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The race that the whole world awaits with excitement is finally in the books for 2023, as Mage was crowned the Kentucky Derby champion for 2023. It was a dramatic weekend at Churchill Downs, with pre-race favourite Forte being scratched just hours before the featured opening Triple Crown race.
Meanwhile, there was drama in the Kentucky Oaks, as Pretty Mischievous was the shock winner on Friday at Churchill Downs.
But, before starting to look at the 2023 Preakness Stakes odds already, what were the big takeaways from the action in the Kentucky Derby this year?
Mage Breaks Tradition
Even after Forte’s scratch, Mage was still considered an outside chance, despite finishing just a length behind the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile winner in the G1 Florida Derby. Mage’s win breaks a number of long-standing trends, including the fact that it was difficult to win the race having failed to run as a two-year-old.
It was also a memorable moment for jockey Javier Castellano, who had fallen short in winning the big race in his 15 previous attempts. It was also a memorable success for Gustavo Delgado, who became the first Venezuelan trainer to win the illustrious leg of the Triple Crown.
Synthetic Derby Route
For many years, many have opted against wagering on horses that have earned qualifying points through the races that have been competed on the synthetic surface. However, this is becoming a trend that we are going to have to overlook in the future. The first evidence of that was 12 months ago, as Rich Strike earned his points on the synthetic surface at Turfway.
There was even more evidence of it once again this year, as Two Phil’s was one of the standout performers at Churchill Downs. Many opted to overlook the horse with the highest speed rating in the race, as it was achieved in the Jeff Ruby Steaks at Turfway. However, he travelled excellently for Larry Rivelli throughout the contest at Churchill Downs, as he proved he is a contender that could also perform on the dirt.
More To Come From Disarm
Steven Asmussen is one of the most successful trainers in the history of racing in the United States, but getting Disarm prepared for a run in the Kentucky Derby after just a three-week turnaround is a testament to his training ability. The three-year-old finished a decent third in the Lexington, but few gave him much of a chance of running into a money finish in the Derby at Churchill Downs, with many speculating that he was only there to make up the numbers.
However, he was delivered late by Joel Rosario, and he produced an excellent finish to claim fourth. While he may have been overlooked for the Derby, it’s unlikely that he will go un-noticed in the betting on his next start.
Not This Year For Japan
The dream lives on for Japan, as it wasn’t to be in the Kentucky Derby this year. Derma Sotogake’s chances were negatively impacted following the draw, as he needed to win from a stall that had never tasted victory previously. To his credit, the UAE Derby battled on strongly in the race at Churchill Downs, and a lot of confidence will be taken with the future in mind that he was eventually able to finish sixth.
Mandarin Hero was the only Japanese horse in the field with previous experience in the United States, but the three-year-old struggled to get involved throughout the race, eventually finishing down in 12th. There remains a wide-spread belief that Japan will one day win the Triple Crown race, but ultimately it wasn’t to be at Churchill Downs in 2023.