Kentucky Derby

Where and when this year’s Kentucky Derby contenders were born

For horses entered in the 143rd running of the Kentucky Derby, it’s not just where you finish, it’s where you started.

Sixteen of this year’s contenders were born in the Bluegrass region. Here’s a rundown of the farms that fostered Saturday’s runners.

Always Dreaming

Trainer: Todd Pletcher, Dallas, Texas

Jockey: John Velazquez, Carolina, Puerto Rico

Owner: Brooklyn Boyz Stables, Teresa Viola Racing Stables et al.

Breeder: Santa Rosa Partners, California

Sire: Bodemeister

Dam: Above Perfection

Foaled: Feb. 25, 2014, at Dromoland Farm, 3601 Spurr Road, Lexington

Always Dreaming won the Florida Derby in his most recent start on April 1.
Always Dreaming won the Florida Derby in his most recent start on April 1. Coady Photography

Battle of Midway

Trainer: Jerry Hollendorfer, Akron, Ohio

Jockey: Flavien Prat, Melun, France

Owner: Fox Hill Farms

Breeder: Thor-Bred Stables

Sire: Smart Strike

Dam: Rigoletta

Foaled: Jan. 30, 2014, at Chesapeake Farm, 1455 Walnut Hill Road, Lexington

Battle of Midway ran second to Gormley in the Santa Anita Derby on April 8.
Battle of Midway ran second to Gormley in the Santa Anita Derby on April 8. Adam Creech

Classic Empire

Trainer: Mark Casse, Indianapolis

Jockey: Julien Leparoux, Senlis, France

Owner: John C. Oxley, Tulsa, Okla.

Breeder: Steven and Brandi Nicholson

Sire: Pioneerof the Nile

Dam: Sambuca Classica

Foaled: March 21, 2014, at Silver Fern Farm, 2835 McCowans Ferry Road, Versailles

Classic Empire is considered by many to be the favorite come post time on Saturday.
Classic Empire is considered by many to be the favorite come post time on Saturday. Adam Creech

Fast and Accurate

Trainer: Mike Maker, Garden City, Mich.

Jockey: Channing Hill, Grand Island, Neb.

Owner: Kendall E. Hansen, Florence, Ky.

Breeder: John R. Penn

Sire: Hansen

Dam: It’s Heidi’s Dance

Foaled: March 27, 2014, in Pennsylvania

Fast and Accurate is officially a gray/roan colored colt owned by Kendall Hansen
Fast and Accurate is officially a gray/roan colored colt owned by Kendall Hansen Adam Creech

Girvin

Trainer: Joe Sharp, Charles Town, W.Va.

Jockey: Mike Smith, Roswell, N.M.

Owner: Brad Grady, Grandview, Texas

Breeder: Bob Austin and John Witte

Sire: Tale of Ekati

Dam: Catch the Moon

Foaled: March 31, 2014, at Little River Farm (now doing business under new name and owner) 200 Carpenter Pike, Versailles

Girvin won the Louisiana Derby on April 1 in his most recent race.
Girvin won the Louisiana Derby on April 1 in his most recent race. Lou Hodges Jr.

Gormley

Trainer: John A. Shirreffs, Fort Leavenworth, Kansas

Jockey: Victor Espinoza, Tulancingo, Mexico

Owner: Jerry and Ann Moss, New York

Breeder: Castleton Lyons and Kilboy Estate

Sire: Malibu Moon

Dam: Race to Urge

Foaled: March 20, 2014, at Castleton Lyons, 2469 Ironworks Pike, Lexington

Gormley won the Santa Anita Derby in his most recent Kentucky Derby prep race.
Gormley won the Santa Anita Derby in his most recent Kentucky Derby prep race. Benoit Photos

Gunnevera

Trainer: Antonio Sano, Venezuela

Jockey: Javier Castellano, Maracaibo, Venezuela

Breeder: Brandywine Farm & Stephen Upchurch

Owner: Peacock Racing Stables (Solomon Del-Valle, et al)

Sire: Dialed In

Dam: Unbridled Rage

Foaled: Feb. 28, 2014, at Brandywine Farm, 751 Jackstown Road, Paris

Gunnevera won the Fountain of Youth Stakes at Gulfstream, then finished third in the Florida Derby before heading to Kentucky.
Gunnevera won the Fountain of Youth Stakes at Gulfstream, then finished third in the Florida Derby before heading to Kentucky. Adam Creech

Hence

Trainer: Steve Asmussen, Gettysburg, S.D.

