The upcoming $1 million, Louisiana Derby (Gr.2) kicks off the first of seven prep races with 100 Kentucky Derby points going to the victor. As spring begins to creep onto the scene and the first Saturday in May draws ever closer, preparations for the Kentucky Derby are slowly but surely coming to an end. With the final prep races set to be run from March 24 to April 14, it is time for things to start getting serious. In the coming weeks, the men will separate themselves from the boys as the finest thoroughbreds duke it out to decide who truly belongs in the gate on the first Saturday in May. As these crucial and final prep races are run over the next several weeks, you may want to keep an extra close eye on the winners of each event, as the last seven consecutive Kentucky Derby winners were all horses that claimed victory in their final prep races before finding glory in Louisville.
It started in 2011, with Animal Kingdom. The regal chestnut went into the Kentucky Derby with a decent record, but was vastly overlooked due to the fact that he had never raced on the dirt, and had only a single stakes win to his name. That stakes win came in his final start before his destined run for the roses, when he entered the Grade III Spiral Stakes at Turfway Park. Animal Kingdom's class was on full display as he skipped over the synthetic strip to win by two lengths. With a stakes victory under his belt, it was off to Churchill Downs.
Animal Kingdom went off at odds of 20-1 when the starting gates opened in the Kentucky Derby. But as he would prove, his daunting odds and lack of dirt experience did not matter. Animal Kingdom was in the zone, and he knew what to do. With the stretch unfolding ahead, Animal Kingdom made his move. Rolling out his powerful stride, Animal Kingdom blazed down the stretch, streaking by his rivals with breathtaking authority. His form in his previous start translated beautifully to the dirt, silencing all who doubted him. Animal Kingdom bounded over the finish line, leaving the race in the record books. He was now a Kentucky Derby winner. Who would have thought that the lightly raced colt who was fresh off his first stakes win would end up wearing the roses in May?
The trend continued in 2012, with the sneaky good horse, I'll Have Another. The crimson, Flower Alley colt kicked off his three-year-old debut with a score in the Robert B. Lewis Stakes at Santa Anita. With his season off to a good start, I'll Have Another set his sights on the Grade I, Santa Anita Derby to serve as his final race before pursuing the roses.
Blueskiesnrainbows set the pace in the Santa Anita Derby with I'll Have Another tracking in second. The pacesetter began opening up as he made his way into the stretch, but his moment in the spotlight would be short lived. I'll Have Another and Creative Cause came roaring into the stretch, both setting dead aim on Blueskiesnrainbows. The leader was in serious trouble as both colts came storming toward him, plowing over the ground like a pair of runaway trains. With a few giant leaps, I'll Have Another and Creative Cause tackled Blueskiesnrainbows. It quickly became clear that all three horses mirrored each other in both speed and determination, and that a win was going to have to be earned.
Latched onto each other's throats, the tenacious trio battled it out in an epic slugfest that left all of Santa Anita pulsating with excitement. All three horses were stretched to the max, kicking and straining with every desperate stride. It was a thrilling stretch drive that eluded to a very real possibility of a three-way photo finish. But as the trio came bearing down on the wire, I'll Have Another found something more. He found an extra gear that would set him apart from the others, not only in this moment, but in the Kentucky Derby and Preakness, as well. Remarkably, I'll Have Another found just enough strength to put himself one step ahead of his rivals, and claim victory.
I'll Have Another's gritty win in the Santa Anita Derby was a true testament to his worth, yet somehow, he managed to leave the starting gate in the Kentucky Derby as a long shot. At odds of 15-1, I'll Have Another thundered down the Churchill Downs stretch to whisk glory away from the favorite, Bodemeister, and remind the world that his greatness had been apparent all along, it simply just got overlooked. His talent was on full display in the Robert B. Lewis and the Santa Anita Derby, serving as a prelude to what would take place in Kentucky. He didn't win by flashy margins and gain the attention that some of his rivals did, but still turned out to be the best of his crop. I'll Have Another is living proof that no horse should be ignored when coming off of a victory before the Kentucky Derby.
In 2013, Orb kept the victory trail going when he paved his way to Louisville. As the Kentucky Derby loomed in the horizon, there was one last challenge for Orb before heading out to seek his ultimate glory. That final step before his bid for the roses was a start in the Grade I, Florida Derby. Going into the race, Orb was already on a hot winning streak, with three convincing victories in a row, including the Grade II, Fountain of Youth Stakes. His tour de force continued when the starting gates opened in the Florida Derby, when he ran down Itsmyluckyday in the stretch to win going away. It was a comfortable victory for an undeniably gifted horse, and it was the perfect prologue for the first Saturday in May, when once again, Orb surged to splendor.
