Weekend Winners Club

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September 1, 2020.  In this year’s Kentucky Derby training series, we will review some handicapping elements used to select your top horses for the big race.  How important are trainers and jockeys in the Kentucky Derby?  Answer: they are both very important aspects. 

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Consider this:  from 2015-2018, ZERO trainers or jockeys won this race for the first time.  All 4 years were repeat offenders.  In the past 12 Derby editions, 8 were won by repeat jockeys, 4 by repeat trainers.  That seems to favor the more Derby experienced horsemen doesn’t it?

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There are reasons why some trainers and jockeys are hoarding the Derby wins.  First and foremost, the top percentage trainers get the best horses, and the top winning jockeys get the best mounts, in general.  So, many of the same trainers and jockeys end up here every year, and then win again.

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We put together a concise little chart of the field to make it easier for you to see.  Underlined are the jockeys and trainers that have won the Roses before.  It so happens this year that all of those underlined are repeat winners already, except for Barclay who only won 1 Derby, and a Preakness.

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Also in bold but not underlined, are top horsemen that have either won a Triple Crown race or are so highly accomplished, that it would surprise me to NOT see them in the Derby winner’s circle before they retire.  That’s not to say any other jockey or trainer is not capable, just not as likely.

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You can see from the chart that the top horses in this year’s contest, in terms of points or odds, for the most part have highly accomplished trainers and jockeys.  That’s why one of them will probably win again, and why Mike Battaglia assigned them all the lowest odds. 

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Thus endeth today’s lesson about trainers and jocks. Stay tuned to Kentucky Derby Central for another lesson every day this week, and try to keep up. This week goes by swiftly and furiously every year.

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Get the Derby Grid with over 80 different factors including historical, pedigree, and performance, to help you get the right winner this year.

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With your newly gained knowledge, vote in the Deryb poll below.

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