Jockey: Florent Geroux, Argentan, Normandy, France

Owner: Calumet Farm

Breeder: Calumet Farm

Sire: Street Boss

Dam: Floating Island

Foaled: March 28, 2014, at Calumet Farm, 3301 Versailles Road, Lexington

Hence, another of Calumet’s three homebreds in this year’s Kentucky Derby, won the Sunland Derby in his most recent start March 26.
Hence, another of Calumet’s three homebreds in this year’s Kentucky Derby, won the Sunland Derby in his most recent start March 26. Adam Creech

Irap

Trainer: Doug O’Neill, Dearborn, Mich.

Jockey: Mario Gutierrez, Veracruz, Mexico

Owner: J. Paul Reddam, California, via Windsor, Ontario, Canada

Breeder: Aaron and Marie Jones

Sire: Tiznow

Dam: Silken Cat

Foaled: Feb. 11, 2014, at Taylor Made Farm, 2765 Union Mill Road, Nicholasville

Irap won the Toyota Blue Grass Stakes at Keeneland in his most recent start.
Irap won the Toyota Blue Grass Stakes at Keeneland in his most recent start. Adam Creech

Irish War Cry

Trainer: Graham Motion, Cambridge, England

Jockey: Rajiv Maragh, Jamaica

Owner: Isabelle de Tomaso, Red Bank, N.J.

Breeder: Isabelle de Tomaso

Sire: Curlin

Dam: Irish Sovereign

Foaled: May 2, 2014, at Overbrook Farm, Colts Neck, N.J.

Irish War Cry was the winner of the Wood Memorial in his most recent Kentucky Derby prep race.
Irish War Cry was the winner of the Wood Memorial in his most recent Kentucky Derby prep race. Coglianese Photos

J Boys Echo

Trainer: Dale Romans, Louisville

Jockey: Luis Saez, Panama City, Panama

Owner: Albaugh Family Stable

Breeder: Betz/Blackburn/J. Betz/Ramsby/CNHHNK

Sire: Mineshaft

Dam: Letgomyecho

Foaled: April 21, 2014, at Betz Thoroughbreds, 4001 Mount Horeb Pike, Lexington

J Boys Echo, winner of the Gotham Stakes on March 4, finished third in the Toyota Blue Grass Stakes at Keeneland on April 8.
J Boys Echo, winner of the Gotham Stakes on March 4, finished third in the Toyota Blue Grass Stakes at Keeneland on April 8. Garry Jones AP

Lookin at Lee

Trainer: Steve Asmussen, Gettysburg, S.D.

Jockey: Corey Lanerie, Lafayette, La.

Owner: L and N Racing

Breeder: Ray Hansen

Sire: Lookin at Lucky

Dam: Langara Lass

Foaled: March 7, 2014, at Pennland Farm, 363 Harrods Creek Road, Paris

Lookin at Lee is one of three Derby contenders trained by Steve Asmussen, joining Hence and Untrapped.
Lookin at Lee is one of three Derby contenders trained by Steve Asmussen, joining Hence and Untrapped. Coady Photography

McCraken

Trainer: Ian Wilkes, Muswellbrook, Australia

Jockey: Brian Hernandez Jr., Lafayette, La.

Owner: Whitham Thoroughbreds

Breeder: Whitham Thoroughbreds

Sire: Ghostzapper

Dam: Ivory Empress

Foaled: April 13, 2014, at Maple Lane Farm, 1335 Harp Innis Road, Lexington

McCraken was the favorite in the Toyota Blue Grass Stakes at Keeneland but ended up finishing third.
McCraken was the favorite in the Toyota Blue Grass Stakes at Keeneland but ended up finishing third. Adam Creech

Patch

Trainer: Todd Pletcher, Dallas, Texas

Jockey: Tyler Gaffalione, Davie, Fla.

