Jockey Javier Castellano takes Kentucky Derby entrant Gemologist for a workout at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Ky.Avery Pettway freely admits that her uncle Elliott Walden probably never believed he’d have to make good on his promise to take her to today’s 138th Kentucky Derby if Gemologist made the field.
After all, as the CEO of WinStar Farm, Walden has seen a Derby winner up close and personal, the farm’s Super Saver running away with the roses just two years ago.
Beyond that, while working in WinStar’s training barn last summer, even Pettway came to view the big bay colt as possibly being both too “stocky” and way “too sweet” to successfully battle the rest of the 20 thoroughbreds that will break from Churchill Downs’ starting gates at 6:24 p.m. today for the most famous two minutes in sports.
“We all knew he was a good horse,” said Pettway, a lifelong resident of Lookout Mountain, Ga., who graduated from Baylor School in 2010 and just completed her sophomore year at Virginia.
“But I’m not sure how many thought he had a great chance to reach the Derby.”