LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — If Larry Demeritte is on the lookout for a optimistic signal heading into his first Kentucky Derby as a coach, it’s proper the place his horse is assigned.
Lengthy-shot West Saratoga is staying in Barn 42 at Churchill Downs, the identical location the place Seattle Slew was earlier than he received the 1977 Derby and went on to brush the Triple Crown. It was the primary Derby that Demeritte attended.
Now, he’s the second Black coach since 1951 to be saddling a horse within the one hundred and fiftieth Derby on Saturday. The opposite, Hank Allen, completed sixth with Northern Wolf in 1989.
Black trainers dominated the Derby’s early years, successful seven of the primary 17 from 1875-1891.
“We’re so grateful to be right here and having fun with each single minute,” Demeritte mentioned.
Every thing is significant to the 74-year-old from the Bahamas since he was recognized with most cancers in 1996 and underwent chemotherapy. His father was a coach within the islands and Dermeritte nonetheless carries the accent of his house nation, the place he was main coach for 2 years.
“My motto is, `I don’t purchase low-cost horses. I purchase good horses low-cost,’” he mentioned, smiling.
Bought for $11,000, West Saratoga is the satisfaction of Demeritte’s 11-horse steady at The Thoroughbred Heart in close by Lexington. The colt has earned $460,140.
“He’s getting higher with each begin,” he mentioned. “I’ve been round loads of good horses and this horse actually matches as much as loads of them.”
The most costly horse within the 20-horse Derby subject is morning-line second alternative Sierra Leone, bought for $2.3 million.
Beneficial Tales
It’s the primary Derby for proprietor Harry Veruchi.
“I purchased my first horse in 1982, and two weeks later he received at Centennial Race Observe in Littleton, Colorado,” Veruchi mentioned. “I believed, that is straightforward. And now, to be right here, who would have thought it? I don’t know anyone who has been within the Kentucky Derby and even anyone who has received a graded stake.”
West Saratoga is known as for the road in Littleton the place Veruchi grew up. It’s situated six blocks from the Centennial monitor, which closed in 1983.
The one one with any Derby expertise of their group is jockey Jesus Castanon. He completed fourth aboard Shackleford in 2011. They set the tempo and led on the eighth pole solely to be overtaken by eventual winner Animal Kingdom.
“I believed I used to be going to win it,” Castanon mentioned. “In my thoughts, I used to be going loopy.”
Demeritte has run horses on the Derby undercard in previous years.
“I’ve been training,” he mentioned, his smile exposing the hole in his entrance enamel. “I used to hope to get to the Derby. I really feel like I’m blessed with this horse.”
Demeritte has his eyes on the sky for Saturday, when the forecast requires a 43% likelihood of rain. The grey colt has by no means run on a moist monitor, however his sire did.
Exaggerator was runner-up within the 2016 Derby and went on to win the Preakness and the Haskell. Each of these races had been run on sloppy tracks.
“That is actually wonderful how we obtained to this place with this horse,” Demeritte mentioned. “I’m hopeful individuals will see our story and change into on this sport as a result of this horse is proving anybody with a dream could make it to the Derby stage.”
