Summary
One significant factor impacting how the horses perform in the Kentucky Derby is their trainers. That’s why when choosing a derby contender to bet on, you should check out the trainers on top of the horse’s past performance and their jockeys.
In this year’s Kentucky Derby race, multiple names stood out among the others. If you are choosing a horse to bet on based on the trainers, then you must choose horses trained by these five popular and award-winning trainers in the upcoming Kentucky Derby.
Todd Pletcher
The first on the list of popular trainers joining the 2023 Kentucky Derby is Todd Pletcher, the trainer of the race favorite Forte. Forte performed excellently in all of the derby prep races he entered.
Thanks to his trainer Todd Pletcher, he maintained an undefeated record in the Road to the Kentucky Derby. Pletcher is referred to as America’s most accomplished inductee of the National Museum of Racing Hall of Fame. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2021, and many were surprised that he isn’t a member yet.
Aside from being inducted into the Hall of Fame, Pletcher has also won eight Eclipse Awards for Outstanding Horse Trainer of the Year. He also won twice in the Kentucky Derby in 201 and 2017.
If you plan on banking for a Todd Pletcher horse, you should check out the Kentucky Derby TVG contenders under Pletcher’s training. He has multiple horses that qualified for the Kentucky Derby, which you should watch out for.
Brad Cox
Brad Cox is among the well-known best trainers of this time, alongside Todd Pletcher and Bob Baffert. Cox is already an achiever at a young age, so he still has so many achievements and awards for achieving.
He already accumulated lifetime earnings of $141,260,608. This year alone, he earned $7,989,383 and has a 27% winning rate. Cox has also won the Eclipse Award for Outstanding Trainer twice.
His horse, Angel of Empire, is number three on the Road to the Kentucky Derby leaderboard with 154 points and is one of the favorites this year. If you are a huge fan of Brad Cox and have followed his success, you might want to wager on his horses in the Kentucky Derby race.
Tim Yakteen
Trainer Tim Yakteen’s name was all over the news since last year when he decided to take on Bob Baffert’s horses under his wings after the latter hot suspended. Yakteen worked for Baffert in the past. That’s why the two trainers know each other pretty well.
Although he is still new to the horse training industry, his horses have already shown promising performances in the Road to the Kentucky Derby. Yakteen still hasn’t gotten any significant awards as a trainer, but based on how he handles his horses, he’ll surely get one soon.
Tim Yakteen has multiple entries to the Kentucky Derby, with one of his horses considered one of the favorites. Check out his horse’s past performance and see for yourself if they are worth betting for.
Chad Brown
Another award-winning horse trainer who trained champions is Chad Brown. He won four Eclipse Awards, won in the Breeders’ Cup three times, and the Preakness Stakes twice. In addition to that achievements, he also won tons of Major Grade Stakes throughout his training career.
Brown already had a passion for horses since he was young. He grew up attending the summer meet in the Saratoga Race Course with his entire family. He also has multiple horses who qualified for the Kentucky Derby, which is worth checking out, especially if you’re betting on the derby this year.
His best shot of winning the 2023 Kentucky Derby is Blazing Sevens, currently at the 18th spot on the Road to the Kentucky Derby leaderboard. Blazing Sevens participated in four derby prep races and won once.
Kenneth McPeek
The last trainer on the list is Kenneth McPeek. He won multiple Major Stakes races since he became a professional horse trainer. Although Kentucky Derby isn’t on the list, his wins include the Preakness Stakes and Belmont Stakes.
Additionally, he also won multiple major derby prep races like the Louisiana Derby, Blue Grass Stakes, and the like. His horse Sun Thunder is his official entry to the 2023 Kentucky Derby and is his only shot at taking home the Kentucky Derby championship title.
Although his horse isn’t considered one of the favorites, it is among the long-shot horses that bettors can benefit from. You can check out the current odds of the derby contenders, and you’ll see how much you can earn by wagering on Kenneth McPeek’s horse.
Trainers Are Vital Human Connections
The trainers are among the vital human connection a racehorse can have. They are the ones who help horses achieve their greatest potential and become a champion. So, if you are looking for a winning horse to bet on, you should also take time to look into their trainers and conduct in-depth research.
