71°F9:40 AM With Lookin At Lucky, Derby-winning conditioner Bob Baffert has the likely morning line favorite in Saturday's Kentucky Derby. He will saddle another Kentucky-bred colt in the 136th edition of the Race with Conveyance.
Owned by Sheik Rashid bin Mohammed al Maktoum of Dubai and Zabeel Racing International, the colt has been victorious in all but one of his five races. He had a disappointing second to Endorsement in his last start, the Grade III Sunland Derby.
Jack Conway and his father Tom co-own Blue Grass Stakes winner Stately Victor. On Saturday, the duo hopes their colt lives up to his name and pulls off yet another upset by winning the 136th Kentucky Derby.
Conditioned by Mike Maker, who worked with the legendary D. Wayne Lukas until 2003 before setting out on his own, the Ghostzapper colt sits at seventh on the Graded Stakes list at $451,112.
Two-time Derby winner Nick Zito returns with the Twin Spires on Saturday with two possible entries, including Florida Derby winner Ice Box.
In 1991, a Zito-trained entry won the Roses after finishing second in the Florida Derby-- Strike the Gold.
"He kind of trains like him, acts like him," said Zito. "... I like his chances, I really do."
Jose Lezcano is expected to take the mount of the chestnut Pulpit colt owned by Robert LaPenta.
Even with the defections of Eskendereya and Rule, trainer Todd Pletcher is pinning his Derby Dreams on no less than four horses. With 1990 Derby winner as a grandsire, Mission Impazible has the pedigree to win on Saturday.
Bred by Summer Wind Farm and owned by Twin Creeks Racing Stables, Mission Impazible had a late rally to be victorious in the Louisana Derby at the Fair Grounds on March 27th.
Line of David is the second horse in the Derby 136 field for trainer John Sadler and is owned by Ike and Dawn Trash.
The winner of the Arkansas Derby, this son of Lion Heart has won three of his six starts and is currently 4th on the Graded Earnings List with $600,000 (just $30,000 less than stablemate Sidney's Candy).
Sidney's Candy enters Derby Week with $630,000 in graded earnings, which places him third on the list. He is owned by diet magnate Jenny Craig and her husband Sid and is one of two entries trained by John Sadler.
Joe Talamo has been aboard the chestnut colt in each of his six starts, including a three for three stretch to open his three-year-old campaign. Talamo had the misfortune of being scheduled to ride last year's favorite I Want Revenge, who was scratched Derby Morning.
His last start was the Santa Anita Derby on April 3rd.
With the exception of a fifth-place finish in the Arkansas Derby on April 10th, Noble's Promise (trained by Kenneth McPeek) has placed in the money in all of his eight starts, including three wins last year.
Willie Martinez, who was aboard for two of those victories, is scheduled for the mount in Saturday's Kentucky Derby 136.
With the departure of Eskendereya from the field, Lookin At Lucky, with Garret Gomez aboard, is likely to be the favorite for Saturday's 136th Kentucky Derby.
Trained by Bob Baffert (who has three Derby victories among his eight Triple Crown wins) and owned by a group led by Mike Pegram, the Smart Strike colt found a way to win in a thrilling finish with Noble's Promise in the Grade II Rebel Stakes at Oaklawn Park on March 13th.