In the winter of 2011, Steve Coburn awoke from a dream that would one day become reality. In his dream he saw a large, blazed, chestnut colt. Knowing that his broodmare, Love the Chase, was expected to foal in a matter of weeks, Coburn believed that he was given a vision about what was to come. On February 18, the same day as his late sister's birthday, his vision came to life when his mare delivered her foal, and there beside her was a strong, red and white foal looking up at him. The colt was named, California Chrome, and from the very beginning, Coburn knew that his horse was going to go down in history.
California Chrome only won three races as a two-year-old, but at the age of three, his true power came to life. The spirited, copper colt picked up dominating wins in the California Cup Derby and the San Felipe Stakes before entering the Santa Anita Derby. With each crushing victory, Coburn's faith in the colt began to grow more into reality, and he knew that after the Santa Anita Derby, the roses would be his.
California Chrome absolutely obliterated his rivals in the Santa Anita Derby, romping over the wire by 5 1/2 lengths. His profound triumph stamped him as the one to beat in Kentucky, and when the field set off on the first Saturday in May, it became clear that just like before, nobody could beat him. True to his form, California Chrome flared over the wire by nearly two lengths, becoming the first California bred to win the Kentucky Derby since Decidedly in 1962. As the cape of roses was draped over the colt's mighty frame, Coburn could rest easy in the fact that his vision came true. California Chrome indeed went down in history.
In 2015, an expeditious bay horse with an unparalleled desire to win marched into history to remind the world that the impossible could still be done. The stately horse with a mis-spelled name was none other than, American Pharoah. Aside from a lackluster performance in his debut at the age of two, the colt was flawless in his pursuit of victory, flaunting his undeniable talent everywhere he went.
Hot off of three consecutive wins, American Pharoah headed to Hot Springs, Arkansas, to compete in the Grade I, Arkansas Derby before beginning his run for glory on the Triple Crown trail. American Pharoah flared his brilliance by gliding over the wire by eight, breathtaking lengths. The uncanny ease in which the colt ran drew comparisons to the mighty, Seattle Slew. It is a lofty title to live up to, but American Pharoah proved he was up for the task. On May 2, American Pharoah rose to victory in the Kentucky Derby, and following it up with scintillating wins in the Preakness Stakes and Belmont Stakes, claiming his place among the elite as a Triple Crown winner.
In 2016, Nyquist continued the winning trend when he blazed to the top in the Florida Derby before claiming the roses at Churchill Downs. The Florida Derby was actually the seventh win in a row for Nyquist, who had a large and loyal band of supporters going into the Kentucky Derby. With a flawless record, there wasn't much not to like, and Nyquist rewarded his backers with a convincing 1 1/4 length win in Kentucky. Nyquist walked away proudly with the roses, proving that once again, the form held true.
Our most recent Kentucky Derby hero, Always Dreaming, followed in the hoof prints of his fellow, aforementioned Derby winners by taking down the Derby after a win in his final prep. The lightly raced son of Bodemeister hadn't broken his maiden until the age of three, in a maiden race at Tampa Bay Downs. After his runaway win in Tampa, he headed to Gulfstream Park where he continued his winning ways in an allowance race. It was March at that point, and with no Kentucky Derby points to his name, it was time to get serious if there was any hope for this ultra-talented colt to make it to the Derby. Always Dreaming's connections made the bold decision to enter him in the Florida Derby. It would be a massive step up in class, but it was his only chance.
Proving his class and heart, Always Dreaming romped in the Florida Derby. He completely blew away his more experienced competition, leaving them in his wake as he dashed away by five lengths. His blistering final time of 1:47.47 marked his win as the fastest Florida Derby since the great Alydar won it in 1978. There was no denying the fact that Always Dreaming truly belonged in the Kentucky Derby after that.
With the enchanting Twin Spires looming mysteriously above, Always Dreaming stormed over the wet track to capture the roses. He became the seventh horse in a row to win the Kentucky Derby after scoring in his final prep, validating the fact that the form in the final prep races usually holds up. In a sport like this, anything can happen when the field takes flight on the first Saturday in May. A daring long shot may streak up to steal the show, or the form may continue to hold, leaving us with yet another champion on a winning streak. Either way, as the final preps begin to draw to a close, and the winners of each race rise to establish themselves, you may want to pay close attention, as one of them may very well be our next Kentucky Derby winner.
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