Since 20-horse fields have become the norm in the Kentucky Derby, America’s most famous race also is its most inscrutable race. It has produced many surprising winners and some who defy comprehension, such as 50-1 shots Mine That Bird in 2009 and Giacomo in 2005. It is so contentious that no horse in the last four years has gone to the post at odds of less than 4-1.

[bc_video_id:323235:]LOUISVILLE, Ky. – There were two horses on the radar when the racetrack opened for training Thursday morning at Churchill Downs: the Derby favorite, California Chrome, and second choice, Hoppertunity. Ultimately, only one of the pair showed up, with Hoppertunity scratched from the Derby shortly after the Oaks/Derby training session concluded at 8:45.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Racing has long been known as the Sport of Kings, and at the highest levels, that reputation is not altogether undeserved. When a horse is purchased for millions at a yearling sale or in a private acquisition leading up to the Kentucky Derby, the purchaser can sometimes be royalty – or simply as wealthy as a king.

Derby futures players holding tickets at 30-1 and 32-1 on California Chrome are among those with the best long-term wagering value on Kentucky Derby 140.

This was the first year Churchill Downs had four pools in its Kentucky Derby Future Wager, offered annually since 1999. The pools were offered Nov. 27-30, Feb. 6-8, Feb. 27-March 1, and March 27-29.

California Chrome, the 5-2 morning-line favorite for the Derby, was 30-1 in Pool 2, 32-1 in Pool 3, and 9-1 in Pool 4 after he easily won the San Felipe Stakes but before he won the April 5 Santa Anita Derby.

Representatives of the Jockey Club on Friday morning will contact the owners and trainers of horses entered in the Kentucky Oaks and Kentucky Derby who have pledged to make their horses’ vet records publicly available, a spokesperson for the organization said on Thursday.

The plan is to acquire 14 days’ worth of vet records for each of the horses and upload scanned images of the records to horseracingreform.com, a website funded by the Jockey Club that serves as a platform for the organization’s goals, according to the spokesperson, Bob Curran.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – As he did two days before winning the Wood Memorial, Wicked Strong blew out three furlongs Thursday, this time going in 36.78 seconds over the Churchill Downs main track, two days in advance of the Kentucky Derby.

Under exercise rider Kelvin Pahal, Wicked Strong galloped from the eighth pole all the way around to the quarter pole, where he got into his work. Wicked Strong, looking fluid while reaching out in the stretch, went from the quarter pole to the wire in 24.13 before galloping out an additional furlong around the clubhouse turn in 12.65.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Horse racing long has been known as the Sport of Kings, but it truly is one of the few places where some of the wealthiest people in the world routinely mingle with an income strata far below, where a billionaire will think nothing of asking a destitute tout who he likes in the fifth.

In his preview of the 1958 Kentucky Derby for Sports Illustrated, Whitney Tower took a step back from the hoopla surrounding the exciting California favorite to shed a little calm on the proceedings.

Churchill Downs will attempt to address complaints lodged by two-time Kentucky Derby-winning jockey Ron Turcotte about his treatment by the company on several Derby Days in the past, a spokesperson for Churchill said, adding there had been “a communication breakdown.”

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – With the defection of Hoppertunity as the 6-1 second choice on the morning line for the 140th Kentucky Derby, the morning line has been revised and reissued by Churchill Downs following the colt’s untimely defection.

Churchill linemaker Mike Battaglia has maintained California Chrome as the 5-2 favorite and now lists Wicked Strong as the 6-1 second choice, down from an original 8-1. Several other starters have been adjusted slightly downward as well.