Donnie Freeman is an elite talent, the kind of player who immediately raises the ceiling of any roster he joins. His skill set stands out, but so too does his game-to-game availability.
Kentucky
Fans flock to first KY Derby Week Sunday Funday races in over a decade
Kentucky Derby post positions for Renegade, Fulleffort and Further Ado
After the Kentucky Derby post position draw, expert handicapper explains which horses will have tough decisions early on in the race and why.
Sunday racing during Kentucky Derby Week returned on April 26, drawing both Derby regulars and newcomers.
Organizers dubbed the event “Sunday Funday,” marking the first time horse racing had been held at Churchill Downs Racetrack on a Sunday during Derby Week since 2010.
With gates opening at 11:30 a.m. and the first race post time at 12:45 p.m., it seemed some staffers and attendees came straight to the racetrack from church.
“Some of us have to go to church and get blessed before we come,” said a woman dressed in her Sunday finest by the Paddock Gate, with 10 minutes to go before the gates opened for the day.
“Some of us stay blessed,” another worker responded.
Billy and April Bensing were among those who took in the day’s racing from the Stakes Room & Balcony.
Speaking outside the Paddock Gate, the Shively couple — dressed in bright fluorescent orange and pink — said they typically attend 502’sDay, the Tuesday of Derby Week, each year with family and friends, largely because the crowds are thinner.
But when they heard Churchill Downs was adding a seventh day of racing to the eight-day Kentucky Derby schedule, they jumped at the chance to come for a second day without the kids.
For Chad and Leslie Cooper of Jonesville, Louisiana, another day of racing meant another outfit to put together. This year marked their second visit to Churchill Downs during Kentucky Derby Week, after having such a good time last year.
“We came so far to do this, we’re going all out. It don’t matter if it’s low-key or not,” Leslie Cooper said.
She added, “Our kids are all grown and gone, so we can just enjoy ourselves.”
In contrast, Taiya Hardy was attending her first horse race. She also took the opportunity to wear a brightly colored spring dress on what started out as an overcast, chilly day that later turned abundantly sunny.
“Colorado doesn’t have clothes like these,” she said of the outfit and hat, the latter of which she purchased at Pix Shoes at 210 S. Preston St. in downtown Louisville.
Also coming to Churchill Downs for the first time were Jack and Kathy Arzooyan and their cousin, Wendy Franz. The Minnesota and Michigan residents, along with seven other family members, traveled to Kentucky this past week to search for a common ancestor.
They succeeded in finding his gravestone at Grove Hill Cemetery in Shelbyville, about 40 minutes outside Louisville.
Their flight home was scheduled for April 27, but in the meantime, the cousins decided to take advantage of everything the home of twin spires has to offer.
“This is icing on the cake,” said Kathy Arzooyan.
For Sam and Taylr Henson, bourbon was the main draw to Louisville. That Derby Week happened to coincide with their trip was an added bonus.
The couple traveled from Nashville, Tennessee, to Louisville to attend a few bourbon tastings around town. Coming to “Sunday Funday” was not on the couple’s itinerary, but a spur-of-the-moment decision.
“We were up doing some bourbon tastings, and then we were like, ‘Oh, we can get in on this.’ So we went to Macy’s yesterday and bought outfits, and we’re here,” Sam Henson said.
Both donned flowery, spring-inspired outfits that popped with color, accessorized with headwear in traditional Derby fashion — for Taylr, a white, flowery fascinator, and for Sam, a white fedora with a black band.
Although the couple did not initially plan to stop by the racetrack, they realized that their time in Louisville was a perfect opportunity to enjoy the famous “Derby experience.”
“Everybody talks about it, and you see it on TV and everything, so we just wanted to come see it firsthand,” Sam Henson said.
Anna Murphy had her own way of bringing bursts of color to Churchill Downs. As the 2026 Woodford Reserve Kentucky Derby bottle artist, she will be at the track all week, painting an enlarged version of her artwork that appears on the commemorative Woodford Reserve bottle on site.
The Chicago artist has a Bachelor of Fine Arts in painting from the University of Louisville. But despite her connection to the city, this year marks her first Derby experience.
Murphy is most looking forward to admiring the fashion on display throughout the week, she said.“That’s such a big part of the artwork on this year’s Derby bottle, as well, is the fashion and the hats,” Murphy said. “That’s my favorite part.”
Is it time for No. 1 recruit Tyran Stokes to make his final decision? Goodness, we all hope so. The restlessness is very real for Big Blue Nation, but we could be just a couple of days away from clarity — if Jeff Goodman’s source is correct, at least.
With rumors and rumblings all over the place when it comes to the top-ranked prospect originally from Louisville, Goodman is hearing that a commitment could happen to begin the week on Monday. But, like the rest of us, he’s skeptical until it comes straight from the horse’s mouth.
