History and Past Results for Jockeys and Trainers in 2023 Kentucky Derby – Irad Ortiz Jr., Todd Pletcher, Brad Cox & More
By Dave Friedman in Horse Racing News
Updated: May 16, 2024 at 7:47 am EDTPublished:
- The top Kentucky Derby jockeys and trainers will participate in Saturday’s Derby
- Horses get only one shot at the Run for the Roses, but riders and conditioners have a track record
- Can we use historical human statistics in helping to our Kentucky Derby best bets?
Bob Baffert has officially trained six Kentucky Derby winners, and his record-setting number seven was disqualified when Medina Spirit tested positive for a banned drug in 2021. Baffert is banned from this year’s Run for the Roses, but familiarity still counts. We’re breaking down each of the jockeys and trainers in this year’s Kentucky Derby roster.
Three year old horses are short on experience, and there are many questions about them. Who wants a mile-and-a-quarter, which will or won’t take to Churchill Downs, who is working the best?
Adults have track records, and some with ample sample size. Before you log on to one of your favorite Horse racing betting apps, study the people that are campaigning the horses. Last year Derby rookies, jockey Sonny Leon and trainer Eric Reed, shocked the world when Rich Strike triumphed. Will lightning strike twice? Or would you rather have people who have been there and done that before?
This first table will cover all of the Kentucky Derby contenders and jockeys participating.
2023 Kentucky Derby Jockeys
| Jockey | Kentucky Derby Assignment | Number of Kentucky Derby Mounts | Top Kentucky Derby Finish | Biggest Career Accomplishment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Luis Saez | Tapit Trice | 9 | 3rd | Finished first in 2019 Kentucky Derby but Maximum Security was disqualified |
| Christophe Lemaire | Derma Sotogake | 1 | 13th | French rider has been the winningest jockey in Japan five times, and has won two Breeders Cup races |
| Flavien Prat | Angel Of Empire | 5 | 1st | Awarded 2019 Kentucky Derby win on Country House after Maximum Security was disqualified. Finished Top 3 in Derby four times |
| Irad Ortiz, Jr. | Cyclone Mischief | 6 | 4th | Ortiz moves from Forte to Cyclone Mishief after Forte’s scratch. Won Eclipse Award for Outstanding Jockey in the US four of last five years |
| Jose Ortiz | Kingsbarns | 8 | 2nd | 29-year-old has won an Eclipse Award, led the country in earnings and wins, and captured the Belmont Stakes plus three Breeders Cup events |
| Tyler Gaffalione | Verifying | 5 | 7th | 28-year-old won the 2019 Preakness Stakes on War of Will |
| Javier Castellano | Mage | 15 | 3rd | 45-year-old has won the Eclipse Award four times. Won the 2004 Breeders Cup Classic aboard Ghostzapper |
| Jareth Loveberry | Two Phils | 0 | n/a | 35-year-old has won four graded stakes races, half with Two Phils |
| Manny Franco | Hit Show | 4 | 2nd | Placed second on Tiz The Law in 2020 Derby which was run in September after winning the Belmont Stakes |
| Kazushi Kimura | Mandarin Hero | 0 | n/a | Native of Japan who won the Outstanding Apprentice Jockey award when based in Canada four years ago, now rides in Southern California. Has ridden nine graded stakes winners |
| James Graham | Confidence Game | 2 | 8th | 43-year-old native of Ireland has won five Grade 1 races, all in Kentucky |
| Joel Rosario | Disarm | 11 | 1st | Won 2013 Kentucky Derby on Orb. Seven Top 5 finishes in Run for the Roses. Won 2022 Eclipse Award as top jockey |
| Junior Alvarado | Rocket Can | 3 | 4th | Won first Breeders Cup race on Cody’s Wish in last year’s Dirt Mile, and finished second in the Classic aboard Olympiad |
| John Velazquez | Reincarnate | 24 | 1st | 51-year-old Hall of Famer has won the Kentucky Derby three times (2011 – Animal Kingdom, 2017 – Always Dreaming, 2020 – Authentic) |
| Rafael Bejarano | King Russell | 12 | 4th | 50-year-old led the country in wins in 2004 and has captured four Breeders Cup races |
| Florent Geroux | Jaces Road | 6 | 1st | Rode Mandaloun to a runner-up performance in 2021 and was awarded victory when Medina Spirit was DQ’ed |
| Gerardo Corrales | Raise Cain | 0 | n/a | 27-year-old grew up as son of a trainer in Panama. Has ridden two graded stakes winners since moving to U.S. in 2015 |
| Brian Hernandez | Sun Thunder | 3 | 8th | 37-year-old road Fort Larned to victory in 2012 Breeders Cup Classic |
Knetucky Derby jockeys make critical decisions. Last year they created a suicidal early pace that helped Rich Strike win from behind. What will they dictate this year?
