Hallandale Beach, May 3, 2026 — Do you think that Kentucky Derby Weekend 2027 will be bereft of compelling story-lines and performances?
Of course you don’t, especially if you love the game.
Personally, once again, the sweet intonations of “weep no more my lady” proved to me that there is no holding back an emotional reaction that appears at once.
So, what was it, the fact that the victor came from 16 lengths behind at the half-mile pole, was 13th and behind horses at headstretcch, and still won? That the colt’s trainer gave history its first winning female trainer, Cherie DeVaux?
That Jose Ortiz deftly used older brother Irad aboard the early line favorite for live cover to even have the slimmest of chances snaking his way down the lane is search of a clear running lane? That DeVaux was nursing cracked heels throughout the training regimen only to have the Curlin colt run the race of his life?
That the rail position is still a thing. Renegade was forced tic check early, suffered a few more slings and arrows along the way to just miss as maybe the “best horse?”
That upon returning to be unsaddled, Renegade’s part owner Mike Repole, who’s never had any luck in the Derby Day feature, embraced a teary-eyed Ortiz for a lengthy period, comforting the certain first-ballot hall of Famer who never once won America’s Race?”
Or because this is as highly emotional as a sport can get, the telecast showing all that Thoroughbred racing is about intense competition in a demonstrable family atmosphere.
Parenthetically, that was despite $130 in lost wagers that made no impression like it normally would — but before checking that my wagering account Sunday to learn that I had a $1 Futures exacta that returned a little more than I lost, finally recalling that among several wagers, I key-boxed Renegade with a few price-shot possibilities.
Analytically, there were disappointments:
Commandment was flat, two hard races back-to-back very likely took its toll. So Happy, on balance, was a no-show. Chief Wallabee, also inexperienced, lacked the brilliance shown in CD workouts, finished fourth almost by default. Emerging Market, also inexperienced, failed to show up. (Travers upsetter? And Further Ado regressed badly.
Ocelli, he exclaimed to the group when the colt loomed a very possible winner at the sixteenth pole. While he did race creditably when third in the G2 Wood Memorial, he was winless in six starts and too slow on paper.
Trainer D Whitworth Beckwith is prolific at getting his horses to outrun their odds-profitable with all dirt starters-nut his strike rate in stakes is a meager 3%.
Need to do more video work before getting into subtle trip trouble.
Two non-Derby stakes runners that made an impression were Derby City Distaff winner R Disaster who is always a bullet from the barrier –the surface favored horses with speed, especially from the inside –and she took advantage. But she never finished as strongly as she did Saturday.
T O Elvis is next level. Living up to a CAW obscene last flash that took him from 13-1 to 5–1, he finished like 4-5 from the furlong pole home to win the Pat Day Mile most impressively. If he were mine, I’d run back in the Preakness. But given routine training regimen and patient spacing of Japanese connections, that’s highly unlikely.
The 45-year-old Cherrie DeVaux is no overnight sensation. Long time assistant to Chad Brown, she was instrumental in nursing champion turf mare Lady Eli back to top health and racing condition. She knows how to handle bright-light scenarios.
***
ALWAYS A RUNNER, JOSE ORTIZ, ENJOYTHEIR BIGGEST WEEKEND
Always A Runner was well named from the Jump. She proved it breaking maden in a demanding Tampa Bay Downs two-turner, promptly repeated in the G3 Gazelle in which she overcame herding by her rivals through late stretch, then showed that same turn of foot taking the G1 Kentucky Oaks. She has the makings of a great one assuming good health, of course.
That kind of class is quite rare in Thoroughbreds despite all the championship matings seen every year. That kind of deamination is novel. It is indeed rare to find horses that possess her kind of want-to-beat-you attitude. And now she has the perfect partner at the controls. Ortiz is both gifted away from the gates and in dogged stretch battles.
This weekend, Jose Ortiz turned the acknowledged Big two, Flavien Prat and older brother Irad, into a Big Three. Whether horseman or handicapper, you give away nothing when you tap Jose Ortiz to pilot your runner.
