Of course, Hollendorfer’s duo are not the only contenders in this diverse field. Jockey Julien Leparoux will be in town to ride Steve Asmussen’s Daddy Nose Best. The son of Scat Daddy will make his three-year-old debut and attempt a synthetic surface for the first time.
At odds of 9-2, Daddy Nose Best is the third choice on the line. In his last start, the ungraded Eddie Logan Stakes at Santa Anita, he finished fifth, beaten 3 ¼ lengths as the 4-5 favorite. The winner of that race, Chips All In, ran in the Grade II Robert B. Lewis Stakes two weeks ago in which he was beaten nearly 18 lengths by winner I’ll Have Another.
Leparoux has now traveled to five race tracks to ride Daddy Nose Best for Asmussen, who won the El Camino Real Derby last year with Silver Medallion.
Owners Team Valor International and trainer Graham Motion who teamed to take Animal Kingdom to victory in last year’s Kentucky Derby will send out 7-2 Lucky Chappy. After two wins and a second at Italian racetracks, Lucky Chappy was sent to Keeneland Racecourse where he finished third in the Grade III Bourbon Stakes. He then went on to the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf in which he finished fourth to Wrote and earned a 100 Brisnet speed figure. In his last start, the ungraded Kitten’s Joy Stakes at Gulfstream Park, he finished second to stablemate Howe Great, as the beaten favorite. East-coast jockey Alan Garcia comes in for the mount.
Rounding out the field are 6-1 Handsome Mike who may improve with the addition of blinkers, 10-1 Cahill Chrome, 12-1 Senor Rain, 20-1 Unveiled Heat, 20-1 Rockinarz Recruit, and 20-1 All Squared Away.
Post-time for the race is 7:15 p.m. EST. It can be seen on TVG and HRTV.
Photo: Courtesy Kentucky Derby
