Top 10 trainers heading to the Kentucky Derby

So much about this year's Kentucky Derby (G1) is different, but it does feature this familiar aspect — a mix of trainers who are so familiar in the Derby that we ask "who is their Derby horse?" and not "will they have a Derby horse?" and ones whose first experience with the walkover won't feature the roar of the crowd.

Read on for the top 10 trainers to watch in the 2020 Kentucky Derby. Most of them are familiar faces on the first Saturday in May, though a few are too intriguing to leave unmentioned.

10. Thomas Drury Jr. (Art Collector)

He has never run a horse in the Kentucky Derby and Art Collector was his first graded stakes winner. But Drury saddled his first horse in 1991, and his three decades of experience have come together in Art Collector, who he has brought along and shaped into a top Derby contender.

9. Dale Romans (Attachment Rate)

He has run in the Kentucky Derby 10 times and has been one to watch for exotics. He has two third-place finishes, with Paddy O'Prado (2010) and Dullahan (2012), and hit the superfecta with Shackleford (2011).

8. Dallas Stewart (Winning Impression)

His horse will be a longshot, but that's familiar territory. Though he has yet to win a Kentucky Derby, he has twice invaded the exacta with late-running horses north of 30-1, Golden Soul (2013) and Commanding Curve (2014).

7. Patrick Biancone (Sole Volante)

He has sent just three horses to the Kentucky Derby, one each from 2003-2005. Two ran off the board, but Lion Heart (2004) set the pace and stayed on, second behind Smarty Jones.

6. Steve Asmussen (Max Player)

With 20 Kentucky Derby runners, he has the sixth-most starters all-time, and the most of any trainer without a Derby win.

He has hit the board four times, including with all-time great Curlin (2007), who, like Max Player, Asmussen took on in the middle of his Derby campaign.

5. Todd Pletcher (Dr Post)

It's not the Kentucky Derby without Pletcher.

His 54 starters lead all trainers. He has saddled at least one every year since 2000, except for 2003. He is one of two trainers in this year's Derby who has won more than once. Both Super Saver (2010) and Always Dreaming (2017) took the roses.

4. John Shirreffs (Honor A. P.)

He may be best remembered for mares like Zenyatta, Life Is Sweet, and Honor A. P.'s dam, Hollywood Story, but he has also run four Derby starters. He scored a 50-1 upset with his first, Giacomo (2005).

3. Roger Attfield (Shirl's Speight)

He has only started one horse in the Kentucky Derby, Talkin Man (1995), who ran 12th. But Attfield knows how to win big 3-year-old races. He has won the Queen's Plate eight times.

He has won more Triple Crowns than any other trainer in this year's Kentucky Derby. With Approval (1989), Izvestia (1990), and Peteski (1993) all won the Canadian Triple Crown.

2. Barclay Tagg (Tiz the Law)

Tagg has run just five horses in the Derby, and none since both Tale of Ekati and Big Truck in 2008.

He won in 2003 with star New York-bred Funny Cide, and has made all the right moves with an even more talented New York-bred this year.

1. Bob Baffert (Authentic, Thousand Words)

He has run 32 Kentucky Derby starters, third most among trainers. With five Kentucky Derby wins, he trails only six-time winner Ben Jones. 

Baffert won the Triple Crown with American Pharoah (2015) and Justify (2018) and went two-for-three with his other Derby winners, Silver Charm (1997), Real Quiet (1998), and War Emblem (2002).

It is rare to see a Derby Day without a flash of his signature shock of white hair.