Jockey Mike Smith wins Kentucky Derby 2019

Jockey Mike Smith, the three-time winner of the Triple Crown 2019 Kentucky Derby Omaha Beach, the favorite of the morning line, scratched earlier this week, will not look on the other side of the rail after all.

The Hall of Fame was named on board by Todd Pletcher Cutting humor, Announcement Churchill Downs.

Churchill's jockey, Corey Lanerie, who was always there, had the mount in hand at the time of registration. A day later, on Wednesday night, Omaha Beach's defection of the ground due to a breathing problem was announced, opening the door for Smith.

Trainer Bob Baffert was quick to reassure Florent Geroux that he would stay aboard Roadster, the winner of Santa Anita Derby (G1), who had also hired Smith for his last race.

"In fact, I called Flo … and it was so funny," Baffert said. "He was like," Are you firing me boss? "I was like" No, I'm quite. "I could never do that."

Cutting Humor, who has been campaigning for Starlight Racing, is sitting at 30-1 on the morning line starting at position # 10. With Smith in place, he can take some cash.

By First Samurai, Cutting Humor won the Sunland Derby with a record of 1: 46.94 for a 1/8 of a mile on March 24th.

"The surface of Sunland Park was pretty fast when he ran over there," Pletcher said earlier this week, "but it's pretty rare that you see 3-year-olds in the shadows in March at a quality performance. "

Also this season, Cutting Humor finished seventh among the Southwest Stakes (G3) favorites at Oaklawn Park, with jockey John Velazquez for both this race and the Sunland Derby. Velazquez rides Code of Honor in the Kentucky Derby.