Few things in horse racing have a larger impact on the outcome besides the horse itself than the trainer.  This person is saddled with making sure that the horse is fit and ready to run its best when it hit the race of choice.  Of course, when it comes to the Kentucky Derby there is no bigger race in horse racing so we know that these trainers are trying to have that horse placed as good as possible for the run for the roses.  The reason I bring that up is that in many cases races leading up to a big race can serve many purposes and so watching to see how a trainer is planning to use that race can be as much about handicapping the race as any other.  With the Derby, we don’t have to worry about that.  One win and that trainer will be on the air for quite some time and earn himself quite a bit of money in subsequent years.

So, now that we know the trainers are targeting this race for a huge effort from their horse, why do we care?  Well as I stated above, a trainer has a large impact on that horse being ready to run large.  And this horse racing system of using the trainer as a key limiter to the field can be very profitable.  What we ideally want is to see a trainer that has been there before and doesn’t get all caught up in the pomp and circumstance of it all.  With that in mind, let’s look at three of the largest trainers in the horse racing game and understand why we should always be wary of their horses coming into this race.

D Wayne Lukas

When this guy enters a horse into the Derby, you had better take not.  He has 4 Kentucky Derby wins under his belt and boasts the largest number of Derby entrants in the history of the sport.  In addition, he has also amassed wins in every other major horse race on the planet with 5 Preakness Stakes wins, 4 Belmont Stakes with and 18 Breeders Cup races.  With all this he was inducted easily into the Horse Racing Hall of Fame.  If he enters a horse you had better stand up and take not.

Bob Baffert

Another monster in the horse racing game, Baffert boasts a resume that is nearly as impressive as Lukas’.  He has won the Kentucky Derby 4 times and has won 2 legs of the triple crown on 4 separate occasions.   When it comes to horse racing he knows his business and you would be well served to make note of his entrants.  And don’t be afraid to bet one of his entrants that no one is talking about.  That has been a good angle in Derby’s gone by.

Todd Pletcher

The rap on Pletcher is that he has never won the Derby.  After learning to ply his trade under the tutelage of the immortal D. Wayne Lukas Pletcher struck out on his own to make his own path.  His success is quite impressive as he has won the training titles at Gulfstream Park, Keeneland, Aqueduct, Saratoga, Belmont, and Monmouth Park.  In addition he has won the Belmont with the filly Rags To Riches that few gave a legitimate chance given the length of the race.

So there you have the 3 most illustrious trainers in the game today.  When you are handicapping your yearly look at the Derby make sure you know where these trainers are and what their horses look like.