Undefeated Essential Quality named Derby favorite. Here’s the full field with odds.
Nobody can say Essential Quality is not deserving of being named morning-line favorite for the 147th Kentucky Derby.
The Godolphin Stables-owned 3-year-old brings an undefeated record to Churchill Downs that includes four graded stakes wins with two Grade 1 victories among them.
Essential Quality won the Claiborne Breeders’ Futurity and the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile as a 2-year-old last fall at Keeneland, then captured the Southwest Stakes at Oaklawn and the Toyota Blue Grass Stakes at Keeneland this spring.
Before all that, the Brad Cox trainee won his maiden race on the very Churchill Downs surface he’ll be running on Saturday on Sept. 5 of last year — Kentucky Derby Day in a COVID-19 adjusted season.
Essential Quality’s sterling resume led to his being installed as Saturday’s 2-1 favorite in a full field of 20 running a mile and a quarter in Louisville. Jockey Luis Saez has the mount out of post position No. 14.
Essential Quality’s record might be flawless to this point, but that hasn’t shortened the list of challengers eager for their shot at Triple Crown glory.
The West Coast contingent of Santa Anita Derby winner and runner-up Rock Your World and Medina Spirit were assigned odds of 5-1 and 15-1, respectively.
Florida Derby winner Known Agenda, one of four contenders for trainer Todd Pletcher, is the third choice on the morning line at 6-1 despite drawing the always-challenging No. 1 post position. Pletcher will also saddle Dynamic One (20-1), Bourbonic (30-1) and Sainthood (50-1).
Hot Rod Charlie, who finished second to Essential Quality in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile, was the 8-1 fourth choice from post No. 9 for two-time Derby-winning trainer Doug O’Neill.
Also expected to make a run at the roses are Blue Grass Stakes runner-up Highly Motivated (10-1) and Risen Star Stakes champion Mandaloun (15-1).
King Fury, one of the last in the field after an April win in the Stonestreet Lexington Stakes at Keeneland for Lexington trainer Kenny McPeek, will run from post No. 16 at 20-1 odds.
Kentucky Derby
When: 6:57 p.m. Saturday
Where: Churchill Downs
TV: NBC-18
Purse: $3 million
Distance: 1 1/4 miles
For: 3-year-old Thoroughbreds
The field, with odds:
1. Known Agenda (6-1)
2. Like the King (50-1)
3. Brooklyn Strong (50-1)
4. Keepmeinmind (50-1)
5. Sainthood (50-1)
6. O Besos (20-1)
7. Mandaloun (15-1)
8. Medina Spirit (15-1)
9. Hot Rod Charlie (8-1)
10. Midnight Bourbon (20-1)
11. Dynamic One (20-1)
12. Helium (50-1)
13. Hidden Stash (50-1)
14. Essential Quality (2-1)
15. Rock Your World (5-1)
16. King Fury (20-1)
17. Highly Motivated (10-1)
18. Super Stock (30-1)
19. Soup and Sandwich (30-1)
20. Bourbonic (30-1)