The most fun two minutes in sports activities return Saturday with the 151st Kentucky Derby.
While all eyes will likely be on the horses, the situation of the observe might be simply as vital. Rain is within the forecast for Louisville, elevating the potential of a sloppy observe by put up time.
The early favourite is Journalism, the Santa Anita Derby winner. The 3-year-old has completed first in 4 of 5 begins and positioned third within the different. But there is a potential pink flag: all of Journalism’s races have been in California, and he has by no means run on a moist observe.
In truth, solely a handful of horses within the Derby discipline have expertise racing on a sloppy floor.
Another horse drawing attention is Render Judgment, owned by the late nation singer Toby Keith’s farm. Before his demise, Keith reportedly referred to as it a “dream” to have certainly one of his horses run within the Kentucky Derby.
This 12 months’s race additionally marks the return of coach Bob Baffert, following a three-year suspension after his 2021 Derby winner failed a post-race drug take a look at. But his comeback is off to a rocky begin — Rodriguez, certainly one of his contenders, was scratched attributable to a foot bruise. Baffert nonetheless has Citizen Bull within the discipline, although the horse will break from the often-dreaded No. 1 put up place.
The Kentucky Derby is slated to go off on Saturday at 6:57 p.m. Eastern Time.
