Try to name reliable classic lines in the United States, and a couple immediately come to mind: Kentucky Derby winner Unbridled, who has founded a strong branch of the family tree for his grandsire, the prolific Mr. Prospector, and Belmont Stakes winner A.P. Indy, who represents Triple Crown winner Seattle Slew’s branch of the Bold Ruler line. Both are solidly represented in a Kentucky Derby field that is extremely hard to pick apart on pedigree.

Epicenter and Taiba were vying for favoritism in early Kentucky Derby betting as of 7:30 p.m. Friday.  

Epicenter and Taiba both were 5-1, while Messier and Mo Donegal were 7-1 and morning-line favorite Zandon was 8-1.

Wagers on the Kentucky Oaks-Kentucky Derby double will pay the following for a $1 bet.

Kentucky Oaks winner Secret Oath (No. 1, $10.80) with:

1 Mo Donegal – $51

2 Happy Jack – $622

3 Epicenter – $25

4 Summer Is Tomorrow – $511

5 Smile Happy – $97

6 Messier – $40

7 Crown Pride – $96

8 Charge It – $67

9 Tiz the Bomb – $238

10 Zandon – $36

11 Pioneer of Medina – $534

12 Taiba – $32

13 Simplification – $201

14 Barber Road – $329

15 White Abarrio – $79

LOUISVILLE, Ky.– Loves Only You surged late, overtook favored War Like Goddess, and won the Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Turf last Nov. 6 at Del Mar. Her victory marked a breakthrough, the first for a Japanese horse in a Breeders’ Cup race. That happened at 2 o’clock. Two hours later, Marche Lorraine, a 50-1 shot, held on by a nose to capture the Breeders’ Cup Distaff. Make that two Breeders’ Cup wins for Japan – in one day.

Five weeks later in Hong Kong, Loves Only You won the Group 1 Hong Kong Cup and another Japanese horse, Glory Vase, won the Group 1 Hong Kong Vase.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – There are many ways to approach your first Kentucky Derby.

Jockey Reylu Gutierrez didn’t have much time to dwell on it, spending a busy month of April riding at Keeneland before moving his tack to Churchill Downs for the current meet. The philosophy of the jockey, 26, is to keep his focus on each horse he gets on, and do his homework for each one.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Scratch time for the Kentucky Derby and Oaks arrived Friday at 9 a.m. Eastern at Churchill Downs with the 11th-hour defection of Ethereal Road from the Derby, allowing Rich Strike (No. 21) to fill his spot in post position 20. Rattle N Roll (No. 22), the other also-eligible, also is scratched.

Kentucky chief steward Barbara Borden said trainer D. Wayne Lukas phoned the scratch of Ethereal Road into the Churchill racing office and that the colt was not scratched by the state veterinarian.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. -- Ethereal Road was scratched from the Kentucky Derby on Friday morning, allowing the first also-eligible, Rich Strike, to get in.

Ethereal Road drew post 20 when posts were drawn on Monday. Rich Strike moves into that spot now. Rattle N Roll, the other also-eligible, is scratched.

Scratch time for both Oaks Day on Friday and Derby Day on Saturday was Friday morning at 9 a.m. Eastern.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Jockey Flavien Prat’s lone victory in the Kentucky Derby didn’t come with the typical fanfare associated with such an achievement.

In 2019, Prat was the rider of Country House, who crossed the wire second, 1 3/4 lengths behind Maximum Security. After a 22-minute inquiry, the stewards disqualified Maximum Security from first for interference and Country House was elevated to first.

“It’s a hard way to win,” Prat said recently on the Churchill Downs backside. “I’m pretty sure it’s not the same feeling as crossing the line first, that’s for sure.”

CHURCHILL DOWNS

Weather: Clear 
Temperature: 57  
Track: Fast

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – The final preparations are just about over for this year’s Kentucky Oaks and Kentucky Derby candidates, although many turned in spirited gallops in cool conditions over a pretty quick racetrack on Thursday at Churchill Downs, where the temperature again held in the mid to upper 50s throughout the morning.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – There’s really nothing normal about this, not at all.

Stuff 20 3-year-old horses into a metal contraption. Surround them with about 150,000 cheering fans, many lunatics fortified for the previous eight hours with alcoholic beverages. Have them run 1 1/4 miles with tiny, brave humans on their backs. Make them turn left a couple of times. See which one emerges first. Then throw roses on that horse’s back.

That’s the Kentucky Derby.