Can Emerging Market make Kentucky Derby history, win for Chad Brown?

Yahoo Sports3h ago16 min readOriginal source →

TL;DR

Chad Brown is entering Emerging Market in the Kentucky Derby, despite the horse's limited racing experience. Brown, a two-time Preakness winner, expresses confidence in his undefeated colt's potential to make history.

Key points

Chad Brown is entering Emerging Market in the Kentucky Derby.
Emerging Market has only raced twice in his career.
Brown has won the Preakness Stakes twice.
Brown expresses confidence in Emerging Market's abilities.

Mentioned in this story

Chad Brown

Kentucky DerbyPreakness Stakes

Chad Brown isn’t one to suffer from “Kentucky Derby Fever.”

To wit, he’s twice won the Preakness — Cloud Computing in 2017 and Early Voting in 2022 — with horses who had qualified for the Kentucky Derby but skipped it.

So it may come as a surprise to see Brown in this year’s Kentucky Derby with a horse, Emerging Market, who has raced just twice in his career.

Or maybe it’s a sign of Brown’s confidence in his undefeated colt.

“I’ve been beaten in this race by horses that weren’t nearly as good as Emerging Market, plain and simple,” Brown said. “They’re not this caliber. So why sit out when there’s a chance another long shot can win?”

Emerging Market may not have the extensive résumé of a Renegade or Commandment or Further Ado, but he shouldn’t be overlooked for the Kentucky Derby on May 2 at Churchill Downs — even if history is against him.

Only one horse ever has won the Kentucky Derby after entering the race with just two career starts, and you have to go back to 1883 (Leonatus) to find him.

Buy tickets here for Kentucky Derby 152