Grab a bottle of the good stuff and break off some mint sprigs, as it is Julep time! It is the first Saturday of May, and this means the kickoff of horse racing’s Triple Crown is set for today. A full complement of races is scheduled Satruday, culminating in the biggest race in this country, The Kentucky Derby. And while this race - and the sport in general - is steeped heavily in bourbon and the 15th state, another one is featured heavily in this year’s post positions.

Looking across the field of horses, Florida figures prominently, be it the provenance of the thoroughbreds, the races that earned them a spot, or the people behind the steeds. One horse in particular - Catalytic - is owned by Florida racing figures, and trains and races in the state, as well. It won at Gulfstream Park as a 2-year-old and qualified for the field with a second-place finish in the Florida Derby. All told, five entrants qualified via Florida races, at least 12 horses have breeding or training from the state, in addition to staff and/or riders living there.

This year’s slate of horses looks to be divided into three parts; a clutch of favorites, a clutch of contenders, and then the longshots filling out the field. One notable absence is part of this year’s running.

The horse Muth has had a great season, running in six races with four wins and a pair of place finishes. But he is trained by Bob Baffert who is serving a suspension at Churchill Downs, after he was hit with the ban in 2021 when the winner Medina failed a drug test. The decision is murky, given it was over a steroid that is permitted in Kentucky, but it cannot be present on race day. Baffert contends it had been used externally to treat a skin problem, but the suspension has been upheld, with the racing commission citing other cases involving the trainer. Muth will be seen later in May, running in the Preakness.

For today, there are two clear favorites, with each challenged by pole position. The morning favorite is Fierceness (5/2), winner of the Florida Derby, but he needs to conquer a curse; he will be coming out of the number 17 gate, a number that has never delivered a Kentucky Derby winner. Meanwhile at 3-1 is Sierra Leone, leaving from the number 2 slot, which could provide an early challenge with traffic. He carries a 3-1-0 record for the last four runs, losing only by a nose one time. He has trained at Florida facilities, and additionally, his jockey comes from the city of Davie, in South Florida.

Others worth looking at today:

Rain is a possibility today, but sloppy track conditions are not expected to impact the betting line significantly. Both of the favorites have won in those conditions. For the full day of coverage and the full slate of 14 races, the broadcast from Louisville begins on NBC and Peacock streaming at 2:30 p.m. EDT. The Kentucky Derby post time is 6:57 p.m. EDT