Kentucky Derby Field Adjusted as Chip Honcho Withdraws; Litmus Test Moves In
LOUISVILLE, Ky. — The field for next Saturday’s Kentucky Derby changed slightly on the eve of the post‑position draw when Chip Honcho was withdrawn from consideration, clearing the way for Litmus Test to take the final spot in the starting gate.
The Derby drew 24 entrants, but only 20 are permitted to start. The remaining four—Great White, Ocelli, Robusta, and Corona de Oro—were placed on the also‑eligible list and would need a scratch before 9 a.m. Friday to gain entry.
Asmussen Redirects Chip Honcho to the Preakness
Chip Honcho, trained by Steve Asmussen, previously won the Gun Runner Stakes and finished second to Paladin in the Risen Star Stakes, but most recently ran fifth—beaten 11½ lengths by Emerging Market and Pavlovian—in the Louisiana Derby.
Asmussen had been undecided about running all week before opting out ahead of Saturday’s entry.
“Ultimately, I don’t have an excuse for a bad race in the Louisiana Derby,” Asmussen said. “Avoiding running in the Derby off that and pointing to the Preakness gives us a better chance to get back on track. When I talk about back on track, Chip Honcho is a horse that ran a 7 [Ragozin Sheet number] at 1 ⅛ miles in February—not a lot of them are capable of doing that.”
Asmussen added that Chip Honcho lacks the consistency he seeks and questioned how the colt might react to the massive Derby crowd of about 150,000, compared with the Preakness, which will be run this year at Laurel Park before a much smaller crowd of roughly 4,800.
“Put that under the common‑sense category,” Asmussen said.
Prior to the decision, Chip Honcho had turned in a five‑furlong work in 1:00.80 last Saturday at Churchill.
Baffert’s Litmus Test Secures Derby Berth
The scratch opened the door for Litmus Test, trained by six‑time Derby‑winning trainer Bob Baffert, who captured the Grade 2 Los Alamitos Futurity last December. This year, Litmus Test finished third in the Grade 2 Rebel Stakes and seventh in the Grade 1 Arkansas Derby.
Baffert removed blinkers for the Arkansas Derby but will reapply them for the Kentucky Derby. He named Martin Garcia as the rider; Garcia was up for Thursday’s gate work.
“We tried to change things up—took the blinkers off, tried to take him back—and he just didn’t run that day. I’d draw a line through that,” Baffert said. “If you go back, he has some good races. He’s a bit of a longshot—he should be. Blinkers are back on, and he worked really well the other day. If he hadn’t worked like that, I probably wouldn’t have entered him.”
Baffert also has Potente among this year’s Derby starters. Potente captured the San Felipe Stakes in his second career start before finishing second in the Santa Anita Derby.
Also‑Eligibles and Rider Notes
With Litmus Test’s addition, the four also‑eligible horses are, in order: Great White, Ocelli, Robusta, and Corona de Oro. They will join the field only if a scratch occurs before Friday’s 9 a.m. deadline.
At least one post‑draw scratch has occurred in each of the past five Derbies, including a record five scratches in 2023.
Among final riding assignments, Brian Hernandez Jr. will ride Six Speed, who’s secured a Derby spot, and hold Corona de Oro as his second call. Hernandez guided Mystik Dan to last year’s Kentucky Derby victory.
