The 146th Kentucky Derby is just a month away, and fans have never been this excited as the race is fast approaching. Horse racing enthusiasts have been waiting for months since the original schedule of the Kentucky Derby was moved due to COVID-19.
Now that the race is happening this coming 5ht of September 2020, fans are starting to recall past events to help them decide who to place their bet. So without further adieu, let us take a glimpse at Kentucky Derby's past performances in the last three years.
2019 Performances
Twenty horses have taken their post on the 145th Kentucky derby that was held last May 4, 2019, at Churchill Downs. It was a very controversial race as Country House was declared the winner after the disqualification of Maximum Security.
Maximum Security finished the race first and followed by Country House in second place. Maximum was disqualified as he came off his line and impeded War of Will. It was the first disqualification that happened on-track in the race's history.
After the disqualification of Maximum Security, Code of Honor was declared the second placer followed by Tacitus in the third place. In their winning order, the remaining contenders were Improbable, Game Winner, and followed by Master Fencer. War of Will was in 7th position, then Plus Que Parfait on the 8th.
The 9th and 10th position was Win Win Win and Cutting Humor, respectively. 11th was By My Standards, 12th Vekoma, 13th Bodyexpress, 14th Tax, and 15th was Roadster. Long Range Toddy was in 16th place and Spinoff in 17th. The last placer in the race was Gray Magician, positioned in the 4th post position with the odds of 50-1.
The favorites of last year's race were Game Winner, Roadster, and improbable who got the top odds. All three were trained by Bob Baffert, who already had five Kentucky Derby Winners, including the American Pharaoh last 2015 and Justify last 2018.
Omaha Beach of Richard Mandella was the Morning-line favorite at 4-1. However, Omaha Beach was not able to join the race due to a throat condition while Tacitus became 8-1 after opening at 10-1.
2018 Performances
Justify, trained by Bob Baffert, was proclaimed the 144th Kentucky Derby champion despite the watery, almost submerged track. Oddsmaker Mike Battaglia declared Justify to be the early favorite in the 2019 Kentucky Derby. Meanwhile, Justify was listed as 5-2 favorite by Westgate Las Vegas' odds.
According to Mike Smith, the second oldest jockey who won the Kentucky Derby, Justify is a very athletic horse, that he gets over the ground so easy and keeps on running. He also implies that Justify is an above-average horse.
Justify exhibits a spectacular performance in the 2019 race. He was the early favorite, and he proves it well. It was a tough ride, but he and Mike Smith sure gave their all and deserved the championship.
Good Magic landed in second place when he drifted out due to the slippery track while Justify ran clear and straight inside the track. The third spot was obtained by Audible and followed by Instiled Regard in the 4th place.
To know each of the contender's odds, you can check Kentucky Derby odds at TVG.com. The odds are important to predict the possibilities of the race.
2017 Performances
Always dreaming and jockey John Velazquez dominated the track of the 143rd Kentucky Derby last May 6, 2017. The champion Always Dreaming has been the favorite since the colt entered the race with 9-2 odds.
Always Dreaming's willful attitude and the Jockey John Velazquez's mindset for success, along with Todd Pletcher's expertise and guidance, resulted in their victory. Both John and Todd already had a history of winning the race, but it was their first time winning as a team.
The colt Splashed through the mud and won for a two and 3-fourth length victory against Lookin at Lee, who ended the race in second place. Always Dreaming ran one and one-fourth miles in 2:03:59.
Following Lookin at Lee was Battle of Midway for the third spot and Classic Empire on the fourth. Always Dreaming made the 2017 Kentucky Derby the fifth straight year that a favorite had won.
John Velazquez stated that Always Dreaming is the best horse he and Todd have ever brought to the Kentucky Derby. Velazquez used the colt's speed to get into the position earlier in the race against some horses, including Classic empire and McCracken.
It was a chaotic start for both Velazquez and Always Dreaming as McCracken almost knocked them over as they hit them, sending mud splattering everywhere. Always Creaming nearly tripped behind State of Honor during this clash.
It was a tight race for the champion. However, the colt managed to finish the race in the number one position. The determination of Always Dreaming and the experience of Velazquez helped them overcome the race.
Takeaway
Past performances are important as it gives bettors and fans a heads up on the race's possibilities. Past performance will give spectators an idea about a specific horse's performance and capability. This is how important understanding Kentucky Derby's past performance is.
