The 150th Kentucky Derby (G1) is Saturday, May 4, at Churchill Downs, offering a record $5 million purse. The field is limited to 20 starters based on Derby qualifying points from dozens of prep races.
Chad Brown trains standout Sierra Leone and this colt, a Derby longshot.
Domestic Product’s speed figures are quite light and he’s coming off an eight-week layoff, two major disadvantages.
“I don’t know that training a horse this far away from the Kentucky Derby gives you the best chance to win the race, and that’s what we want to do,” Brown said. “He’s got enough points to run in the Derby, and we really want to get him in with a chance to win.”
Domestic Product rallied gamely March 9 to take the 1 1/16-mile Tampa Bay Derby by a neck in a plodding 1:45.47.
“He got good seasoning today,” Brown said after the race. “He had to rate and was pulling a little bit off a slow pace. I was really impressed with his heart and the fact he got his nose down on the wire.”
His other 3-year-old race also was encouraging, second by two lengths to Hades in the Holy Bull Stakes. Domestic Product was 1½ lengths ahead of early Derby favorite Fierceness, the 2-year-old champ who dominated the Florida Derby by 13½ lengths in his next start.
Conclusion: Although Domestic Product has had moments, his body of work doesn’t point to running big on May 4.
Tampa Bay Derby winner DOMESTIC PRODUCT is on the track for the 1st time under the #TwinSpires for trainer Cad Brown. pic.twitter.com/DbazrVcDnm
— TwinSpires Racing (@TwinSpires) April 24, 2024
Betting advice: Brown excels with long layoffs, but the odds are stacked against Domestic Product. Toss him out.
Post position: 14
Odds: 30/1
Jockey: Irad Ortiz Jr.
Trainer: Chad Brown
Owner: Klaravich Stables
Career record: 5-2-1-0
Career earnings: $314,200
Most recent race: Tampa Bay Derby, March 9 (1st)
Top Equibase speed figure: 92
Pedigree: Practical Joke-Goods and Services, by Paynter
Color: Dark bay
Running style: Mid-pack stalker
Notes: Brown, a future Hall of Famer, won the Eclipse Award as leading trainer in four consecutive years (2016-2019). He has never won the Derby or the Belmont Stakes, but he's won the Preakness twice ... Tyler Gaffalione was on Domestic Product in his last two races, but he also rides Sierra Leone, so Brown will need another jockey.
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