Kentucky Derby 150 notebook: Wednesday, May 1
Trainer John Ennis patiently sat back and waited to see if his horse, Epic Ride, would get into the Kentucky Derby. He was one of the two also-eligibles entered on Saturday for the 150th Run for the Roses.
Ennis said there "was no pressure, no anxiety," as he was waiting to see what happened.
On Monday, Ennis got the call from Churchill Downs. Lexington Stakes winner Encino was scratched and Epic Ride, who finished third in the Blue Grass Stakes, would get into the field.
“This morning, it was the first time that I was like, ‘Oh, this is real.’,” Ennis said. “Yesterday, when I got the call it was kind of surreal. It’s exciting, not nervous, not anxious but exciting. My horse is sound and ready, mentally and physically.”
Epic Ride will be No. 21 in the program but will break from the No. 20 post position.
Ennis said he was excited to have his horse in the field but wasn’t happy someone else had to scratch.
“It was a win-win situation for me. I was just over here enjoying this,” he said. “But I didn’t want anyone to scratch out. If I was in there myself and had to scratch out, I wouldn’t like that so I feel for the connections of Encino.”
A son of Blame, Epic Ride has two wins and two seconds in five career starts. He won the Leonautus Stakes at Turfway Park in early February before finishing second in the John Battaglia Memorial March 2.
In the Blue Grass Stakes, Epic Ride finished third behind Sierra Leone and Just A Touch. His morning-line odds in the Derby are 50-1. So, Ennis knows he’ll be a long shot.
“For years the Kentucky Derby has thrown up long shots,” Ennis said. “I think my horse is overpriced. I have been training and Adam (Beschizza) is riding but he has a legitimate chance in there."
“I wouldn’t swap my guy for anyone," Ennis said. "Once we get in the starting gate, it’s the Kentucky Derby, and anything can happen.”
MCCARTHY WITH HIS FIRST DERBY STARTER
Trainer Michael McCarthy will be saddling his first Derby starter on Saturday when Jeff Ruby Stakes winner Endlessly runs in the race. But it won’t be McCarthy’s first time in the Derby paddock.
McCarthy was the longtime chief assistant to Todd Pletcher. Between 2006 and 2012, McCarthy helped Pletcher saddle around 20 runners for the Derby, including 2010 winner Super Saver.
Going out on his own in 2014, McCarthy now has around 100 horses in his stable on the West Coast.
Endlessly is 5-for-6 during his career but has never run on the dirt.
“If he didn’t look good, I’d be worried,” McCarthy said. “But he’s looking good.”
JUST STEEL OUT EARLY
Most of the Derby horses train during the 7:30 p.m. training time on the track.
But one that usually doesn’t at that time is D. Wayne Lukas’ Just Steel. The Arkansas Derby runner-up is one of the first horses on the track each morning around 5:15 a.m.
Lukas said he wants to get him out there and “then get him back to the barn and let him relax.”
Added Lukas: “Everything went smooth, he had good energy. We’re now in the keep-them-happy stage. And I’m happy.”
PAST DERBY NOTE
There are 19 former Kentucky Derby winners that are still alive today.
The oldest winner still alive is 1997 winner Silver Charm. At age 29, Silver Charm is retired at Old Friends in Georgetown.
The second-oldest still alive is 2004 winner Smarty Jones. He stood initially at Three Chimneys Farm before moving to Calumet Farm and then to Uruguay. In 2019, Smarty Jones returned to his home state at the Rodney Eckenrode Equistar Farm near Annville, Pa.
TIP OF THE DAY
Want to just best by the name? Or how about by the letter in the alphabet that has won the most races?
Well, then you might like second-choice Sierra Leone or Stronghold, or Society Man.
The letter ’S’ has produced the most Derby winners with 19 out of 213 career starts. The letter with the next most is ’B’ which has won 13 times in 195 starts.
The letters ‘Q’, ‘X’, and ‘Y’ have never produced a winner.