The gladiators are about to finish their preparations for the big day, there are only five days until the doors open and it is defined who will be the new candidate for the Triple Crown.
Coaches and riders are the ones who bear the pressure of participating in the most famous race in the world, the most seen horse show in the world.
Great figures such as coach Aidan O ‘Brien, one of the most renowned and efficient in the UK, has been left with the desire to lift the coveted trophy at Churchill Downs.
For his part Bo Baffert (Improbable, Roadster and Game winner), already has a very special place in the museum created in the oval located in Louisville Kentucky. His five victories in just over two decades have marked the platinum coach as the ultimate winner of the Kentucky Derby in recent times, surpassing figureheads like D. Wayne Lukas, who was the master in this test in the 80’s and 90’s.
Claude R McGaughey (Code Of Honor) and Todd Pletcher (Spinoff-Cutting Humor), are the only ones who know what it is to win this race, unlike the fourteen remaining coaches.
Rider Mike Smith came to break the Latin hegemony that has been reflected since 2011 with his resounding performance aboard Justify last year. John Velázquez and the Mexicans Víctor Espinoza and Mario Gutiérrez showed off with two wins each.
The Dominican Joel Rosario will go in search of his second victory, although he has not found the ball for seven years; while Smith goes for his third bullseye in the race. The championships obtained by guys like José Ortíz (Tacitus) and Irad Ortíz Jr. (Improbable), Gabriel Sáez (Be My Standards) and Luis Sáez (Maximus Security); Manny Franco (Spinoff); Javier Castellano (Vekoma) and Florent Geroux (Roadster) go to second place and continue to insist on the success that only the Kentucky Derby gives.