improbable and Roadster.

All three have impressive racing histories and may represent the best chance at winning the Triple Crown.

Baffert trained both American Pharoah and Justify to their Triple Crown runs.

Game Winner won the Breeders' Cup Juvenile last fall, and he has finished in two races in 2019. Game Winner does not have blinding speed, but he is the type who paces himself early in the race and then begins his run. He passes horses as they tire as he finds his top gear. He will be ridden by Joel Rosario, who is one of the best riders when it comes to picking off competitors down the stretch.

Game Winner and Rosario may have the best chance of winning the Triple Crown this year. 

Improbable was unable to catch Omaha Beach in two 2019 starts, but he came close and has impressive speed. While he came up short in the Arkansas Derby and the Rebel Stakes, he won his previous three races and is clearly a talented competitor. Jockey Irad Ortiz Jr. is already a star in the business who has won an Eclipse Award and a Shoemaker Award.

Roadster endured throat surgery several months ago, but he has been running in top form since returning.

He has a pair of victories in 2019, including a triumph in the Santa Anita Derby in early April. Roadster has won three of his four lifetime races, and jockey Florent Geroux has been one of the best in the sport since 2016.

Baffert's horses will see significant competition from several horses, including Tacitus, Maximum Security and Code of Honor.

While any of those three could finish first in the Kentucky Derby, Tacitus appears to be the only one that would have an outside chance at winning the Triple Crown.

Tacitus is trained by Hall of Famer Bill Mott and ridden by Jose Ortiz, Irad Ortiz's brother. Mott has never saddled a Kentucky Derby winner, but Tacitus is a legitimate star with three consecutive wins. Two of those victories came in the Tampa Bay Derby and the Wood Memorial, and he should not be overlooked. Jose Ortiz won an Eclipse Award in 2017, and he was a second-place finisher in the 2018 Derby with Good Magic.

History says that back-to-back Triple Crown winners is an extremely unlikely possibility. However, Seattle Slew and Affirmed did it once, and a spectacular showing by Game Winner, Improbable, Roadster, Tacitus or an outsider could allow it to happen again.