John Clay: Even without Bob Baffert, Kentucky Derby 2024 boasts star power worthy of the roses

Domestic Product’s races have featured slow pace scenarios, one that isn’t likely Saturday. Just a Touch is lightly raced but held tight to the quick Blue Grass fractions and is the son of 2018 Triple Crown winner Justify, off to a hot start at stud.

Trained by Louisville native Whit Beckman, Honor Marie is coming off a second-place finish to Catching Freedom in the Louisiana Derby. He turned in a bullet :59 1/5 work over 5 furlongs last Friday at Churchill and has looked good in his gallops.

Then there is the Japanese colt Forever Young, unbeaten in five races, including the Grade 2 UAE Derby. Yet T O Password earned better marks when the two invaders worked Tuesday at the track. Though many believe that a Japanese starter will one day win the Kentucky Derby, that day has yet to arrive.

There are plenty of sentimental stories in this year’s Kentucky Derby, as well.

Jeff Ruby Steaks runner-up West Saratoga’s Larry Demeritte is the Derby’s first Bahamas-born trainer as well as a cancer survivor. The 88-year-old D. Wayne Lukas has his 50th Derby starter in Arkansas Derby runner-up Just Steel. Grade 2 Wood Memorial winner Resilience is trained by Bill Mott, who won the 2019 Derby with Country House. Mott’s son Riley and wife Megan lost their 2-year-old daughter Margot to cancer in January.

There are also the usual question marks. Endlessly has won five of six starts, but has never raced on dirt for trainer Mike McCarthy. Stronghold won a thrilling Grade 1 Santa Anita Derby, but the California crop has not performed well in recent Derby years without Baffert. Fountain of Youth winner Dornoch has been battling hoof problems.

Churchill Downs is also featuring its new $200 million paddock. And after last year’s spate of equine deaths cast a cloud over Derby week, the track worked with HISA to alter the composition of the racing surface, improve maintenance equipment and increase oversight.

The Baffert controversy continues as an unavoidable storyline, but it’s still the Kentucky Derby. The 150th Kentucky Derby, in fact. And a star will be born at horse racing’s premiere event. That hasn’t changed.