No obvious superstars in this year’s edition. Early favorites are Cracksman, a Frankel son trained by John Gosden (who has five runners total), and Galileo son Cliffs of Moher (Aidan O’Brien).
Aidan O’Brien has six starters, four of whom are Galileo kids. O’Brien’s son Joseph has his first Derby starter as a trainer with Rekindling. Also of note is that son Donnacha O’Brien is the jockey for Venice Beach, and daughter Ana O’Brien is aboard The Anvil. Ana is the leading apprentice jockey in Ireland this season and will be just the third female jockey to start in the Derby.
In the “omg, wth are they thinking” category is maiden runner Diore Lia. The horse is running to raise money for charity, admirable, but he has no business in this race. He was almost a non-starter when the British Horseracing Authority ruled that the original listed jockey would not be able to ride due to lack of experience. Appears the connections found a last minute replacement, however.
While I would love to see Frankel get a Derby winner out of his first crop, I have to pull for The Anvil and Ana O! How cool would that be…
