“Irad’s riding in great form right now, so they just got to work it out,” Pletcher said. “I think his natural running style is to kind of settle and make one run like he has been doing, so we’re not looking to change that.”

Cox’s trio is a duo but still formidable

Cox entered three horses but is down to two after ruling out Fulleffort on Thursday because of a chip in the colt’s left hind ankle. Mark Casse’s Silent Tactic and Kenny McPeek’s Right to Party were also scratched, putting Great White, Ocelli and Robusta into the field on the far outside.

Commandment and Further Ado each has shown the ability to finish first in this deep class of 3-year-olds. Commandment has won four in a row, including the Florida Derby, while Further Ado bounced back from a lengthy absence and won the Blue Grass Stakes.

They will now face rivals who thrived all over the country.

“There’s a lot of talent, obviously, coming from different regions, whether it’s California, Florida, Louisiana, New York,” Cox said. “I do feel like the horses in Florida were definitely the strongest region this year.”

Bob Baffert’s Potente was second to So Happy in the Santa Anita Derby in Southern California, and Litmus Test comes from Oaklawn Park in Arkansas. Baffert is tied for the most Derby victories among trainers and can take sole possession of the record if one of his long shots comes through.

With Danon Bourbon and homebred Wonder Dean, Japan again has strong presence two years after Forever Young was a close third. The country is in search of its first Derby win.

No super horse?

It does not look like there is a super horse in this field who is capable of sweeping the Triple Crown like Justify in 2018 and American Pharoah in 2015.

“There’s by no means an American Pharoah in here, at least up to this point, going into the race,” Brown said. “Now, whoever wins this race and goes on, maybe one emerges and turns into one of the best 3-year-olds in the last few years. Who knows?”

The bigger question is whether any of them would get the chance, given the reluctance of owners and trainers to run a horse two weeks later in the Preakness Stakes, which this year takes place at Laurel Park while Pimlico Race Course is rebuilt. Two of the past four Kentucky Derby winners did not run in the Preakness, which could soon move from the third to the fourth weekend in May to attract more horses.

By STEPHEN WHYNO AP Sports Writer