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Kentucky Derby scratch-a-thon is over; let the race begin

t’s just the second time in the last 86 years that as many as four horses have been scratched from the Derby.

    by Ed Barkowitz, For The Inquirer
    Published 

Horses being scratched before a race is something that happens all the time. But four horses bowing out of the Kentucky Derby is a bit unusual.

Practical Move, Lord Miles, Continuar, and Skinner all have withdrawn because of either illness or trainer uncertainty, which has allowed Cyclone Mischief, Mandarin Hero, and King Russell to take a shot at Saturday’s Derby, the Super Bowl of horse racing.

It’s just the second time in the last 86 years that as many as four horses have been scratched from the Derby. Four contenders also were scratched ahead of the 2015 race.

So 19 horses will run for the roses, which still will be the largest field of the season. Here are some fun facts to gnaw on ahead of Saturday’s 6:57 p.m. start.

Horsing around

  1. No horse from the No. 17 post has ever won the Kentucky Derby. In 43 starts, it has had one second-place finish (Forty Niner, 1988) and two thirds. Derma Sotogake originally drew the No. 17 for this year’s race, but post positions change because of scratches. Therefore, Cyclone Mischief — who is No. 21 in the program for betting purposes — will break from the 17th post.

  2. Four other post positions have droughts of at least 40 years. Affirmed (1978) was the last to win from No. 2, Riva Ridge (1972) from No. 9, Canonero II (1971) was the last winner out of No. 12, and Carry Back (1961) was the last to win out of No. 14. Ringo Starr wasn’t even a Beatle yet.

  3. Larry Rivelli, trainer of Two Phil’s, danced as an extra in the 1980 film The Blues Brothers, according to the Chicago Daily Herald.

  4. This is the 50th consecutive Kentucky Derby in which Churchill Downs oddsmaker Mike Battaglia set the opening lines. His opening favorite has won 38 of 49 Derbies (77.6%), though he’s in a four-year slump since nailing Justify in 2018.

  5. Forte, the No. 15 horse, opened as Battaglia’s favorite at 3-1.

» READ MORE: 2023 Kentucky Derby: Horse by horse preview of the Triple Crown race

  1. Three of the last four winners did not win their final prep race before the Derby. Rich Strike (2022 winner) finished third at the Jeff Ruby Stakes, Mandaloun (2021) was sixth in the Louisiana Derby and Country House (2019) was third at the Arkansas Derby. Authentic won the Haskell in 2020 when the Derby was moved to September because of the pandemic.

  2. It’s a shame Skinner was scratched because of a fever. He’s named for Don Skinner, an 86-year-old salesman who works for owner Lee Searing. Could have been a good story.

  3. Rich Strike, last year’s historic winner at 80-1, was ranked 24th in the standings entering the race. He wasn’t even in the field until the day before when Ethereal Road was scratched. In five races after the Derby, Rich Strike finished second, fourth twice, and sixth twice.

  1. Trainer Steve Asmussen is back for his 25th crack at winning the Kentucky Derby with Disarm, a 30-1 shot out of the No. 11 post. Asmussen is 0-for-24 following last year’s heartbreaking second-place finish with Epicenter behind long shot Rich Strike. Asmussen also finished second with Nehro (2011) and Lookin At Lee (2007).

  2. ”I was kind of laughing at myself at the optimism that a trainer has,” Asmussen told the Louisville Courier Journal. “How many times can you get hit over the head? I love our chances. I love our opportunity. Just extremely fortunate to be here again.”

  3. Reincarnate is the grandson of Holy Bull, the 1994 horse of the year despite finishing 12th at the Kentucky Derby. There was a horse in the 1980s also named Reincarnate. He ran 38 times (yikes) with four wins and finished second an impressive 11 times. And that’s no Bull.

  4. King Russell is co-owned by Brereton Jones, who was governor of Kentucky from 1991-95. It took him five races to break his maiden. King Russell, that is. Not Brereton Jones.

  5. ”My father started with one horse in this game and out came Two Phil’s,” Anthony Sagan told the publication Blood Horse. “... Horse racing is a crazy game and that’s why people play it. If only the best horses and best breeds won, the little guys wouldn’t play.”