Kentucky Derby 2023: Confirmed full list of 19 runners and riders for US racing showpiece - The Mirror

Long time favourite Forte is heading a 19-strong field for Saturday's Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs where Forte's trainer Todd Pletcher has three contenders in the field

America’s greatest horse race, the Kentucky Derby, takes place on Saturday with a 19-runner field set to line up at Churchill Downs.

Long time favourite Forte heads the field in the £2.5 million showpiece in Louisville, Kentucky where the race has its 149th renewal.

Forte, winner of last year’s Breeders’ Cup Juvenile and Florida Derby and trained by two-time Kentucky Derby winner Todd Pletcher, will be ridden by multiple champion jockey Irad Ortiz who is seeking his debut victory in the Classic.

Forte is one of three contenders trained by Pletcher who will also saddle grey Tapit Trice and Kingsbarns, the only unbeaten horse in the race.

Only Brad Cox has more runners with four, of which impressive Arkansas Derby winner Angel Of Empire and Verifying are considered strong candidates for the trainer whose horse Mandaloun was awarded the 2021 Kentucky Derby on the disqualification of the Bob Baffert trained Medina Spirit.

UAE Derby first Derma Sotogake and Mandarin Hero represent Japanese stables, seeking to scale another international peak having broken through in the Breeders’ Cup in 2021. Mandarin Hero was one of three horses to be added to the field after three horses were scratched.

Here are this year’s runners and riders with Wiliam Hill odds

Hit Show 25-1

Jockey: Manuel Franco

Trainer: Brad H Cox

Verifying 14-1

Jockey: Tyler Gaffalione

Trainer: Brad H Cox

Two Phil’s 18-1

Jockey: Jareth Loveberry

Trainer: Larry Rivelli

Confidence Game 20-1

Jockey: James Graham

Trainer: J Keith Desormeaux

Tapit Trice 6-1

Jockey: Luis Saez

Trainer: Todd Pletcher

Kingsbarns 12-1

Jockey: Jose L Ortiz

Trainer: Todd Pletcher

Reincarnate 40-1

Jockey: John R Velazquez

Trainer: Tim Yakteen

Mage 16-1

Jockey: Javier Castellano

Trainer: Gustavo Delgado

Skinner: Non Runner

Disarm 33-1

Jockey: Joel Rosario

Trainer: Steve Asmussen

Jace’s Road 50-1

Jockey: Florent Geroux

Trainer: Brad H Cox

Sun Thunder 50-1

Jockey: Brian Joseph Hernandez Jr

Trainer: Kenneth McPeek

Angel Of Empire 8-1

Jockey: Florent Geroux

Trainer: Brad H Cox

Forte 7-2

Jockey; Irad Ortiz

Trainer: Todd Pletcher

Raise Cain 50-1

Jockey: Gerardo Corrales

Trainer: Ben Colebrook

Derma Sotogake 10-1

Jockey: Christophe-Patrice Lemaire

Trainer: Hidetaka Otonashi

Rocket Can 50-1

Jockey: Junior Alvarado

Trainer: William Mott

Cyclone Mischief 40-1

Jockey: TBC

Trainer: Dale Romans

Mandarin Hero 14-1

Jockey: Kazushi Kimura

Trainer: Terunobu Fujita

King Russell 50-1

Jockey: Rafael Bejarano

Trainer: Ronald Moquett