There are very few constants in the race, much less in the Kentucky Derby (G1). But a regular occurrence since the turn of the century has been the entry of a 3-year-old owned by Starlight Racing in the first leg of the Triple Crown.
On May 6, Louisville, Ky.-based racing partner. will make his 14th start in the 149th Kentucky Derby, all since 2002, when regeneration rush out of the starting gate 20 horses. According to Churchill Downs statistics, only seven other owners in Derby history have run more horses than in the classic 1/4 mile.
Starlight Racing, founded in 2000 by the husband and wife team of Jack and Laurie Wolf, aims to compete at the highest levels of the sport, with an emphasis in recent years on horse racing. High achievers can become the last stallion. Few races have commercial value to a horse like the Derby.
Watch: Jack, Laurie Wolf reflect on Starlight Racing’s Kentucky Derby success
Starlight Racing is a two-time Run for the Roses champion, co-owner justification 2018 winner and co-owner Real , who won the postponed Derby due to the COVID-19 outbreak until the end of the summer from a position long held on the first Saturday in May. Both horses were named Horse of the Year, Justify after winning the Triple Crown 2018 and Authentic after attending the Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1) 2020.
“Wow, that was great with Justify,” recalls Laurie Wolf, speaking alongside Jack April 30 from Churchill Downs barn area. “He took us on the ride of a lifetime, witnessed all of that and then the crazy Preakness race as the fog rolled in, and then was lucky enough to be in Belmont and around the crowd and listen to them cheering home.
“And then Authentic was the year of COVID. So we had (the Derby in) September. It was a bit odd at the time, there was nobody here (no fans allowed due to health restrictions) I’m really not here. Jack has come. I’m still in Saratoga. I’ve been cheering for him since Saratoga.”
good magic in five of his first seven starts, topped by victory in Sham Stakes (G3) January 8 at Santa Anita . Park. With Baffert banned by Churchill Downs from having his horses qualify or race in the Kentucky Derby until this year because of a series of equine drug positives, most notably with Zedan Racing Stables’ Medina spirit during the 2021 Kentucky Derby, Reborn was transferred to Tim Yakteen in late February to pursue the Derby.
SF Racing, Starlight Racing, Madaket Stables, Robert Masterson, Stonestreet Stables, Jay Schoenfarber, Waves Edge Capital and Catherine Donovan own Reincarnation, and SF Racing’s Tom Ryan serves as the team’s managing partner.
Other ponies by these owners were also transferred and some were later returned to Baffert. Only Rebirth has earned enough Kentucky Derby qualifying points to make a $3 million Derby by finishing third in both the February 25 Rebel Stakes (G2) and the January 1st Arkansas Derby 4 (G1), both at Oaklawn Park. Yakteen qualified another 3-year-old to the Derby at Roger Beasley and Derby (G1) winners Leslie and Pierre Jean Amestory Jr. Realistic move who accompanied Yakteen in all seven of his startups.
Rebirth had an excuse in Rebellion when he underperformed and shut down midway on a sloppy track, before taking the lead in the Arkansas Derby following the win angel of the empire finished 4 3/4 of the length behind him and half the length of the runner-up King Russel . (The latter is unlikely to win the right to participate in the Derby due to insufficient qualifying points and income.)
Reincarnation will team up with Hall of Famer John Velazquez in Saturday’s race. Velazquez has won the Derby three times, the first with Animal Kingdom (2010) and followed by Always dreaming (2017) and Real (2020). He also crossed the first rope on board the Medina Spirit before being disqualified in relation to drugs, a ruling that is being appealed by Medina Spirit relationships.
(LR): Jack Wolf and John Velazquez last fall during Breeders’ Cup at Keeneland
Speaking with publisher Jennie Rees of the Kentucky Horsemen’s Protection and Benevolence Association, Velazquez said he hopes Reborn will be at peak fitness after missing out on some training during the wet winter and spring. unusually wet in Southern California.
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“The Derby is a tough race. In fact, it’s a really hard race to ride, for riders and horses,” said the 51-year-old equestrian.
No other rider in Saturday’s race has won the Derby three times. Only active jockeys Mike Smith (28 mounts) and the late Bill Shoemaker (26 mounts) have started in it more times.
Jack Wolf said: “We need a good tower; We have a great racer. “You know how this race goes – anything can happen.”
