The 150th Kentucky Derby saw twenty horses vying for position on the Churchill Downs dirt strip as a crowd of 150,000 spectators cheered them on. Despite a couple of early favorites, the race was considered wide open with post time set for 6:57 p.m. EDT on Saturday. The weather forecast called for overcast skies, 79 degrees, and a 20% chance of scattered showers and thunderstorms with a 82% humidity. The dirt surface was upgraded to good after initially being muddy.
Fans arrived at Churchill Downs in colorful outfits and large hats, enjoying mint juleps in souvenir glasses as they eagerly awaited the race. Wet weather could benefit six horses who had previous experience on muddy or sloppy surfaces, including early favorites Fierceness and Sierra Leone. The Derby would test the 3-year-olds’ ability to handle running 1 1/4 miles in front of the largest crowd they would ever face.
Fierceness, ridden by jockey John Velazquez, broke from the No. 17 post, a position that had never produced a Derby winner before. The most expensive colt in the field was Sierra Leone, purchased for $2.3 million by owner Peter Brandt. Conversely, Larry Demeritte spent just $11,000 to buy Saratoga West, and the 74-year-old trainer from the Bahamas was only the second Black trainer since 1951 to saddle a horse in the Derby. The winner of the Kentucky Derby would earn $3.1 million from the record purse of $5 million.
Japan had two entries in the Derby for the second consecutive year, with Forever Young and T O Password participating. The country had never won the prestigious race. The 150th Kentucky Derby was also a historic event with 88-year-old trainer D. Wayne Lukas, who had four previous Derby wins, saddling Just Steel. Italian jockey Frankie Dettori, 53, was back to ride Society Man after a 24-year absence. Trainer Todd Pletcher, with his entry Fierceness, was in the Derby for the 24th year and expressed that the excitement of the race never fades.
As the horses thundered towards the first turn, the atmosphere was electrifying with the anticipation of which one of the 20 horses would emerge victorious in the 150th Kentucky Derby. The race was unpredictable, adding to the excitement as fans awaited the outcome. It was a celebration of tradition, skill, and passion for horse racing as the world watched to see who would come out on top at one of the most prestigious races in the world.