Only Tyran Stokes knows what Tyran Stokes is gonna do, but, the latest word is Monday. Apparently.
“I was told by one source close to the situation that Tyran Stokes, the No. 1 player in the country, could announce his decision on Monday,” Goodman wrote. “I’ll believe it when I see it.”
Agreed.
Maybe the biggest takeaway from his report, though? No mention of Oregon, despite the Ducks’ rumored push in recent weeks — especially since Jasper Johnson’s move to Eugene and individual fight to bring the fellow in-state talent with him.
Goodman believes it’s a head-to-head battle between the Jayhawks and Wildcats.
“Stokes choosing between Kansas and Kentucky,” he said.
Interesting.
KSR was the first to report that Mark Pope has recruited Jamal Crawford — Stokes’ assistant coach at Rainier Beach HS in Seattle and a three-time NBA Sixth Man of the Year — to join his staff in Lexington. That comes after Pope already signed Stokes’ former Prolific Prep teammate Zoom Diallo out of the transfer portal, coming in from Washington. The Wildcats’ pursuit has been relentless, regardless of speculation about the No. 1 recruit’s personal connection to Bill Self and the Jayhawks.
He talked about his recruiting process this week on a TikTok live, talking with a Kentucky fan.
“Yoooo, see, you guys are crazy,” Stokes said. “It’s been very, you know. Bro, the process is very up and down. Sometimes it can be fun, sometimes it can be annoying. It just depends on where you’re at with the process.”
“Let me put it in a way, like this,” Stokes continued. “How do I put it for a regular person to know what I’m going through? Someone offers you a job worth a lot of money, and you don’t know what there is to come with that job. You’re just like, here, there’s this paycheck. But you have to be committed to the job for ten months, and you don’t know what you’re getting yourself into. Do you take it? Do you feel me? So you have to play out the process and see how everything falls out.”
When asked about a timeline for his decision, Stokes was quick to shut down the conversation and move on. Hopefully this recent update indicates there is light at the end of this long tunnel — whether it’s Monday or shortly after.
The spot is yours, Tyran. Come take it.
LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Prominent owner Mike Repole has had plenty of bad luck in the Kentucky Derby.
He got another dose of it Saturday when his colt Renegade drew the dreaded No. 1 starting gate for the 152nd running of next weekend’s race — a post position that hasn’t produced a Derby winner since Ferdinand in 1986.
Advertisement
Despite the starting position, Renegade opens as the betting favorite to win at 4-1.
Repole, the beverage magnate of Vitaminwater and Bodyarmor fame who is now also running the United Football League, is 0-for-8 at the Derby and has had the favorite scratch twice on the eve of the race due to last-minute physical problems. Drawing inside would appear to be one more gut punch; however, with Renegade’s come-from-behind running style, jockey Irad Ortiz will have little choice but to take him to the back of the field to avoid the crush of traffic that typically occurs on the first turn as riders try to get their horses in position.
Renegade moved to the front of the Derby contenders last month with an impressive win in the Arkansas Derby for Repole and co-owners Robert and Lawana Low, blowing past the field on the far turn to hit the wire four lengths in front. Renegade will give trainer Todd Pletcher, who has started a record 65 horses in the Derby, a chance at his third winner.
Other contenders had better luck in Saturday’s post position draw.
Advertisement
Further Ado, who blew away the Blue Grass Stakes field by 11½ lengths, will come out of the No. 18 post position under 54-year old jockey John Velazquez, who has won this race three times. Further Ado is owned by Spendthrift Farm, which expected to be here instead with Ted Noffey, last year’s 2-year-old champion who was forced off the Derby trail this spring due to injury.
After those two, the top-three finishers of the Florida Derby — Commandment, The Puma and Chief Wallabee — also figure to get significant support from bettors. Commandment will start from the No. 6 post, The Puma drew No. 9 while Chief Wallabee ended up in the No. 12 hole.
Chief Wallabee is trained by Bill Mott, who won this race last year with Sovereignty and Country House in 2019. His son, Riley Mott, is making his Derby debut with two starters: Wood Memorial winner Albus and Virginia Derby winner Incredibolt.
“He’s been here before, he’s been around me, and he’s known everything I think about and everything that can happen,” Bill Mott said. “He’s got some experience here, even though this is his first one.”
Advertisement
Bob Baffert has two entries, led by Potente, a $2.4 million purchase as a yearling who finished second in the Santa Anita Derby on April 4. Potente drew the No. 14 post position.
Baffert is trying to officially win a record seventh Derby — which he did already in 2021 with Medina Spirit, only to have the victory taken away due to a positive test for betamethasone, which Baffert claimed was used to treat a skin condition but is not allowed in the horse’s system on race day.
That incident led to Churchill Downs banning Baffert from the racetrack for two years, which became a three-year ban as Baffert refused to admit fault. Ultimately, they came to an agreement for Baffert to return last year with Citizen Bull, who finished 15th.
