2019 Kentucky Derby: Trainers, Facts and Trends

Some of the best-known trainers in North American horse racing will be represented by major contenders in the 2019 Kentucky Derby, but as usual, the “Run for the Roses” will make room for a few newcomers as well.

Sixteen different trainers will saddle the twenty expected Derby starters. That includes eight starters from the barns of Todd Pletcher, Steve Asmussen, Bob Baffert and Bill Mott, four of the top five North American trainers of all time by earnings. They’re all Derby veterans—between them, they’ve saddled 108 starters—but the 2019 Derby will also feature four trainers entering the race for the first time.

As of April 23, with less than a week until final entries are drawn, the field for the Derby is shaping up as follows:

Horse	Trainer
Tacitus	Bill Mott
Omaha Beach	Richard Mandella
Vekoma	George Weaver
Plus Que Parfait	Brendan Walsh
Roadster	Bob Baffert
By My Standards	Bret Calhoun
Maximum Security	Jason Servis
Game Winner	Bob Baffert
Code of Honor	Shug McGaughey
Haikal	Kiaran McLaughlin
Improbable	Bob Baffert
War of Will	Mark Casse
Long Range Toddy	Steve Asmussen
Tax	Danny Gargan
Cutting Humor	Todd Pletcher
Win Win Win	Mike Trombetta
Country House	Bill Mott
Gray Magician	Peter Miller
Spinoff	Todd Pletcher
Master Fencer	Koichi Tsunoda

 

Now let’s dig into a few facts and interesting trends regarding Kentucky Derby trainers…

• In recent years, the Kentucky Derby has been dominated by a handful of trainers. Since 2010 Pletcher has won twice, with Super Saver (2010) and Always Dreaming (2017), Baffert has scored a double with the Triple Crown winners American Pharoah (2015) and Justify (2018) and Doug O’Neill has won two with I’ll Have Another (2012) and Nyquist (2016).
• Three previous Derby-winning trainers will have runners in the 2019 Kentucky Derby: Baffert (Silver Charm, 1997; Real Quiet, 1998; War Emblem, 2002; American Pharoah, 2015; Justify, 2018), Shug McGaughey (Orb, 2013), and Pletcher (Super Saver, 2010; Always Dreaming, 2017).
• Baffert will seek a record-equaling sixth victory in the Derby. The current record is held by Ben Jones, who won half a dozen Derbys from 1938-1952.
• Among the trainers seeking to win their first Derby are Asmussen (0-for-19), Mott( 0-for-8), Kiaran McLaughlin (0-for-8) and Richard Mandella (0-for-6).
• Brendan Walsh, Bret Calhoun, Danny Gargan and Koichi Tsunoda will all be saddling a Derby starter for the first time. The most recent trainers to prevail with their first Derby starters were Art Sherman (California Chrome, 2014), Chip Woolley (Mine That Bird, 2009), Rick Dutrow Jr. (Big Brown, 2008), Michael Matz (Barbaro, 2006), John Shirreffs (Giacomo, 2005), John Servis (Smarty Jones, 2004), Barclay Tagg (Funny Cide, 2003) and Neil Drysdale (Fusaichi Pegasus, 2000).
• Master Fencer will be Tsunoda’s first starter in North America. The 48-year-old conditioner has won eight group stakes races on the Japan Racing Association circuit, but has never saddled a group 1 winner.
• Pletcher holds the record for sending out the most Derby starters. Since 2000 he has saddled 52 horses in the Run for the Roses (an average of more than 2.7 per year), and he’ll push his total to 54 this year when he sends out Cutting Humor and Spinoff.