This Kentucky Derby week is like a dream come true for trainer Ethan West.Based at Turfway Park in northern Kentucky, West is the youngest trainer in the field for this year맥스카지노�s Kentucky Derby. The 32-year-old West will saddle long shot Chunk of Gold, who finished second in both the Risen Star Stakes and the Louisiana Derby.Chunk of Gold was purchased for just $2,500 and has helped put his trainer's name on the map.West has only been training horses on his own since 2018. He has started more than 1,100 horses and has won 168 races, primarily in Kentucky, Indiana, and Ohio. He has $4.5 million in career earnings and his only graded stakes win came in the 2023 Bryan Station Stakes at Keeneland with Runaway Storm.맥스카지노�Anybody that has a trainers license, this is what they want to do,맥스카지노� West said of being in the Derby. 맥스카지노�Only 20 horses get to do it every year so to be a part of it is nothing short of sweet. It맥스카지노�s awesome. Guys like Wayne (Lukas) and Steve (Asmussen) have won more races than we have even started.맥스카지노�So, it맥스카지노�s cool for me to be in the same talk as them. It맥스카지노�s just very exciting for me.맥스카지노�But West said he맥스카지노�s also nervous. He맥스카지노�s a married father of four and said he was trying to enjoy the week with his family, while making sure Chunk of Gold is 맥스카지노�happy.맥스카지노� West is not only the trainer but he gets aboard Chunk of Gold every morning as his exercise rider.맥스카지노�It맥스카지노�s been very nerve-wracking making sure that everything has gone right,맥스카지노� said West, who is originally from Cambridge City, Ind. 맥스카지노�We just need him to stay healthy and happy.맥스카지노�West currently has 35 horses in his stable and said he likes that number because 맥스카지노�we are pretty hands on and we get to see the horses every day.맥스카지노� He맥스카지노�s had some good horses in his barn but said Chunk of Gold is the best so far.맥스카지노�He맥스카지노�s faster than a lot of them I have trained,맥스카지노� West said with a laugh. 맥스카지노�He tries really hard every time. He really keeps trying.맥스카지노�The gray son of Preservationist broke his maiden at Turfway last December and has been runner-up in his next three starts.UPDATE ON BAFFERT COLTSSix-time Derby winning trainer Bob Baffert is back after a three-year suspension following a positive drug test for Medina Spirit in the 2021 Derby.There have been many questions about Baffert and his return on the backside since he arrived last Friday.On Thursday morning, Baffert spent some time talking about his two Derby horses - Citizen Bull and Rodriguez.맥스카지노�Everything has been smooth this week,맥스카지노� Baffert said. 맥스카지노�Rodriguez worked well, Citizen Bull he맥스카지노�s very rambunctious.맥스카지노�But they are both speed horses so it맥스카지노�s hard to get excited when we are probably going to be going with other horses in there. With speed horses, you have to hope they break well, get a good start and don맥스카지노�t get in each other맥스카지노�s way.맥스카지노�Baffert said Citizen Bull being in the No. 1 post position 맥스카지노�is a tough draw.맥스카지노�During the race, Baffert said he would be watching from the paddock and will keep a close eye on the fractions.맥스카지노�If it맥스카지노�s too fast, I맥스카지노�ll zip right on out of (the paddock),맥스카지노� he said.JOCKEY BACK AND FEELING GOODJockey Junior Alvarado will be back on board Sovereignty when he runs in the Derby.Alvarado missed a few weeks of racing after fracturing his shoulder blade on March 23 in a spill at Gulfstream Park. Alvarado was back riding on April 16 and said he feels just fine heading into the first leg of the Triple Crown.맥스카지노�I am feeling pretty good,맥스카지노� Alvarado said. 맥스카지노�I am very excited and just can맥스카지노�t wait for Saturday to come.맥스카지노�Manny Franco rode Sovereignty in the Florida Derby with Alvarado sidelined on March 29. Alvarado rode the Into Mischief colt during his first four starts, including the win in the Fountain of Youth on March 1. Alvarado typically gets the first call on trainer Bill Mott맥스카지노�s horses.Alvarado said he thinks Sovereignty is coming into the race great.맥스카지노�I can see his progress and how much he has grown and how much better he맥스카지노�s getting in each race,맥스카지노� he said. 맥스카지노�But to be honest this year he has only run twice and I don맥스카지노�t think we really got the bottom of him. We have just been keeping him happy and making sure we're doing the right thing coming into the Derby.맥스카지노�We didn맥스카지노�t want his best race to be before the Derby. We were kind of planning for his best race to be in the Derby.맥스카지노�Alvarado is 0-for-5 in the Derby with his best finish a fifth aboard Mohaymen in 2016.TIP OF THE DAYBeware! It맥스카지노�s hard to win from the inside.Post position #1 (Citizen Bull) is tricky and hasn맥스카지노�t produced a winner since Ferdinand in 1986. And post position #2 (Neoequos) has been a longer dry spell with the last winner Triple Crown winner Affirmed in 1978.Nine of the last 17 Derby winners have started from post #13 or higher. Post position #5 (American Promise) has won the most Derby races with 10, while post position #8 (Journalism) and post position #10 (Grande) have each won nine.The horse in the #10 post position (Grande) has been in the money 29.5 percent of the time in 88 Derby races.