With space for 20 horses in the starting gate, eligibility for the Kentucky Derby is determined by a system where horses have the opportunity to accumulate points in any of 50 pre-determined prep races around the world going back to last fall.
Advertisement
Trainer Steve Asmussen withdrew Chip Honcho on Saturday morning to point for the Preakness, opening up a spot for a second Baffert entry with Litmus Test, who drew the No. 4 post.
Four horses are listed as alternates — Great White, Ocelli, Robusta and Corona de Oro — in case there are scratches before the field is locked in on Friday. That happens regularly during Derby week, including in 2022 when Rich Strike got in at the last moment and became one of the longest shots to ever win the race at 80-1 odds.
Kentucky Derby early odds, from Post 1 to 20
1. Renegade 4-1
2. Albus 30-1
3. Intrepido 50-1
4. Litmus Test 30-1
5. Right to Party 30-1
6. Commandment 6-1
7. Danon Bourbon 20-1
8. So Happy 15-1
9. The Puma 10-1
10. Wonder Dean 30-1
11. Incredibolt 20-1
12. Chief Wallabee 8-1
13. Silent Tactic 20-1
14. Potente 20-1
15. Emerging Market 15-1
16. Pavlovian 30-1
17. Six Speed 50-1
18. Further Ado 6-1
19. Golden Tempo 30-1
20. Fulleffort 20-1
The big caveat with Freeman is his health, as his now-surgically repaired toe has limited him to just 37 games over two seasons at Syracuse. But interestingly, it may not be the biggest concern facing his new coach, Rick Pitino.
It’s the fact that the NCAA may be moving to a 5-year-to-play-5 model in the summer.
While that hasn’t been fully approved, lots of players out of eligibility are jumping into the portal, as Josie Gilvin and Denzel Aberdeen have done. Speaking on the move, Pitino didn’t sound as happy as other coaches would be:
“It would be pure chaos. Most teams have used 80% of their NIL. Next year makes sense. Now, don’t get me wrong, I would love to have my seniors back, but our NIL is just about finished. … Unless Mike (Repole) wins the Derby lol,” Pitino quipped this week.
Programs aren’t just managing rosters now, they’re managing budgets. And most of those budgets are already spoken for at a lot of the major programs.
Which brings things back to Freeman.
Giving Donnie Freeman north of $3 million may come back to haunt Pitino. That money could be used on Zuby Ejiofor or Dillon Mitchell. Those are players Kentucky may now be able to make bigger money offers and promise bigger roles to.
Retaining key contributors or adding experienced depth suddenly becomes more difficult. In a normal cycle, that’s manageable. In a year where extra eligibility could flood the market with veterans, it becomes a real problem.
That’s the potential downside Pitino is hinting at. Not Freeman’s talent, or even his health, but the timing and financial allocation he brings to a roster.
And that’s where this conversation becomes especially relevant for Kentucky.
Could we see a Year 3 Otega Oweh in Lexington?
It opens the door for unexpected roster continuity across the sport, including in Lexington. One of the most interesting names to watch is Otega Oweh. Oweh is not in any mock draft, and ESPN has him as No. 100 in their best available, which is 39 spots below teammate Malachi Moreno.
Another year would give Owh a chance to improve his draft position again, take on a larger role on a new team, and earn more than he would in the NBA G League.
And for Mark Pope, it could be an even bigger win.
While other programs scramble to rebalance NIL budgets and navigate unexpected roster logjams, Kentucky has underspent on nearly every position; they should have some money freed up if this does happen.
The NCAA’s potential rule change isn’t just about giving players another year, though. It’s about reshaping how rosters are built, how money is spent, and which programs are positioned to adapt on the fly.
Some teams may find themselves overextended. Others may find opportunity in the chaos. Kentucky may be in the latter category there. Which brings us to what you think.
Would you be up for another year of Otegatron, or do you think the NCAA should come down harshly and stand pat at four playing seasons to tighten things up?
Sound off in the comments section!
-
Alabama4 minutes agoAlabama lawmakers respond to White House Correspondent Dinner shooting
-
Alaska10 minutes agoA fight against the invisible: How the Alaska State Virology Laboratory is hunting down measles
-
Arizona16 minutes agoGame 26: San Diego Padres at Arizona Diamondbacks
-
Arkansas22 minutes agoArkansas Storm Team Forecast: Alert Days to start the week
-
California28 minutes agoCalifornia measure requiring photo ID at polls will be on November ballot
-
Colorado34 minutes agoColorado rideshare driver arrested for alleged sexual assault
-
Connecticut40 minutes agoFamily called Connecticut police about suspect in D.C. Correspondents’ Dinner shooting, Trump says
-
Delaware46 minutes agoVote now for your Delaware prom pick this week