Full field of 20 entered for Kentucky Derby

[BangTheBook]

Full field of 20 entered for Kentucky Derby
May 4, 2005

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) -- Expected favorite Bellamy Road and four other horses trained by Nick Zito were among a full field of 20 3-year-olds entered Wednesday for the Kentucky Derby.

Zito, bidding for his third Derby win, also sends out High Fly, Noble Causeway, Sun King and Andromeda's Hero in Saturday's Derby.

Official odds and post positions were to be determined later Wednesday.

The field, in order of post-position selection, is: Bandini, Afleet Alex, Greeley's Galaxy, Flower Alley, High Limit, Giacomo, Noble Causeway, Wilko, Greater Good, Bellamy Road, Andromeda's Hero, Spanish Chestnut, High Fly, Don't Get Mad, Coin Silver, Sun King, Closing Argument, Sort It Out, Going Wild and Buzzards Bay.
The only other trainer to send out five starters in one Derby was D. Wayne Lukas, who did it in 1996 and won with Grindstone.

Since only 20 horses were entered, Illinois Derby winner Greeley's Galaxy also made the field. Owner B. Wayne Hughes paid a $200,000 supplemental entry fee because his colt wasn't nominated to the Triple Crown races. Had more than been 20 entered, the field would have been determined on graded-stakes earnings, but early Derby nominations are given preference over supplemental entries. Since the 20-horse rule began in 1984, the race has yet to reach the maximum. There have been 19 starters five times under the rule, most recently in 2000. Last year, 20 were entered but only 18 ran in the Derby after St. Averil and Wimbledon were late scratches.