2023 Kentucky Derby Post Positions, Entries, Odds and Predictions: Raise Cain

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

Super comfortable at his Keeneland home about 70 miles from Churchill Downs, Raise Cain is among the late arrivals, but trainer Ben Colebrook is feeling good about what will be his first shot at the Kentucky Derby (G1).

“He does great here at home,” Colebrook said. “He’s not a horse that has to be there. He raced there as a 2-year-old. He’ll have time to acclimate.”

Raise Cain posted his final breeze before the Derby at Keeneland on April 27, working 4 furlongs in 49 seconds with Gerardo Corrales aboard.

Winner of the Gotham Stakes (G3) at Aqueduct in March (50 Derby qualifying points), the son of Violence ran fifth in the Blue Grass (G1) at Keeneland in April, having a super wide trip and still running strong at the end – losing to a few rivals he’ll face in the Derby, including the 1-2 finishers, Tapit Trice and Verifying.

No worries, says Colebrook, the first trainer of Knicks Go until 2019, when the horse was moved to Brad Cox and went on to become the 2020 Horse of the Year.

“We already had the points … and we weren’t trying to have him have a hard race,’’ Colebrook said. “He certainly can improve in the Derby.”

Raise Cain ran eighth in his debut at Churchill Downs and has won two of seven career starts. Not the best statistics coming into the Derby, and a jockey choice remained up in the air until the last minute.

Riase Cain was purchased for $65,000 at the Ocala Breeders’ Sale in 2022 after selling for $180,00 at the Keeneland September yearling sale in 2021.

2023 Kentucky Derby Contenders: Raise Cain

Post position: 16

Odds: 50-1

Trainer: Ben Colebrook

Jockey: TBD

Owners: Andrew N. Warren, Rania Warren

Career record: 7-2-1-1

Career earnings: $296,328

Derby qualifying points: 64 (9^th)

Best Equibase speed figure: 93

Pedigree: Violence-Lemon Belle, by Lemon Drop Kid

Color: Bay

Running style: Closer

Notes: Won the Gotham by more than 7 lengths at 23-1 odds …  Colebrook trained Knicks Go, who won the Breeders’ Futurity (G1) in 2018 and ran second in the BC Juvenile (G1) before being transferred to trainer Brad Cox in November 2019 … Colebrook has been training since 2012, with his biggest win coming in the Breeders’ Futurity … The owners have been racing since 2020 and Raise Cain is their first graded stakes winner.