Kentucky Derby 2020 Odds: Thousand Words

THOUSAND WORDS HORSE PROFILE

By Ed McNamara

Thousand Words Horse

Thousand Words – Photo Courtesy of Santa Anita

Made a surprising jump back onto the Derby trail with his front-running upset of Honor A.P. in the 1 1/16-mile Shared Belief.

After Thousand Words lost three straight by a total of 44 lengths, trainer Bob Baffert said Thousand Words got his mojo back.

He was 3-for-3 lifetime before the slump. Problem: He’s 0-for-2 at 1 1/8 miles, including a four-length loss to stablemate Uncle Chuck, whom Tiz the Law blew away in the Travers.

Likely to fade after a mile or so. Don’t bet on him.

Odds: TBD

Post position: TBD

Jockey: Florent Geroux

Trainer: Bob Baffert

Owner: Albaugh Family Stables LLC, Spendthrift Farm LLC

Career record: 7-4-1-0

Career earnings: $327,000

Top Equibase speed figure: 107

Kentucky Derby points: 83 (7th)

Pedigree: PioneerOf the Nile-Pomeroys by Pistol-Pomeroy

Color: Bay

Running style: Front-runner/stalker

Notes: Baffert is going for a record-equaling sixth Derby victory (he also sends out Authentic). Ben “Plain Ben” Jones won six – from 1938-1952 … Baffert has saddled 32 Derby starters previously – third on the trainer’s list behind Todd Pletcher and D. Wayne Lukas … Florent Geroux will be aboard Thousand Words for the first time; he will be riding in his fifth Derby (his best finish was aboard Gun Runner, who was third in 2014).

(US Racing’s Kentucky Derby coverage will include profiles of the horses listed as probable for the race on Saturday, Sept. 5. Each day until the post-position draw on Tuesday, Sept. 1, US Racing will publish selected profiles of the contenders.)

2020 Kentucky Derby

Horse Trainers Jockey
Tiz the Law Barclay Tagg Manny Franco
Authentic Bob Baffert John Velazquez
Art Collector Tom Drury Brian Hernandez, Jr.
Honor A.P. John Sherriffs Mike Smith
Ny Traffic Saffie Joseph, Jr Paco Lopez
King Guillermo Juan Carlos Avilla Samy Camacho
Thousand Words Bob Baffert Florent Geroux
Dr Post Todd Pletcher Tyler Gaffalione
Max Player Steve Asmussen Ricardo Santana, Jr.
Enforceable Mark Casse Adam Beschizza
Rushie Michael McCarthy TBD
Major Fed Greg Foley James Graham
Storm the Court Peter Eurton Julien Leparoux
Attachment Rate Dale Romans Joe Talamo
Sole Volante Patrick Biancone Luca Panici
Finnick the Fierce Rey Hernandez Martin Garcia
Winning Impression Dallas Stewart Joe Rocco, Jr.
Necker Island Chris Hartman Miguel Mena
Shirl’s Speight Roger Attfield Corey Lanerie