STEVE ASMUSSEN reckons he can finally end one of horse-racing’s most bizarre jinxes – with a 45-1 win in the Kentucky Derby.
No trainer has won more victories across North America than Asmussen – yet none have had so many Kentucky entrants as him WITHOUT winning.
Asmussen has seen all 26 of his Run for the Roses starters fail to triumph over the years.
Three of his horses did come second – Nehro (2011), Lookin At Lee (2017) and Epicenter (2022) – and two finished third.
But as the 151st Kentucky Derby approaches on May 3, the 59-year-old has yet to lift the ultimate prize – despite being inducted into the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame back in 2016.
This time Asmussen has two contestants, both of whom he believes have a real chance.
Louisiana Derby winner Tiztastic is rated at around 20/1 and is the current seventh favourite.
But Arkansas Derby runner-up Publisher is arguably an even more intriguing contender, even with odds about the 45-1 mark.
Publisher winning would write a major page in the history of the Run for the Roses.
That’s because he’d become only the fourth maiden ever to achieve that feat.
And the last was 92 years ago!
The triumphant trio were Buchanan (1884), Sir Barton (1919), and Brokers Tip (1933).
Publisher is the three-year-old son of American Pharoah and he’s faced top-class opposition in all his seven races.
And Asmussen is also excited by the colt’s calm manner.
He said: “The thing about Publisher that gives you unbelievable confidence is what kind of a horse he is to run.
“He is going to be the easiest horse that we’ve ever saddled in the Derby, as far as how he takes the surroundings and just his personality. He’s not going to waste an ounce of energy.”
And with Tiztastic much higher up in the odds, Asmussen insists he is buoyant ahead of the big race.
He said: “Extremely pleased with where we’re at today…
“Feel extremely fortunate to have two horses that are doing so well physically right now. …
“We’re very comfortable with the distance of the Derby with both of these horses.”
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