LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Heavy rain, thunder and lightning populated the Churchill Downs backstretch Sunday morning, but it was all sunshine and rainbows at Barn 42, where Kentucky Derby winner Mage was ambivalent to Mother Nature and a small crowd that jammed into the barn to avoid the elements.

“The horse looks pretty amazing this morning,” said Ramiro Restrepo, part owner and the bloodstock agent who selected Mage at auction. “He’s the same cool, calm customer as he’s been from his maiden on through.”

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Trainer Todd Pletcher sat quietly in his office back in his barn just minutes after the conclusion of Saturday’s Kentucky Derby, watching the replay of the race several times and assessing the performances of his two starters, Tapit Trice and Kingsbarns, who finished, seventh and 14th. Tapit Trice raced at the rear of the field for nearly the opening six furlongs, while Kingsbarns shortened stride down the stretch after prompting the lively pace for more than a mile.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Trainer Gustavo Delgado knew the disappointment of missing the Kentucky Derby due to injury. In 2020, when the Derby was delayed four months by the pandemic, Delgado’s Caracaro had suffered a leg injury after finishing second to the top 3-year-old Tiz the Law in the Travers at Saratoga, a race that set Tiz the Law up as the Kentucky Derby favorite.

Javier Castellano felt the disappointment of Derbies past, going 0 for 15 in the race from 2005 to 2021, equaling the second most rides by a jockey without a Derby victory.

Betting on the Kentucky Derby this year again established a record at $180.16 million, with the total benefiting from an enormous surge in wagering in the straight pools, according to charts.

Overall, betting on the Derby was up 6.8 percent compared to last year’s record, or approximately $11.4 million. Betting in the win, place, and show pools was up 18.0 percent, or $13.8 million, making up for declines in the trifecta and superfecta pools. The straight pool total was $89.2 million, easily a record.

Kentucky Derby 2023: Complete order of finish

1. Mage

2. Two Phil’s

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Mage, who only made his first start on Jan. 28, won the Kentucky Derby in his fourth.

Surging powerfully from behind a strong pace, Mage ran down Two Phil’s, who got a sweet rail run under Jareth Loveberry but could not quite stay. Angel of Empire, the favorite, closed steadily but insufficiently for third. Mage was home by one length, with Two Phils a half-length better than Angel of Empire. Disarm finished fourth, Hit Show fifth.

Loveberry was riding his first Derby. This was Castellano’s 16th, his first win.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Forte, the favorite for Saturday’s 149th Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs, was scratched out of the race by Kentucky state veterinarians Saturday morning due to a minor bruise in his right front foot.

Forte had been dealing with a bruise since mid-week, but did not miss a day of training. On Friday, Forte had galloped with a three-quarter shoe, to, as trainer Todd Pletcher said, relieve pressure from the tender area.

Kentucky Derby picks and analysis from Daily Racing Form handicappers across the United States.

Mike Beer
1. Disarm
2. Tapit Trice
3. Hit Show

In this series DRF handicapper/linemaker David Aragona provides his opinion of what constitutes fair win value for each runner in a weekend stakes race. The goal of this series is to bypass standard ordinal selections, instead developing price-based opinions around every horse in the field for the purpose of informing sound wagering decisions.

Update at 11:30 AM: This piece has been updated to account for the recent scratch of Forte, as well as the previously announced scratches of Practical Move, Lord Miles, Continuar, and Skinner.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – After a seemingly quiet fortnight, the Kentucky Derby field underwent significant changes over the 48 hours leading up to the race.

Four of the original 23 horses entered have been scratched – Practical Move, Lord Miles, Continuar, and Skinner – and questions began to surface Thursday about the status of favored Forte.