Journalism Isn't Dead Just Yet

151st Running of the Kentucky Derby

It’s truly hard not to be romantic around this time of year in the sports calendar. The azaleas at Augusta bloomed earlier this month, and now the world turns its focus to the roses that will be handed out in Louisville come the first Saturday in May. The 151st Kentucky Derby (Post Time 6:57 EST) has numerous storylines worth anyone’s time and attention who want to root for the upset, see the bad guy (Bob Baffert) defeated, or see a Triple Crown contender truly strut their stuff on the way to victory. 

The field, post positions, and morning-lines for the 151st Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs Saturday, May 3. (Courtesy of @KentuckyDerby via X). 

Upsets who could Win:

Every year a handful of owners go against their trainers and enter their thoroughbreds into the Run for the Roses. I mean, who wouldn’t want to say, "I owned a horse who ran in the Kentucky Derby." Yes, there have been multiple longshots who have won in recent years. This group however has some horses who truly shouldn’t be partaking and have a chance to run dead last or simply cause chaos in a field of twenty. The longshots that do have a chance may not reflect their morning line odds of 20-1 or 30-1 come post time, but there are a handful of contenders who could surprise at a price.

#19 Chunk of Gold 30/1. Second in the Louisiana Derby last out, Chunk of Gold could benefit from a very hot early pace. Who doesn’t love a horse who was bought for just $2,500 with a humble owner, small time trainer, and a jockey who almost won it all a few years ago. Jockey Jareth Loveberry and his family will be staying at a Best Western in Kentucky, not a four to five star hotel with glitz and glamour. This is the every man’s horse. 

#14 Tiztastic- 20/1. The winningest trainer in North American history, Steve Asmussen, doesn’t have a Derby victory. Tiztastic won the Louisiana Derby in come from behind fashion and seems to be training well coming into Saturday.

#21 Baeza- 12/1. This lightly raced horse took 2nd behind Journalism in the Santa Anita Derby, beating two Baffert horses handily in the process. The outside post may be an issue, but this one seems to be the "IT" horse of the moment. Let’s not forget it was just a few years ago where the Also Eligible #21 horse got into the derby at the last minute and won the whole thing at 81-1!

Bob Baffert makes his untriumphant return:

Seven time, check that, six time Kentucky Derby winning trainer Bob Baffert is back after a three year suspension for Kentucky Derby Winner Medina Spirit’s positive drug test post race in 2021. He stables #1 Citizen Bull (20-1) who was the 2-yr old racing champion. His horse has one option: Go to the lead and try to hang on. The way Churchill Downs has been playing so far this week, gunning it from the start may prove a worthy proposition come Saturday.

Journalism is classy:

The morning line favorite and post time favorite will be #8 Journalism trained by Michael McCarthy. Journalism has won four races in a row including the most recent effort where he closed from dead last to win the Santa Anita Derby. That victory was one of the most impressive wins I’ve ever seen as he had trouble around every turn. If anything, it was the perfect training session for what could happen to him this Saturday. Favorites have been long pressed lately in the Kentucky Derby, but this one seems too good to pass up. He is as classy as they come and a true Triple Crown contender.

Picks: #8 Journalism to Win. Exacta and Trifecta Boxes with aforementioned #8 Journalism, #19 Chunk of Gold, #14 Tiztastic, #1 Citizen Bull, #21 Baeza