Tiz the Law is favourite in Kentucky Derby
Belmont Stakes winner Tiz the Law has been installed the 3-5 favourite for the 146th Kentucky Derby on Sunday morning (Singapore time), despite being drawn very wide in Gate 17 of 18 runners.
The 2020 second leg of the US flat racing Triple Crown will be contested without spectators at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky, after being delayed from May 2 by the coronavirus pandemic.
Tiz the Law, trained by Barclay Tagg, will start alongside his most fancied rivals.
The 5-1 second fancy, Honor A.P. will start from barrier 16. Third choice Authentic (8-1) has drawn the widest berth.
Jack Knowlton, leader of the Sackatoga Stable group which owns Tiz the Law, saw the outside spot as more helpful for jockey Manny Franco.
"It came down to 1, 2 and 17, so we certainly prefer the 17," he said.
"Should give Manny options being outside."
Tiz the Law's trainer also preferred an outside draw.
"I like it being on the outside," said Tagg.
"I didn't particularly want to be out that far but we have. He seems to handle everything that gets thrown at him.
"It gives you a chance if you have any speed at all. It gives you a chance."
The Derby's 2,000m trip should not worry Tiz the Law, after winning the Travers Stakes over the same distance last month.
This year's Triple Crown schedule, which usually includes the Preakness two weeks after the Derby and the Belmont Stakes three weeks later, has been disrupted by Covid-19.
The Belmont was contested in New York on June 20 as the first leg of the Triple Crown, the Derby as the middle leg and is followed by the Preakness at Pimlico in Baltimore on Oct 3 as the final leg.
The Derby contenders, starting from inside to the outside, include Finnick the Fierce (50-1), Max Player (30-1), Enforceable (30-1), Storm the Court (50-1), Major Fed (50-1), King Guillermo (20-1), Money Moves (30-1), South Bend (50-1), Mr Big News (50-1), Thousand Words (15-1), Necker Island (50-1), Sole Volante (30-1), Attachment Rate (50-1) and Winning Impression (50-1).
The Derby line-up lost expected contender Art Collector on Tuesday morning, when the horse was ruled out due to a foot injury.
Art Collector, who is unbeaten in four starts this year including two at Churchill Downs, suffered a minor injury to his left front, said owner Bruce Lunsford.
"We didn't want to take any chances with a horse potentially this good," he added.
"The Derby means an awful lot to me, so it's been kind of a tough day and night. But the horse is always the most important thing in all these things.
"We'll get another chance to have another day. We'll try and make it to the Preakness and, maybe from there, the Breeders' Cup." - AFP, REUTERS
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