(Chief Wallabee / Photos by Holly M. Smith)

Equipment Changes Before the Kentucky Derby May Not Be The Best Idea…

There’s not a lot of history on this subject that we can find, point to, and/or present as supporting evidence in this opinion….

I have asked my great friend, Ed DeRosa, who is the content editor at HorseRacingNation.com, to give that question a review, if he can.

And, here is what Ed found out from his queries:

When a trainer decides or other connection decide to add blinkers?

When a trainer decides or other connections decide to remove blinkers?

Thus?

Well, dating back to 1991, and that is now 35 years worth of history, it has been a really bad idea…

If you are looking to win…

Or…

If you are looking to even hit the board.

The fact is this…

(Stats From Ed DeRosa, Content Editor at www.HorseRacingNation.com)

Only 1 horse out of 58 that have introduced a major equipment change for the Kentucky Derby — meaning blinkers on or blinkers off — has won the “Run for the Roses.”

One.

That’s a 0.01724137931% chance.

Ugh.

Only 4 horses out of the 58 have managed to finish in the money, either first through third place, after getting a major equipment change — like the addition or subtraction of blinkers.

Four.

That’s a 0.068965517241% chance of improvement.

Ugh.

The only winner of the Kentucky Derby, that we can find, after getting blinkers on?

Sea Hero. That came in 1993 for legendary trainer and Versailles, KY native MacKenzie Miller.

This year, one of the hottest horses on the track and in the minds of bettors was Chief Wallabee.

Not only did Chief Wallabee not race as a 2YO, which set him up against history to begin with, Hall of Fame trainer and 2025 winning trainer Bill Mott decided he would add blinkers for the first time in the Kentucky Derby.

Although he survived a rather difficult trip, “The Chief” didn’t win, either. He didn’t hit the board, as well. He ran 4th.

I’m not saying that the addition of blinkers was the reason for the lack of success. Bill Mott, one of my favorites and one of the game’s all-time best, is certainly better equipped to make that decision than me.

But it just seems…

Well…

It seems as if making a major equipment change, for the first time, before the Kentucky Derby is not a great idea.

Not if you are hoping to win the Kentucky Derby.