Kentucky Derby: Winning After a Loss

I suppose this post could be subtitled "This Is Why They're Known As Prep Races."  We should always keep in mind that the goal for each trainer with a runner in the Kentucky Derby field is to get their horse into the starting gate on the first Saturday in May, without having their horse peak too soon.  Granted, with the relatively new points system in operation, some horses do have to put forward their best in their final prep in order to be assured of a spot in the Derby field.  But for many, especially those that already had their place in the Kentucky Derby wrapped up, the goal of the final prep race was to simply run well and come away healthy, and certainly not to win at all costs.

Anyway, to help us all remember this important point, listed below are those horses who lost their final prep race before going on to win the Kentucky Derby.  I wanted to restrict the list to relatively recent history; so we'll look just at the most recent twenty-five runnings of the Kentucky Derby; that is, 1989-2013 (inclusive).

YEAR  KY DERBY             FINAL PREP             FINISH         FINAL KY
            WINNER                 RACE                                      DERBY ODDS

2010    Super Saver          Arkansas Derby           Second        8.00
2009    Mine That Bird      Sunland Derby              Fourth         50.60
2007    Street Sense         Blue Grass Stakes       Second         4.90*
2005    Giacomo              Santa Anita Derby         Fourth         50.30
2003    Funny Cide          Wood Memorial            Second        12.80
2001    Monarchos          Wood Memorial            Second         10.50
1998    Real Quiet            Santa Anita Derby       Second         8.40
1997    Silver Charm        Santa Anita Derby        Second         4.00
1996    Grindstone           Arkansas Derby           Second         5.90
1995    Thunder Gulch     Blue Grass Stakes        Fourth          24.50
1994    Go For Gin          Wood Memorial            Second          9.10
1993    Sea Hero             Blue Grass Stakes        Fourth          12.90
1992    Lil E. Tee             Arkansas Derby          Second          16.80
1990    Unbridled            Blue Grass Stakes        Third             10.80

Fourteen of the last twenty-five runnings of the Kentucky Derby (56%) have been won by horses that lost their last race prior to the Run for the Roses.  Whether or not this year's winner adds to the list remains to be seen; but the point when handicapping is don't automatically eliminate a runner from consideration to win on the first Saturday in May simply because they happened to have lost their last time out.

Peace and Love,

Jimbo