The 140th Kentucky Derby is Saturday at 6:24 p.m. ET, but it’s the 11th race of the day at Louisville’s Churchill Downs. The Derby undercard races have increased in popularity in recent years, and the races have gotten better because of it. The undercard now includes two Grade 1 Stakes and three Grade 2 stakes.
Kentucky Derby 2014 undercard: The first Saturday in May is full of races at Churchill Downs
Derby fans and Derby-goers will have more than just the one race to see Saturday.
Jerry Lai-USA TODAY Sports
The most notable race may be Race 8, the American Turf Stakes, because of one entrant. Big Bazinga was 22nd in points standings for Kentucky Derby qualification, and instead of entering the field with hopes of qualifying for the race after a scratch, trainer Katerina Vassileva entered him in the American Turf, hoping for a strong finish in hopes of qualifying for the Preakness Stakes on May 20.
Still, Big Bazinga is not favored. He’s at 12-1 odds, behind 4-1 favorite Storming Inti.
Both Grade 1 stakes on the undercard are for 4-year-old horses and up, so none will feature hopefuls to get more points in hopes of qualifying for the other two Triple Crown races.
Two-time defending Horse of the Year, Wise Dan, will race in Race 10, the Woodford Reserve Turf Classic Stakes. Wise Dan is the heavy favorite in the race at 4-5.
Below is a table of each of the races at Churchill Downs on Saturday. Race Nos. 1-5, 12 and 13 are not named.
| Race, surface | Post time | Purse | Distance | Morning line favorite (odds) |
| Race 1, dirt | 10:30 a.m. ET | $40,000 | 1 mile | Doctor Peter (3-1) |
| Race 2, dirt | 11:01 a.m. | $65,000 | 1 1/16 miles | Rockford (3-1) |
| Race 3, dirt | 11:31 a.m. | $60,000 | 6 furlongs | Coastal Moon (3-1) |
| Race 4, turf | 12:04 p.m. | $65,000 | 1 1/16 miles | Kyriaki, 3-1 |
| Race 5, dirt | 12:38 p.m. | $65,000 | 7 furlongs | Watery Moon (3-1) |
| Race 6: Churchill Distaff Turf Mile Stakes (G2), turf | 1:19 p.m. | $300,000 | 1 mile | Centre Court (7-5) |
| Race 7: Humana Distaff Stakes (G1), dirt | 2:08 p.m. | $300,000 | 7 furlongs | Midnight Lucky (5-2) |
| Race 8: American Turf Stakes (G2), turf | 2:59 p.m. | $250,000 | 1 1/16 miles | Storming Inti (4-1) |
| Race 9: Churchill Downs Stakes (G2), dirt | 3:46 p.m. | $400,000 | 7 furlongs | Shakin It Up (7-2) |
| Race 10: Woodford Reserve Turf Classic Stakes (G1), turf | 4:44 p.m. | $500,000 | 1 1/8 miles | Wise Dan (4-5) |
| Race 11: Kentucky Derby, dirt | 6:24 p.m. | $2,000,000 | 1 1/4 miles | California Chrome (5-2) |
| Race 12, dirt | 7:20 p.m. | $70,000 | 6 furlongs | Bull Dozer (3-1) |
| Race 13, dirt | 7:50 p.m. | $60,000 | 1 1/16 miles | Party Time (3-1) |
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