Institutional amnesia can be a beautiful thing, but before the 2015 Kentucky Derby is upon us with all its hurricane force, it can’t hurt to take a look at the field of 19 who performed for the pleasure of millions in the 2014 race. From back to front, here’s what happened to them:

Vicar’s in Trouble, the winner of the Louisiana Derby, was a baffling last in the Kentucky Derby but none the worse for wear. He later won the Super Derby, then fractured his left foreleg in the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile.

Jockey John Velazquez believes he will only ride for another two or three years and hopes there’s another Kentucky Derby with his name on it before he retires.

ARCADIA, Calif. – Friday was a pivotal morning for Bolo and jockey Rafael Bejarano at Santa Anita.

A little more than a week before Bolo’s scheduled start in the $2 million Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs on May 2, Bejarano had a chance to exercise his mount for the first time. What he discovered was a colt with sharp acceleration who can be patient.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – With rain in the forecast for early Saturday morning here at Churchill Downs, trainer Todd Pletcher worked four of his five prospects for the Kentucky Derby on Friday morning, and the performances in those workouts convinced Pletcher that Madefromlucky should indeed bypass the race, opening a spot for Keen Ice.

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LOUISVILLE, Ky. – It was another quiet morning Thursday at Churchill Downs for the dozen potential Kentucky Derby starters stabled on the grounds, including several who still need a little help to get into the field.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Nick Zito is still ruing the fact that Frammento finished fourth in the Blue Grass Stakes instead of third or better. His state of mind would be much healthier if the colt had run just a little better.

There was a time when it seemed almost sacrilegious to forgo working at Churchill Downs prior to running in the Kentucky Derby.

But just as the trend with Derby prospects in recent years has been toward fewer starts spaced farther apart, so too has there been an adjustment regarding where trainers choose to work their horses prior to the Derby.

The Kentucky Derby is a much easier betting race for me when I have settled on the winner – Barbaro (2006), Big Brown (2008), and California Chrome (2014). I cashed nicely in two of those years because the bets are much less complicated when the top spot is set, and I am willing to take many more risks when I have great confidence.

If I’m wrong when I have a strong opinion on the winner – Afleet Alex (2005), Lookin At Lucky (2010) – no amount of confidence or risk taking is relevant. I am going to lose.

WHO’S HOT

Far from the slowly swelling hubbub at Churchill Downs, Kentucky Derby hopeful Mubtaahij worked three furlongs Tuesday morning at Arlington in a reported 36.20 seconds.

That published time is 1.60 seconds faster than what was initially reported by the skeleton clocking crew stationed at Arlington. The regular official Chicago clocking team remains at Hawthorne until that meet ends Sunday.