8 Responses
What a way to summarize what happened at the majestic Churchill Downs track! On such warm Cinco de Mayo, after some fresh tacos and a n Espresso Granita,it was an artistic way to remind us of what happened his weekend in big time racing..First class stuff! Asking you again, ” Any vague thoughs about put it all in a printed version,,with all of those nuances,characters, big hits and misses, experiences worth mentioning from your Newsday ( Once one of USA s best dailies) to Saratoga diaries and stories etc? Aren’t they too many to keep them secretive ( joking,kind of) ? I have not read a good, well written horse racing book in decades.,and cannot think which one it was,,, .PS: About the ” modernistic” Belmont track ,I m afraid that having too many options in betting,gambling,sporting events may , in the long run, tire patrons from losing a good chunk of their monthly $$,,if they ever wake up from the hibernation of betting for the main sake of ” having something to do”. Being alone doesn’t mean that we have to lose $$ to feel temporarily satisfied as if it were a DRUG . Too much of any bad habit is dangerous and Unhealthy. Let us Admit it! Staying in the lane.
All over the place on this one, JG. Thought about a book a million times and admit I should have gotten to that sooner. But I have little interest in a rambling, gambling screed. Thinking more state of the game, how it’s changed for better or worse.
With my personal life, there simply is not enough hours in a day now. Perhaps one day …
Maybe a collection of best-of columns? Would that do?
The research will be painstaking and time consuming. Curious if that interests anyone? It would cover a lot of ground …
John,
Just a suggestion: a book of short comments about your extensive knowledge of the getting end of the game.
Obviously not asking you did give away the store. Simply lessons you have learned through out your highly distinguished career as the best of the turf writers.
And it wouldn’t be a rambling gambling screed!! Ha ha.
Either way after 50 years in this game I still soak up any tidbits that would improve my game.
All the best
Ditto,as some radio guy used to say. I find it interesting how jocks,trainers owners diplomatically or not,deal between wins/losses especially after, as Pricci used to say, a ” betting ‘ outfit/ barn bet solidly on its equine athlete,and jockey. ” Threats,celebrations,and in between. Do jockeys Know when ” serious ” bets are on their mounts? It is clear that some ” angles ” of the past do not apply today,esp.in the once active claiming game. THAT part i miss ! It was an intriguing section of the betting conundrum. : WHO CLAIMED WHAT OFF OF WHOM?” ANYWAY, IT WAS MORE INTERESTING THAN TODAY WHEN WE JUST LOOK AT NUMBER$,BEYERS ,THORO AND OTHERS.Running less that 8 days,dropping down after a win? Hmn..what to do? Now there seems to be no time for those minutes intricacies,,there are too many races that are being simultaneously broadcast,irresistible to too many ‘shooters in the dark’ while we remember waiting 20 minutes between races in the early,mid 70′ s days of OTB….now there are over 6 races between those same 20 minutes..with most races offering 5 or 6 betting ‘ options’ ,so far,besides other sporting events. A very distracting buffet where concentration is been lost to psychological marketing: Gullibility given in to peer pressure. I used to own a pizzeria next to an OTB office: YKIYK.
Jack,
One never stops learning in this game. I’m taking your suggestion under advisement,
JG, the only true wise guys around are the CAW tribe. They own the best information–computer modelling-and have unfair access as far as the rest of the betting public i is concerned. Too much money, too much access–just like in today’s presidential politics…
As you say, the old angles regarding bet ring philosophy have been changed. I doubt the jockey knows, privy only to how good his horse is really doing.
In terms of new claims, etc, it’s there for all to see, win percentage and ROI.
There’s information out there re the situations you referenced.
I do feel Renegade was the best horse. Irad Ortiz will certainly get his Derby one of these years soon, as he obviously well deserves; his first reaction being to congratulate and show love to his brother immediately after what had to be an absolutely bitter disappointment really says a lot about Irad, and probably a lot about how he has matured. A jockey couldn’t come out of a losing race having acquitted himself any better both in the race and in the immediate aftermath.
On another note, I think Kentucky really does need to restrict CAW bets a couple minutes before post; it has helped a lot at NYRA.
Doc, agree 100% on all IRAD comments.
Given CD’s worship at the altar of Kentucky Derby Day handle, it’s 100-1 against …