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SPORTS Thursday 3 May 2018

Justify installed the early 3-1 favorite for Kentucky Derby

By BETH HARRIS 17 post, which has never
AP Racing Writer produced a Derby winner.
LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — Bob Lukas, the 82-year-old Hall
Baffert had no chance to of Famer, has his 49th Der-
fret over the Kentucky Der- by starter in Bravazo. The
by draw. colt is one of five 50-1 shots
By the time the Hall of Fame in the field. In that group is
trainer managed to get Lone Sailor, owned by Gay-
into Churchill Downs, the le Benson, the widow of the
process was halfway done New Orleans Saints owner
and Justify had landed in Tom Benson.
the No. 7 post on Tuesday. Bravazo is owned by Calu-
"We didn't want the 1-hole, met Farm, which has won
that's for sure," the four-time a leading eight Derbies
Derby winner said. "I was but none since 1968 when
relieved when I saw him in Calumet's Forward Pass
seven." was declared the winner
Justify was made the early after Dancer's Image was
3-1 favorite for the Der- disqualified because of a
by, with Europe-based positive drug test.
Mendelssohn the second Seven horses were listed
choice in a full field of 20 at 30-1 by Churchill Downs
horses. oddsmaker Mike Battaglia:
Six horses have won from Free Drop Billy, Promises Ful-
the No. 7 post, most recent- filled, Flameaway, My Boy
ly Street Sense in 2007. Jack, Enticed, Solomini and
"The only reason I'm the fa- Noble Indy.
vorite is because I beat Bolt The Desormeaux brothers
d'Oro and he was the horse have teamed with My Boy
to beat," said Baffert, refer- Jack. Kent Desormeaux,
ring to Justify's three-length a three-time Derby win-
win over his rival in the San- ner, will ride, while Keith
ta Anita Derby last month. Desormeaux does the train-
Justify is one of two horses ing.
in Saturday's 1¼-mile race The field is limited to the top
who didn't race at age 2. 20 horses based on points
The other is 6-1 third choice Kentucky Derby hopeful Justify runs during a morning workout at Churchill Downs Tuesday, May earned in designated prep
Magnum Moon. No horse 1, 2018, in Louisville, Ky. races.
since Apollo in 1882 has Associated Press Twenty-one horses were en-
won the Derby after not tered. The 21st horse on the
racing as a 2-year-old. horses got good draws." Vino Rosso and 30-1 Noble out good trips from out points list is Blended Citizen,
"I don't buy into the Apollo More history is working Indy. He surpassed Lukas, there. We've got four ter- who would need a defec-
Curse or whatever at all, against Mendelssohn. A his mentor, this year as the rific riders." tion by early Friday morning
mainly because Bob Baffert horse coming from Europe trainer with the most start- The co-fourth choices are to get into the 144th edition
and Todd Pletcher have has never won America's ers in Derby history with 52. 8-1: Audible and Bolt d'Oro. of the race.
got the horses," four-time biggest race. Trained by Pletcher won last year with Bolt d'Oro has won four of If all 20 horses start, the total
Derby-winning trainer D. Irishman Aidan O'Brien, UAE Always Dreaming. six career starts for trainer purse would be $2,192,000.
Wayne Lukas said. "Todd's Derby winner Mendelssohn The main starting gate holds and owner Mick Ruis. The The winner earns $1,432,000.
going to have his (horse) is the 5-1 second choice. 14 horses and a six-stall colt drew the No. 11 post, Post time is 6:46 p.m. EDT.q
ready, and Baffert is going He drew the No. 14 post. auxiliary gate is attached. which means he will be
to have his." O'Brien wasn't at the draw Horses are loaded into the waiting the longest for the
Justify is 3-0 in his brief ca- and Mendelssohn won't gate two at a time, begin- gate to open. Firenze Fire
reer, winning by a com- hit the Churchill Downs dirt ning with posts one and 11, drew the dreaded No. 1
bined 19 lengths. Magnum strip until Wednesday after which spend the most time post and also will be stand-
Moon is 4-0, winning the clearing quarantine. The waiting for the start. ing the longest.
Arkansas Derby and Rebel colt arrived Monday from "Having three of the four "We're good," Ruis said.
Stakes in his last two starts. Ireland. horses in the auxiliary gate "Bolt is so well-minded that
"It's one of the toughest Pletcher has a leading four wasn't what we were hop- he doesn't work himself up."
Derbies I've ever seen," Baf- horses in the field: Magnum ing for," Pletcher said. Baffert's other entry, 30-1
fert said. "All the important Moon, 8-1 Audible, 12-1 "Sometimes you can work shot Solomini, drew the No.