A day after the 2023 Kentucky Derby, there are celebrations, questions and regret

A thunderstorm drenched the backside at Churchill Downs on Sunday morning, but not even the hard rain could wash away all that had happened the day before. The good and the bad.

Kentucky Derby winner Mage was in Stall 10 of Barn 42, chewing on some hay while visitors laid his garland of roses on the rail across the shedrow, the colt seemingly oblivious to the the huddle of onlookers or the crackling thunder overhead.

Meanwhile, down at Barn 39, trainer Todd Pletcher was living the regret of having the state veterinarian scratch his Kentucky Derby favorite Forte the morning of the race. The same Forte had previously beaten Mage not once but twice, first in the Fountain of Youth and then the Florida Derby.

“If you’re in the horse business, you’re going to have disappointments every single day,” Pletcher said Sunday. “There are different levels of disappointment and when you have to scratch, or have the Derby favorite scratched, that’s about the highest level of disappointment you can have.”

Did Pletcher believe that, even with a bruised right foot, Forte could have run and run well in the Derby?

“I think that he would have performed well yesterday,” said the trainer who won the Derby in 2010 with Super Saver and 2017 with Always Dreaming. “Unfortunately, that wasn’t an option.”

Pletcher also said he understood the level of scrutiny horse racing is currently under, scrutiny that will only increase after a week-and-a-half at Churchill Downs that saw seven horses either die from injuries sustained on the track or for unexplained reasons. Two died on Kentucky Derby Day, the day the general public pays its most attention to the sport.

“Everyone in the industry wants to make racing as safe as possible,” Pletcher said. “And even in situations like that where right now everyone is doing everything they can to make sure that the horses are going out there in the safest possible conditions, we still had two fatal breakdowns yesterday. It’s something as a trainer that keeps you up at night.”

Mage’s connections spent their victorious Saturday night at Jeff Ruby’s Steakhouse where they “told a lot of stories; lots of hugs and kisses,” said the colt’s co-owner Ramiro Restrepo, a 44-year-old bloodstock agent from Miami. “Just enjoying the moment. This comes along once in a lifetime, if at all. You got to take it in, brother.”

If Mage looks good this week at Churchill, Restrepo said, the next logical step would be to take the horse to Baltimore for the Preakness Stakes, the second leg of the Triple Crown, on May 20.

Mage could find a rematch with Forte waiting. Pletcher said his plan is to work last year’s Breeders’ Cup Juvenile winner this weekend at Churchill Downs before making a decision.

“We’ll give him a breeze,” Pletcher said, “and if we like the breeze we plan on going to Pimlico.”

Blue Grass Stakes winner Tapit Trice, who ran seventh Saturday, will likely be pointed toward the Belmont Stakes on June 10, Pletcher said. Louisiana Derby winner Kingsbarns, a 14th-place finisher Saturday, could also run in the Belmont.

Trainer Brad Cox said he did not know if any of his four Derby runners would make the trip to Baltimore. Blue Grass runner-up Verifying went too fast too early, Cox said. Hit Show had a good trip from the No. 1 post position to finish fifth. Jace’s Road “probably wasn’t that to level,” Cox said of the 17th-place finish.

As for Arkansas Derby winner Angel of Empire, who finished third, “I was proud of his effort,” Cox said. “He was tired this morning, as he should be. I was tired this morning and I didn’t even run.”

Saturday had to be a long, long day for Pletcher, who saw his Derby favorite be scratched at 9 a.m., who won the $1 million Turf Classic with Up to the Mark later in the day, then watched his two other Derby horses run up the track.

Still, the trainer went out of his way to give winning trainer Gustavo Delgado a big hug after the race.

“Yeah,” Pletcher said with a brief smile when asked about it Sunday. “I like Gustavo a lot. I was very happy for him.”

This story was originally published May 7, 2023 at 12:32 PM.

John Clay

Lexington Herald-Leader

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John Clay is a sports columnist for the Lexington Herald-Leader. A native of Central Kentucky, he covered UK football from 1987 until being named sports columnist in 2000. He has covered 20 Final Fours and 42 consecutive Kentucky Derbys. Support my work with a digital subscription