The news that Renegade received the rail in summary fashion on a bright afternoon in Churchill Downs’ refreshingly-staged outdoor post position draw for the 152nd running of the Kentucky Derby does not seem to have damaged his standing as the top favorite at 4-1 in the morning line. Renegade remains the man to beat. His task will be more worrisome than that of most runners, however, choked with also-rans immediately to his right and further out, literally every single one of the most dangerous closers sitting rather prettily able to chose more advantageous spots in the mad Derby scramble.

Fact is this: Although the average stride of a fine Triple Crown Thoroughbred contender such as Renegade can reach twenty-five feet, in a Kentucky Derby, and especially as Churchill Downs’ massive new 20-horse gate has come into play since the 2020 feature, mere inches matter. As a result of the new gate, a few more precious inches do in fact exist between the rail stall and the rail itself as a result of the new gate. The hope is that that will afford him and his talented jockey Irad Ortiz, Jr., a little skoosh of room to get out from under the tsunami of horseflesh crushing down on the rail at the moment of the break.

Suffice it to say, many jockeys, owners and trainers in past Derbys have hoped exactly that.

One piquant father-and-son Churchill gate saga-to-watch will be that of competing trainers William Mott, trainer of 2025 Kentucky Derby victor Sovereignty, and this year’s first-rank contender Chief Wallabee (breaking from the 12 stall, at 8-1), and Mott’s son Riley Mott, trainer of Incredibolt, breaking just one stall away, from No. 11, at 20-1. Son Mott also has Albus, breaking from stall No. 2, at 30-1. It is his Triple Crown debut in the shadow of his formidable Hall of Fame father.

Riley Mott’s soundbite to the Churchill Downs broadcast team at the time of the draw was nevertheless classic, and in a grand sort of homage to his understated, witty father, Riley Mott aptly framed what is clearly a family-borne sporting attitude.

Riley Mott said of his father: "I don't know him right now. He's our competition. Very formidable, obviously, but we're just focused on our horses and trying to control the things we can control — unlike the draw. It's been fun just trying to stay focused but enjoy the moment at the same time."

Arguably, Riley Mott has summed up what participating in a Kentucky Derby is like pretty much for all concerned, four-legged equine athletes and two-legged homo sapiens alike.