"The two most exciting minutes in sports."
"The run for the roses."
The 142nd Kentucky Derby is taking place this upcoming Saturday, May 7, 2016.
The race has its long line of history. It has always been taking place on the dirt racetrack at Church Hill Downs, in Lexington, Kentucky. The race consists of 20 Thoroughbreds racing around the 1¼ mile track.
On average, only eight Thoroughbreds race against each other in any other horse race, but getting to the Kentucky Derby is for the best of the best. The 20 horses racing in the Kentucky Derby have earned their spots there. They travel a long road, racing in a series of 35 races across the country and even across the world, to accumulate points to qualify. Horses who place in the top four in any of these races accumulate points, making their way to The Kentucky Derby. In the end, The Kentucky Derby winning purse is $2 million.
The Kentucky Derby always takes place the first Saturday in May, attracting a crowd of about 155,000 people to watch "the two most exciting minutes in sports." The Kentucky Derby is actually the longest continually held sporting event in America, along with one of the most prestigious horse races in the world.
This year, the top five ranked Thoroughbreds by points consist of Gun Runner, Nyquist, Exaggerator, Outwork, and Brody's Cause, along with 15 other Thoroughbreds closely ranked behind.
1. Gun Runner
Gun Runner is ranked number one on the leaderboards for this year's Kentucky Derby. He's a beautiful chestnut with a total of 151 points and a total earnings of $849,200. His jockey for the Kentucky Derby will be 29-year-old Florent Geroux.
Jockey: Florent Geroux
Trainer: Steven M. Asmussen
Owners: Winchell Thoroughbreds LLC and Three Chimneys Farm.
2. Nyquist
Currently ranked number two on the leader board, this bay gelding has won the past seven races he had competed in. He also has a whopping total earnings of $3,289,000, but is just behind with 130 points. According to CNBC, Nyquist is the horse to beat.
Jockey: Mario Gutierrez
Trainer: Doug F. O'Neill
Owners: Reddam Racing LLC
3. Exaggerator
Exaggerator is a dark bay thoroughbred ranked third for the Kentucky Derby, but he stands only four points behind Nyquist with a total of 126 points. He also has a total earnings of $1,628,000.
Jockey: Kent J. Desormeaux
Trainer: J. Keith Desormeaux
Owners: Big Chief Racing, LLC
4. Outwork
Outwork is a bay thoroughbred who has placed either first or second in his previous four races. He's only six points behind Exaggerator with 120 points and an earnings of $660,000.
Jockey: John R. Velazquez
Trainer: Todd A. Pletcher
Owners: Repole Stable
5. Brody's Cause
Finally, ranked number five on the leaderboard rank is Brody's Cause. The bay thoroughbred has 114 total points and $1,100,000 in earnings. Brody's Cause does have an advantage in the Kentucky Derby. Most horses have not seen a race with more than nine horses racing against them, however; Brody's Cause has raced in races with 13 other horses and won.
Jockey: Luis Saez
Trainer: Dale L. Romans
Owners: Albaugh Family Stable
Get ready to watch these five top ranked thoroughbreds compete against 15 other just as qualified racehorses in the 142nd "run for the roses."