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Having an experienced rider that can read the circumstances and take advantage is helpful. That said, three of the last four winning jockey’s are of the first time variety. Is that one the new Kentucky Derby betting trends? Also, the less hype around a rider, could mean higher Kentucky Derby odds. Do you want to pay the price for proven success, or roll the dice and if the jockey gets it done for the first time, perhaps get some value?
Moving on, we’ll now look to the Kentucky Derby horses and trainers to see who has had success training horses for the big race in the past.
2023 Kentucky Derby Trainers
| Trainer | Kentucky Derby Assignment | Number of Kentucky Derby Runners | Top Kentucky Derby Finish | Biggest Career Accomplishment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Todd Pletcher | Tapit Trice | 62 | 1st | Eight-time Eclipse Award winner won the Kentucky Derby with Super Saver in 2010, and Always Dreaming in 2017 |
| Hidetaka Otonashi | Derma Sotogake | 0 | n/a | 67-year-old former jockey has been training in the Japan Racing Association (JRA), the country’s top circuit, for nearly 30 years |
| Brad Cox | Angel Of Empire | 5 | 1st | Two years ago in first Kentucky Derby had the winner via disqualification Mandaloun. Louisville native has captured eight Breeders Cup races in last five years |
| Dale Romans | Cyclone Mischief | 11 | 3rd | 56-year-old Louisville native won the Eclipse Award in 2012. Took the Preakness Stakes with Shackleford in 2011 |
| Todd Pletcher | Kingsbarns | 62 | 1st | Eight-time Eclipse Award winner won the Kentucky Derby with Super Saver in 2010, and Always Dreaming in 2017 |
| Brad Cox | Verifying | 5 | 1st | Two years ago in first Kentucky Derby had the winner via disqualification Mandaloun. Louisville native has captured eight Breeders Cup races in last five years |
| Gustavo Delgado | Mage | 2 | 13th | Top trainer in Venezuela moved business to Florida a decade ago. Has saddled five graded stakes winners in the U.S. |
| Larry Rivelli | Two Phils | 0 | n/a | Longtime top conditioner in Illinois, has won seven career graded stakes races |
| Brad Cox | Hit Show | 5 | 1st | Two years ago in first Kentucky Derby had the winner via disqualification Mandaloun. Louisville native has captured eight Breeders Cup races in last five years |
| Terunobu Fujita | Mandarin Hero | 0 | n/a | 46-year-old trains on Japan’s National Association of Racing (NAR) circuit, their secondary division |
| Keith Desormeaux | Confidence Game | 3 | 2nd | Runner up in Derby with Exaggerator in 2016, and went on to win the Preakness Stakes. Won Breeders Cup Juvenile with Texas Red in 2014 |
| Steve Asmussen | Disarm | 24 | 2nd | 57-year-old Hall of Famer has won more races than any other trainer in history. Has six Breeders Cup victories, two Preakness Stakes wins, and one Belmont title |
| Bill Mott | Rocket Can | 11 | 1st | 69-year-old Hall of Famer won the 2019 Derby with Country House when Maximum Security was disqualified. Three time Eclipse Award winner, known best for his work with Cigar |
| Tim Yakteen | Reincarnate | 2 | 12th | Former Baffert assistant saddled two of six-time Derby winner’s horses last year. Took over training Reincarnate from Baffert in February |
| Ron Moquett | King Russell | 2 | 15th | Earned a Breeders Cup victory with Whitmore in the 2020 Sprint. Has conditioned four graded stakes winners |
| Brad Cox | Jaces Road | 5 | 1st | Two years ago in first Kentucky Derby had the winner via disqualification Mandaloun. Louisville native has captured eight Breeders Cup races in last five years |
| Ben Colebrook | Raise Cain | 0 | n/a | 45-year-old from Tennessee atteneded University of Kentucky and has trained six graded stakes winners. Dad managed horse farms |
| Kenny McPeek | Sun Thunder | 8 | 2nd | Won 2002 Belmont Stakes with Sarava, and 2020 Preakness Stakes with filly Swiss Skydiver |
As is usually the case, it is a mix of new and old. Pletcher and Cox have several horses on the Kentuxky Derby roster, which isn’t hard to understand, owners like to use the top trainers. That said, Pletcher’s numbers aren’t great. However, he usually is competing with Baffert, who is not present this time.
Looking for more Kentucky Derby picks and predictions? Get more Derby coverage from SBD below!
- Kentucky Derby Longshot Picks
- Kentucky Derby Expert Picks
- How to Bet the Kentucky Derby
- Recent Form of Kentucky Derby Contenders
- Pedigree of Kentucky Derby Favorites
- Kentucky Derby Undercard Picks
- Win, Place, Show Picks
- Exacta, Trifecta and Superfecta Exotic Bets
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Sports Writer
Dave Friedman has covered professional and college sports for two decades. From ESPN to the Associated Press, Regional Sports Networks, Metro Networks, and many local outlets, he has written about and broadcast major and minor events throughout the country.