Owner: Calumet Farm

Breeder: Calumet Farm

Sire: Union Rags

Dam: Windyindy

Foaled: March 18, 2014, at Calumet Farm, 3301 Versailles Road, Lexington

Patch, another Calumet homebred, has only one eye after an ulcer forced the removal of his left eye.
Patch, another Calumet homebred, has only one eye after an ulcer forced the removal of his left eye. Adam Creech

Practical Joke

Trainer: Chad Brown, Mechanicville, N.Y.

Jockey: Joel Rosario, Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic

Owner: Klaravich Stables, Inc. and William H. Lawrence

Breeder: Whispering Oaks

Sire: Into Mischief

Dam: Halo Humor

Foaled: April 15, 2014, at Whispering Oaks Farm, 487 Cynthiana Road, Paris

Practical Joke will be ridden in the Kentucky Derby by Joel Rosario, who won the jockey title at the just-completed Keeneland Spring Meet.
Practical Joke will be ridden in the Kentucky Derby by Joel Rosario, who won the jockey title at the just-completed Keeneland Spring Meet. Adam Creech

Sonneteer

Trainer: Keith Desormeaux

Jockey: Kent Desormeaux, Maurice, La.

Owner: Calumet Farm

Breeder: Calumet Farm

Sire: Midnight Lute

Dam: Ours

Foaled: March 1, 2014, at Calumet Farm, 3301 Versailles Road, Lexington

Sonneteer is one of three homebreds from Calumet Farm in Lexington.
Sonneteer is one of three homebreds from Calumet Farm in Lexington. Adam Creech

State of Honor

Trainer: Mark Casse, Indianapolis

Jockey: Jose Lezcano, Chiriqui, Panama

Owner: Conrad Farms, Ontario

Breeder: Manfred Conrad and Penny Conrad

Sire: To Honor and Serve

Dam: State Cup

Foaled: Feb. 25, 2014, at Conrad Farms, Ontario

State of Honor has made 10 career starts but has won only once. However, he’s hit the board in his six most recent races.
State of Honor has made 10 career starts but has won only once. However, he’s hit the board in his six most recent races. Adam Creech

Tapwrit

Trainer: Todd Pletcher, Dallas, Texas

Jockey: Jose Ortiz, Puerto Rico

Owner: Bridlewood Farm, Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners and Robert V. LaPenta

Breeder: My Meadowview LLC

Sire: Tapit

Dam: Appealing Zophie

Foaled: March 28, 2014, at Denali Stud, 1700 Georgetown Road, Paris

Tapwrit worked at Keeneland on Friday April 21, 2017 in Lexington, Ky.
Tapwrit worked at Keeneland on Friday April 21, 2017 in Lexington, Ky. Mark Mahan

Thunder Snow

Trainer: Saeed bin Suroor, Dubai, U.A.E.

Jockey: Christophe Soumillon, Schaerbeek, Belgium

Owner: Godolphin Racing

Breeder: Darley

Sire: Helmet

Dam: Eastern Joy

Foaled: March 24, 2014, at Woodpark Stud in Ireland

Thunder Snow, left, won the UAE Derby to qualify for Kentucky.
Thunder Snow, left, won the UAE Derby to qualify for Kentucky. Dubai Racing Club

Untrapped

Trainer: Steve Asmussen, Gettysburg, S.D.

Jockey: Ricardo Santana Jr., Chorio, Panama

Owner: Michael Langford

Breeder: Indian Creek and Jonathan Sheppard

Sire: Trappe Shot

Dam: Exit Three

Foaled: April 19, 2014, at Indian Creek, 893 Redmon Road, Paris

Untrapped will be looking for his first win Saturday since Nov. 20 of last year.
Untrapped will be looking for his first win Saturday since Nov. 20 of last year. Adam Creech

Jared Peck: 859-231-1333, @ItSaysHere

This story was originally published May 1, 2017 at 5:45 PM with the headline "Where and when this year’s Kentucky Derby contenders were born."

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