After drawing post position 2 for Saturday’s Kentucky Derby (G1), WinStar Farm and Stonestreet Stable’s Carpe Diem was made the 8-1 third choice by veteran linesmaker Mike Battaglia.
Though trainer Todd Pletcher was hoping for something a little further from the rail, the veteran trainer was still upbeat, “In a perfect world, I would have liked to have been more toward the middle with Carpe Diem. But he’s a good gate horse and he’ll have to get away from there quickly. That’s pretty much true whatever your draw is in this race.”
Carpe Diem, who looked spectacular schooling in the Churchill Downs paddock on Wednesday afternoon, will be piloted by John Velazquez, who has been aboard for all five of the colt’s starts, which include wins in the Breeders’ Futurity (G1), Blue Grass S. (G1) and Tampa Bay Derby (G2).
