Steve Asmussen Looks To Finally Win The Kentucky Derby

Written By Darren Cooper on April 28, 2022 - Last Updated on May 22, 2023

Steve Asmussen’s horse training resume is incredible.

He has the most wins by any North American trainer.

He’s a member of the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame and a two-time winner of the Eclipse Award for Outstanding Trainer.

That resume has one giant hole.

Asmussen, 56, who makes his home in Texas, has never won the Kentucky Derby.

He has sent 23 horses to the starting gate at Churchill Downs since 2000. None have come back a winner.

The 148th running of the Kentucky Derby is Saturday, May 7, post time 6:45 p.m. Official odds will be released next Tuesday. Asmussen has one of this year’s favorites in the Derby, Epicenter, the winner of the Louisiana Derby.

Will the 24th time be the charm for Asmussen? Here’s a look back at the heartbreaking runs for Asmussen under the Twin Spires.

Although Kentucky sports betting isn’t yet legal, horse racing enthusiasts can bet on their favorite to win the Kentucky Derby. And you can do so online through the FanDuel Racing horse betting app.

2007: Curlin’s destiny

Looking back on it now, Asmussen probably had the best horse in the Kentucky Derby field in 2007. He just didn’t run a good race.

Curlin entered the Kentucky Derby after winning the Arkansas Derby and was the early favorite. He was the second choice when the gates opened.

It was a race for stalkers, Curlin was back in the pack early, and made his move too late, surging to finish third. Curlin would then beat Derby winner Street Sense in the Preakness Stakes, finish second in the Belmont and then win the Breeders Cup Classic.

He was the American Horse of the Year in 2007 and 2008, but no roses.

Asmussen’s quote after the race remains an all-time classic:

“For Curlin’s Derby, I never thought that he’d get beat. The walkover for his Derby felt like it took three strides, but the walk back felt like it was the Sahara Desert.”

It falls into one of the all-time lows in Kentucky Derby history.

2011: A brief lead

Asmussen had the promised land in sight at the 2011 Kentucky Derby. His horse Nehro charged to the lead at the far turn. It was the type of move a champion horse makes.

Then Animal Kingdom made his move. It was almost like Nehro showed the way and Animal Kingdom was like, “I can do that.” He whooshed by Nero to win the Derby by almost three lengths.

Perhaps it was always Nehro’s fate to be second. The horse was second at both the Louisiana and Arkansas derbies. He would finish fourth at the Belmont, but for a few seconds, he was the best horse in the world.

Nehro died of colic in 2013 at age 5.

2016: A Gun Runner’s run

Gun Runner entered the 2016 Kentucky Derby with the most points in qualifying. He won the Risen Star Stakes at the New Orleans Fair Grounds and dominated the Louisiana Derby.

He drew a good post position and was in a great stalker spot near the rail. Gun Runner took the lead at the top of the stretch, but then eventual-champ Nyquist kicked into a new gear and surged past Gun Runner.

Gun Runner opted out of the Preakness and Belmont but came back with a vengeance, winning the Clark Handicap at Churchill Downs in November and the 2018 Pegasus World Cup.

It was another case where Asmussen may have had the best horse, just not the best horse that day.

2019: The squeeze on Long Range Toddy

The 2019 Kentucky Derby remains one of the most controversial ever, and the Asmussen-trained Long Range Toddy was right in the middle of it.

Long Range Toddy won two races as a two-year-old and the Rebel Stakes on his way to qualifying for the Kentucky Derby. He was 30-1 at post-time but was moving up the field nicely at the far turn.

Kentucky Derby fans know what happened next.

Leader Maximum Security veered out from the rail (likely due to the crowd noise) and knocked War of Will off his path. War of Will then moved out, pinching Long Range Toddy between horses.

Long Range Toddy was forced to slow.

“I had to stop very abruptly,” said Long Range Toddy jockey Jon Court to ESPN that day.

Both jockeys from War of Will and Long Range Toddy filed a protest, and after a 22-minute delay, Maximum Security was disqualified after winning.

Ironically, the stewards placed Maximum Security behind Long Range Toddy in the official standings at 17th.

Asmussen finishes at the Kentucky Derby

Here’s a history of Amussen’s finishes in the past 15 Derby’s he’s had horses run in. Places in parentheses.

2000 — Fifth Stars (9th)
2002 — Private Emblem (14th)
2004 — Quintons Gold Rush (DNF)
2006 — Storm Treasure (11th), Private Vow (15th)
2007 — Curlin (3rd), Zanjero (12th)
2008 — Pyro (8th), Z Fortune (10th)
2011 — Nehro (2nd)
2012 — Daddy Nose Best (10th), Sabercat (15th)
2014 — Tapiture (15th)
2016 — Gun Runner (3rd), Creator (13th)
2017 — Lookin at Lee (2nd), Hence (11th), Untrapped (12th)
2018 — Combatant (18th)
2019 — Long Range Toddy (16th)
2020 — Max Player (5th)
2021 — Midnight Bourbon (6th), Super Stock (15th)

Photo by Charlie Riedel / Associated Press
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Darren Cooper

Darren Cooper was born and raised in Southern Louisiana, just a short pirogue ride away from New Orleans. He started his journalism career at the New Orleans Times-Picayune and has been a writer and columnist in New Jersey since 1998. He's won 14 statewide press awards and earned his first Associated Press Sports Editors Top 10 award in 2022.

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