Larry Demeritte, a Bahamian trainer, is preparing for his first Kentucky Derby with long-shot horse West Saratoga, who is staying in the same barn where Seattle Slew was before his Triple Crown win in 1977. Demeritte, who was diagnosed with cancer in 1996 and underwent chemotherapy, is the second Black trainer since 1951 to have a horse in the Derby. He is grateful for the opportunity and believes in buying good horses cheap, like West Saratoga, who was purchased for $11,000 and has earned $460,140. The horse’s owner, Harry Veruchi, is excited to be at the Kentucky Derby and did not expect to be in this position after buying his first horse in 1982.
Jesus Castanon, the jockey for West Saratoga, previously finished fourth in the 2011 Derby aboard Shackleford. Despite leading at the eighth pole, they were overtaken by Animal Kingdom. Demeritte, who has run horses on the Derby undercard in the past, feels blessed to have this opportunity with West Saratoga. The horse has never run on a wet track, but his sire, Exaggerator, excelled in the 2016 Derby on a sloppy track before winning the Preakness and the Haskell. With a 43% chance of rain forecasted for Derby day, Demeritte is hopeful that people will be inspired by their story and become interested in horse racing.
Black trainers were dominant in the early years of the Kentucky Derby, winning seven of the first 17 races from 1875-1891. However, there has been a significant gap since then, with Demeritte only being the second Black trainer since 1951 to have a horse in the Derby. He follows in the footsteps of Hank Allen, who finished sixth with Northern Wolf in 1989. Demeritte’s journey to the Derby has been a challenging one, but he remains grateful for every moment and is focused on making the most of this opportunity with West Saratoga. The horse is described as getting better with every start and matching up with some of the best horses Demeritte has been around.
West Saratoga is named after the street where owner Harry Veruchi grew up in Littleton, Colorado, near the now-closed Centennial Race Track. Veruchi, who bought his first horse in 1982 and had immediate success, did not anticipate being at the Kentucky Derby or winning a graded stake. With only 11 horses in his stable at The Thoroughbred Center in Lexington, Demeritte has high hopes for West Saratoga and believes the horse has the potential to make an impact at the Derby. The group’s only Derby experience comes from Castanon, who finished fourth in 2011 and is eager for another shot at victory.
Despite the challenges and obstacles he has faced, Demeritte remains optimistic and hopeful about West Saratoga’s chances at the Kentucky Derby. The horse has shown promise and potential, and Demeritte is grateful for the opportunity to showcase their talents on this big stage. With the legacy of Black trainers in the Derby’s history and his own personal journey, Demeritte hopes to inspire others to pursue their dreams and get involved in the sport of horse racing. The significance of being at the same barn where Seattle Slew was before his historic victory adds to the excitement and meaning of this experience for Demeritte and his team.
