Kentucky Derby Horses 2024: Epic Ride

Tuesday marked the first scratch of the 2024 Kentucky Derby when Encino was removed from the Run for the Roses due to fears of a soft tissue strain in his right foreleg. In Encino’s place comes Epic Ride, a 30-1 long shot to win the Derby, but we’ve seen crazier.

It took a number of defections and scratches for Epic Ride to reach this point. Encino was just the last domino to fall. Epic Ride wasn’t even first in line for a spot in the Derby. That belonged to the Common Defense. However, the Common Defense was discontinued due to a “minor problem”. That was the first departure Epic Ride needed. Well, it all came together and you can be sure that Welch Racing will benefit as much as possible from it.

Here’s everything you need to know about the 2024 Kentucky Derby racer, Epic Ride.

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Epic ride: trainer, jockey, owner and pedigree

Trainer: John Ennis

Jockey: Adam Beschizza

Owner: Welch Racing

Father: Guilt

Blame is known for having one of the most historic Churchill Downs performers of all time. Blame raced at Churchill Downs five different times, winning four times with one third-place finish. Blame’s most famous win at the venue was his win at the 2010 Breeders’ Cup Classic.

Dam: Choose a time

Bred: Kentucky

Epic Ride Record: Past Performance and Career Earnings

Performances from the past:

Date	Track	Race	Finish	Speed
12/8/23	Turfway Park	Special weight girl	2	87
1/5/24	Turfway Park	Special weight girl	1	N/A
2/2/24	Turfway Park	Leonatus insert	1	91
3/2/24	Turfway Park	John Battaglia Monument	2	94
4/6/24	Keeneland	Blue grass stakes	3	96

Epic Ride Career Races

Career earnings: $253,166

Epic ride: predictions, odds and analysis

Predictions: KentuckyDerby.com see a subtop 10

All but one of KentuckyDerby.com’s experts have Epic Ride in the top 10. The one exception is Vance Hanson, the writer of TwinSpires and KentuckyDerby.com. He lets Epic Ride slide to a No. 8 finish.

John Ennis: Epic Ride could surprise fans by the end of the year

Ennis is clearly biased since he is Epic Ride’s trainer. Ennis, however, provided some insight into Epic Ride and why the horse could turn serious heads at Churchill Downs during an interview Wednesday. Ennis claimed that Epic Ride performs better on dirt than on any synthetic materials, which is supported by Epic Ride’s strong third-place finish on real dirt at the Blue Grass Stakes in April. Epic Ride finished very close behind Derby favorites Sierra Leone and Just a Touch in that race, so perhaps similar surfaces and competition will bode well for Epic Ride bettors.

Chances: 30-1

Postal Code: 20

Kentucky Derby 2024: Last Field Opportunities

Looking for a bet: Bet on the Kentucky Derby with FanDuel

Odds via CBS Sports:

Ferocity (5-2)
Sierra Leone (3-1)
Catching Freedom (8-1)
Forever young (10-1)
Just a touch (10-1)
Dornoch (20-1)
Mystik Dan (20-1)
Plain steel (20-1)
Honor Marie (20-1)
Follow Phantom (20-1)
Stronghold (20-1)
Resilience (20-1)
Catalytic (30-1)
Epic ride (30-1)
TO Password (30-1)
Endless (30-1)
Domestic product (30-1)
Big Mo the First (50-1)
Society man (50-1)
Western Saratoga (50-1)

Kentucky Derby 2024: TV, streaming and where to watch

When: Saturday May 4
Coverage begins: 2:30 PM ET
Post time: 6:57 PM ET
Where: Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky
TV: NBC
Current: Peacock; YouTube TV; fuboTV

HOW TO WATCH: Watch the 2024 Kentucky Derby with a subscription to Peacock

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