2023 Kentucky Derby Post Positions,Entries, Odds and Predictions: Tapit Trice

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

Third time lucky?

The all-time leading sire by progeny earnings, Tapit has yet to find a Kentucky Derby winner. His best finishes were in 2019 and 2021 with Tacitus and Essential Quality, respectively.

Tapit Trice’s connections are optimistic their gray colt will be the one to break through this year. After all, he already made his mark by becoming the 100^th stakes winner for his sire with his victory in the Tampa Bay Derby (G3).

Chestnut as a foal, the now-gray colt was purchased for a hefty $1.3 million by Whisper Hill Farm at the Keeneland September yearling sales. He debuted at Aqueduct Racetrack in the fall of 2022, unleashing his patented late charge after an eventful trip to finish third, and has yet to lose. His latest triumph came in the Blue Grass at Keeneland Race Course, where, after a typically slow start, he collared Verifying in the final 110 yards to win by a neck.

“Yeah [slow out of the gate], that’s him,” said trainer Todd Pletcher, who sent Tapit Trice out for a half-mile breeze in 48:60 on April 21 at Churchill Downs. “We’re not going to make him into a quick horse. The distances, as they stretch out, we always felt like that would make him better. I think [the 1 1/4-mile Kentucky Derby distance] is right in his wheelhouse.”

2023 Kentucky Derby Entries: Tapit Trice

Post position: 5

Odds: 5-1

Trainer: Todd Pletcher

Jockey: Luis Saez

Owners: Whisper Hill Farms LLC, Gainesway Stable (Antony Beck)

Career record: 5-4-0-1

Career earnings: $883,650

Derby qualifying points: 150 (4th)

Best Equibase speed figure: 103

Pedigree: Tapit-Danzatrice, by Dunkirk

Color: Gray

Running style: Closer

Notes: His name comes from a combination of his parents’ names, Tapit and Danzatrice … His erstwhile “relatives” in the Derby field are Kingsbarns, Rocket Can, Disarm and Hit Show, all of whom have Tapit as their maternal grandsire … Tapit Trice is the great-great grandson and great-great-great grandson of Triple Crown winners in Seattle Slew (1977) and Secretariat (1973) …  He would become the first gray to win the Derby since Giacomo in 2005 … Jockey Luis Saez was aboard Maximum Security when he crossed the finish line first in the 2019 Derby but was DQ’d.