It’s still early days in the 2021 horse racing calendar, which is set to remain in its traditional format after seeing the Triple Crown turned upside down in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic a year ago. With precautions in place at horse tracks across the planet, including total bans on spectators, the races have been able to resume, in large part, except in regions where COVID-19 spread remains a virulent problem (or where government entities are willing to regulate activity in response to COVID-19 spread). The Kentucky Derby, then, will return to the first Saturday in May, followed by the Preakness Stakes and then the Belmont Stakes.
Let’s take a look at some of the interesting horses emerging ahead of Churchill Downs as you ponder your horse betting options in Kentucky Derby.
Horse Racing News: Early Thoughts on the 2021 Triple Crown
Prevalence won a seven-furlong maiden race at Gulfstream Park on January 23, against a field that also included Stage Raider, one of the half-brothers of Justify, a Triple Crown winner. This was the first race for both of these colts. With Tyler Gaffalione on board, Prevalence came in at 7-1 odds. He broke well and snatched the lead at the quarter-mile. He and Stage Raider battled through the early part of the race. The fractions came back at 22.66, 49.09 and 1:10.45. Coming into the stretch, Prevalence had a small lead, but then he punched it to pull away, winning by 8 ½ lengths in 1:23.00. Prevalence did use Lasix, which is forbidden for horses attempting to qualify for the Kentucky Derby.
Stage Raider had been listed at 40-1 odds in the Kentucky Derby in the Las Vegas sportsbooks ahead of Saturday’s race. He finished a distant second, with Ghazaaly, a son of Curlin, finishing out the trifecta. After the race, Prevalence opened for the Kentucky Derby at 40-1 odds and has since moved down to 30-1.
Any preview of the upcoming Triple Crown has to include the stable of Bob Baffert, who has a record six wins at the Kentucky Derby. Last year, it was Authentic who won the Sham Stakes (Grade III) at Santa Anita Park to start the year, and this year, it was another Baffert trainee, Life Is Good, who won the Sham Stakes this time around. Last year, Authentic pulled away in the early going before starting to show signs of slowing down in the stretch and raising questions as to whether or not he could hold a pace long enough to win at Churchill Downs.
A similar race unfolded on Saturday, as Life Is Good took control early on the one-mile course. However, down the deep stretch, Medina Spirit, another Baffert trainee, started to slow the gap. Mike Smith, atop Life Is Good, was just doing a hand ride at the time. However, as Life Is Good slowed, he shook the horse’s reins and also held out the riding crop to catch Life Is Good’s attention and get the race finished in fine form. Life Is Good held on, but only beat Medina Spirit by ¾ length. Behind them, in third, Parnelli finished 13 lengths out of second.
Life Is Good also has in common with Authentic a shared victory in their maiden races at Del Mar. It will be interesting to see if Life Is Good can mature in terms of racing finishes faster than Authentic did, as last year’s Kentucky Derby did not take place until September. It is likely that the longer prep season allowed for horses who may not have been quite ready to run their best at Churchill Downs got more opportunities to mature and find their footing, including Authentic.
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