The first leg of the America’s Triple Crown, Saturday’s Kentucky Derby, does not have a clear favorite.

Last year’s best 2-year old, Classic Empire, has the favorable odds to win, but one underdog is separating itself from the field before the first turn.

Patch, the horse with one eye.

Trainer Todd Pletcher had the 2-year-old colt's left eye removed last June due to an inflammation.

Since the surgery, Patch has raced just a few times, finishing as the runner-up in last month’s Louisiana Derby.

Meet Patch, Kentucky Derby's One-Eyed Underdog

"It seems to never faze him - he's a remarkable horse to recover as quickly as he did," Pletcher told the BBC.

Patch is a 40-1 shot.

What does Pletcher think of his odds?

“The mile and a quarter here will suit him well,” Pletcher says about the run at Churchill Downs in Lousiville, Ky.

Patch, according to his Twitter, sees a chance.

About the Author

Keep Reading

Atlanta Dream forward Brionna Jones (24) cuts between Indiana Fever guard Shey Peddy (5) and forward Brianna Turner (11) in the first half of a WNBA basketball playoff game in Indianapolis, Tuesday, Sept. 16, 2025. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)

Credit: AP

Featured

Fulton DA Fani Willis (center) with Nathan J. Wade (right), the special prosecutor she hired to manage the Trump case and had a romantic relationship with, at a news conference announcing charges against President-elect Donald Trump and others in Atlanta, Aug. 14, 2023. Georgia’s Supreme Court on Tuesday, Sept. 16, 2025, upheld an appeals court's decision to disqualify Willis from the election interference case against Trump and his allies. (Kenny Holston/New York Times)

Credit: NYT