Acadiana Jockeys Riding in Kentucky Derby

Two Acadiana natives will be mounting a horse in this year's Run for the Roses.

Cankton native Corey Lanerie and Lafayette native Brian Hernandez, Jr., will be atop horses in this year's Kentucky Derby. Lanerie will ride Smile Happy during the fastest two minutes in sports. Hernandez will ride Tiz the Bomb.

The race will take place Saturday at approximately 5:57 p.m. Central Daylight Time.

Lanerie has more than 4,500 wins to his credit. He's based in Kentucky and races frequently at Churchill Downs. In fact, Lanerie has been the leading rider at Churchill Downs, winning the most races during a meet there 10 times in his career. Despite his familiarity with the Churchill Downs track, Saturday's race will mark only the fourth time in his career Lanerie has mounted a horse in the Kentucky Derby. The Sunset High School graduate rode Looking at Lee to a second-place finish in 2017, his best finish in those three races.

Corey Lanerie (Facebook)

Hernandez has more than 2,300 hundred wins on his record and has won at least $2.2 million every year since 2004. Like Lanerie, Hernandez has had success at Churchill Downs, winning 254 races there and placing in another 226 contests. Also like Lanerie, Hernandez has very little experience in the Kentucky Derby. Saturday's start will be Hernandez's second time in the Run for the Roses. He shares a common bond with fellow Acadiana jockey Calvin Borel. Both were jockeys for former Preakness Stakes winner Rachel Alexandra.

Brian Hernandez (Facebook)

Lanerie and Smile Happy will race from the fifth slot, while Hernandez and Tiz the Bomb will start in the ninth position. Smile Happy currently has betting odds of 14-1. Tiz the Bomb's odds are set at 26-1.

You can watch the Kentucky Derby locally on NBC affiliate KLAF (OTA 15.2, Cox Cable 3, LUS Fiber 7).

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