2014 Kentucky Derby Open Thread

After months of build up and anticipation, the day of reckoning for 19 three-year-old colts has finally arrived. It's D-Day for the 2014 Kentucky Derby - the first Saturday in May. The weather looks like it's going to give us a dry and fast main track, while the turf course will be the usual "Firm".

First post at Churchill Downs today is 10:30 a.m. Eastern, or an Egg McMuffin special of 7:30 a.m. for those of us on the West Coast. Post time for the 140th running of the Kentucky Derby is 6:24 p.m. Eastern with television coverage by NBC.

Scratches

Churchill Downs Scratches & Changes (via Equibase.com)

Race 2: 2-Ship to Shore
Race 5: 10-Bitters 'n Bourbon (jock change to Ricardo Santana, Jr.)
Race 7: 2-Heat Stealer, 4-Saturday Nthe Park
Race 8: 7-Big Bazniga
Race 11: 11-Hoppertunity, 21AE-Pablo Del Monte
Race 12: 4-Vanity Feature

Derby Day 2014 gets started with a big race across the Atlantic at Newmarket, England: the Group 1 2,000 Guineas. Juddmonte's Kingman and Coolmore's Australia (an impeccably bred son of Galileo out of... wait for it... Ouija Board!!!) lead the field of 14 for the one mile journey on the Rowley Mile. Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf winner Outstrip is among the challengers in this year's Guineas field.

This is your Kentucky Derby day open thread.