It’s Triple Crown season again, ladies and gentlemen. It’s time to check out which horses to watch out for in the upcoming 2023 Kentucky Derby, including the sleepers, of course. Speaking of which, we will take a look at three horses that are not the favorites but we think have a serious chance of making loud noises at Churchill Downs this coming Saturday at this year’s edition of the Run for the Roses.
Sired by Uncle Mo out of the Tapit mare Lady Tapit, Kingsbarns is coming into the 2023 Kentucky Derby riding a wave of momentum. After all, it has won all of its three races so far in its career. The last time it hit the tracks competitively, Kingsbarns won the Grade 2 Lousiana Derby. Don’t sleep on Kingsbarns.
If you’re looking to lay money on a horse with a little longer odds to win the 2023 Kentucky Derby, Verifyingcould be the one for you. Verifying has won two races, though, none of those victories happened at a graded stakes event. That being said, Verifying is coming off a second-place finish at the Blue Grass Stakes Grade 1 which was won by a Kentucky Derby favorite in Tapit Trice.
Coming out of Japan, Mandarin Hero and trained by Terunobu Fujita, Mandarin Hero showed some chops when it finished runner-up at the RUNHAPPY Santa Anita Derby back in April, which was also won by fellow Kentucky Derby entrant Practical Move. Although Mandarin Hero did not win that contest at Santa Anita, Fujita got so excited enough to say “We’re going to the Kentucky Derby!” Fujita also said that he was impressed with his horse’s acceleration during that race, while noting that its’ a quality that he’s always observed of Mandarin Hero.
