2014 Kentucky Derby History Watch
By Kevin Martin
Nothing impresses more than a well-timed historical nugget to fill an uncomfortable silence at your favorite Kentucky Derby party or hangout. Here are a handful–courtesy of the Racing Geek Division at Raceday 360 — to ‘wow’ your friends and neighbors on Derby day:
California Chrome will try to become the first colt bred in California to win the Kentucky Derby since Decidedly back in 1962. – WINNER
Trainer Art Sherman (California Chrome) would become the oldest trainer of a Kentucky Derby winner at 77. The current record is held by Charlie Whittingham who was 76 when he won with Sunday Silence in 1989. – WINNER
Bob Baffert (Hoppertunity, Chitu) is trying for his fourth Kentucky Derby. That would tie him for second on the list of Derby wins by a trainer with D. Wayne Lukas .
Joel Rosario (General a Rod) would become the sixth jockey in history to win back-to-back editions of the Kentucky Derby. The last came in 2009 and 2010 when Calvin Borel won aboard Mine That Bird and Super Saver.
Jockey Rosie Napravnik (Vicar’s in Trouble) will try and become the first woman to win the Kentucky Derby. A finish of fifth or better would put her in the record books with the best Derby finish by a female jockey, beating a milestone she set last year aboard Mylute.
Jockey Calvin Borel (Ride On Curlin) is trying to win his fourth Derby in a span of eight years–which would tie a record set by Bill Hartack who won four in eight years from 1957 to 1964. A win by Borel would also put him one behind the leading jockeys in Derby wins (Bill Hartack and Eddie Arcaro each have five).
Jockey Gary Stevens (Candy Boy) at 51 years old is trying to become the oldest rider to win the Derby since Bill Shoemaker won aboard Ferdinand in 1986 at the age of 54.
Apollo is the last colt (1882) to win the Derby without a start as a 2-year-old. Hoppertunity will try to end this long-standing Derby trend – he made his first start this past January 4th. SCRATCHED
A win by California Chrome would come two years after another Santa Anita Derby winner — I’ll Have Another — won the Kentucky Derby. The last time the winner of the same prep also won the Derby in two out of three years was 2006 and 2008 when Florida Derby winners Barbaro and Big Brown won the Kentucky Derby.
Dance With Fate will try to become the first winner of the Blue Grass Stakes since Strike the Gold in 1991 to win the Kentucky Derby.
Wicked Strong would be the first Wood winner to win the Kentucky Derby since Fusaichi Pegasus in 2000. He would also be the first Wood winner to finish in the top four of the Derby since 2003.
Danza would be the first Arkansas Derby winner since Smarty Jones in 2004 to win the Kentucky Derby.