2023 Kentucky Derby Post Positions, Entries, Odds and Predictions: Rocket Can
The 149th Kentucky Derby (G1) presented by Woodford Reserve will be run on Saturday, May 6, at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky. The purse is $3 million, with $1.86 million going to the winner. US Racing is profiling each horse in the field. The post-position draw is Monday, May 1. Profiles will be updated with post positions and odds following the draw.
By US Racing Team
With Rocket Can, Hall of Famer Bill Mott is looking for his second victory in the Kentucky Derby (G1).
This time, the 69-year-old trainer wants to enjoy the feeling of watching his horse cross the finish line first.
“We’ll keep trying until we do it,’’ Mott said in the days leading up to what would be his 12th Derby starter.
Mott won in historic fashion in 2019. Maximum Security finished first, but was disqualified for interference after a 21-minute inquiry and Mott’s runner-up, Country House, was declared the official winner. It was the first time a horse was DQ’d for an on-track infraction.
In Rocket Can, there’s a chance. The gray son of Into Mischief had a promising run on the Derby trail. He won the Holy Bull (G3) at Gulfstream in February, then finished second to Forte in the Fountain of Youth (G2) a month later.
In his final prep, the Arkansas Derby (G1), Rocket Can ran fourth after racing in mid-pack, was moved out wide, and then got caught in some traffic, finishing well behind winner Angel of Empire.
2023 Kentucky Derby Post Positions, Entries, Odds and Predictions: Rocket Can
Post position: 18
Odds: 30-1
Trainer: Bill Mott
Jockey: Junior Alvarado
Owner: Frank Fletcher Racing Operations Inc.
Career record: 7-2-2-0
Career earnings: $383,413
Derby qualifying points: 60 (10th)
Best Equibase speed figure: 99
Pedigree: Into Mischief-Tension, By Tapit
Color: Gray
Running style: Stalker
Notes: Junior Alvarado will ride in his fourth Derby –he was fourth aboard Mohayman in 2016, and 14th aboard both Enticed in 2018 and Tax in 2019 … Rocket Can was purchased for $245,000 at the Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Yearling sale in 2021.
| PP | Horse | Jockey | Trainer | Owner | Odds |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hit Show | Franco | Brad H. Cox | West, Gary and Mary | 30-1 |
| 2 | Verifying | Gaffalione | Brad H. Cox | Poulin, Jonathan, Westerberg, Magnier, Mrs. John, Smith, Derrick and Tabor, Michael B. | 15-1 |
| 3 | Two Phil’s | Loveberry | Larry Rivelli | Patricia’s Hope LLC and Sagan, Phillip | 12-1 |
| 4 | Conficence Game | Graham | J. Keith Desormeaux | Don’t Tell My Wife Stables | 20-1 |
| 5 | Tapit Trice | Saez | Todd A. Pletcher | Whisper Hill Farm, LLC and Gainesway Stable (Antony Beck) | 5-1 |
| 6 | Kinkngbarns | J. Ortiz | Todd A. Pletcher | Spendthrift Farm LLC | 12-1 |
| 7 | Reincartnate | Velazquez | Tim Yakteen | SF Racing LLC, Starlight Racing, Madaket Stables LLC, Masterson, Robert E., Stonestreet Stables LLC, Schoenfarber, Jay A., Waves Edge Capital LLC and Donovan, Catherine | 50-1 |
| 8 | Mage | Castellano | Gustavo Delgado | OGMA Investments, LLC, Restrepo, Ramiro, Sterling Racing LLC and CMNWLTH | 15-1 |
| SCR | Skinner | Hernandez | John A. Shirreffs | C R K Stable | 20-1 |
| SCR | Practical Move | Vazquez | Tim Yakteen | Amestoy, Jr., Pierre Jean, Amestoy, Leslie A. and Beasley, Roger K. | SCR |
| 9 | Disarm | Rosario | Steven M. Asmussen | Winchell Thoroughbreds LLC | 30/1 |
| 10 | Jace’s Road | Geroux | Brad H. Cox | West Point Thoroughbreds and Albaugh Family Stables LLC | 15-1 |
| 11 | Sun Thunder | Hernandez Jr | Kenneth G. McPeek | R.T Racing Stable and Cypress Creek Equine | 30-1 |
| 12 | Angel Of Empire | Prat | Brad H. Cox | Albaugh Family Stables LLC | 8-1 |
| 13 | Forte | I. Ortiz JR. | Todd A. Pletcher | Repole Stable and St. Elias Stable | 3-1 |
| 14 | Raise Can | Corrales | Ben Colebrook | Warren, Andrew and Warren, Rania | 15-1 |
| 15 | Derma Sotogake | Lemaire | Hidetaka Otonashi | Hiroyuki Asanuma | 10-1 |
| 16 | Rocket Can | Alvarado | William I. Mott | Frank Fletcher Racing Operations, Inc. | 15-1 |
| SCR | Lord Miles | Lopez | Todd A. Pletcher | Vegso Racing Stable | 30-1 |
| 17 | Continuar | Sakai | Yoshito Yahagi | Lion Race Horse Co. Ltd. | 50-1 |
| 18 | Cyclone Mischief | J. Rosario | D. Romans | Albaugh Family Stables LLC and Castleton Lyons. | 30-1 |
| 19 | Mandarin Hero | Kazushi Kimura | Terunobu Fujita | Hiroaki Arai. | 20-1 |
| 20 | King Russell | Rafael Bejarano | Ron Moquett | Jones, Brereton C. and Naber Racing, LLC | 50-1 |
The writing team at US Racing is comprised of both full-time and part-time contributors with expertise in various aspects of the Sport of Kings.
