Whit Beckman's first Kentucky Derby (G1) week as a trainer has not gone the way most people dream. Barely able to walk April 26, Beckman was hospitalized until April 30 and diagnosed with a condition where damaged muscle tissue can release proteins into the blood called rhabdomyolysis.
Once out of the hospital, Beckman was back at Churchill Downs May 1 overseeing the final preparations of his Kentucky Derby contender Honor Marie.
"Even though I wasn't here, I have such a good crew and such good people around me," Beckman said. "Everything meticulously and absolutely went off without a hitch. As trainers, if we can prepare our crew for those situations where we can't be on point, we know we've done our job. I've got such good people, I couldn't be more fortunate."
Having a horse in the Derby is something many children who grow up in Louisville, Ky., dream about. Beckman and his family moved from nearby Simpsonville, Ky., to the Anchorage neighborhood in Louisville's east end around the age of 3.
Beckman did not immediately have a passion for horses, but was always around them as his mom was an avid horse lover and his sister was heavily involved with show horses. After high school, Beckman went to college but could not find anything that interested him. It was around that time that Beckman started getting involved with the industry that his city was known for.
"Once I got the bug, it was obvious this was something I could see myself doing," Beckman said. "I just took one step at a time, got some jobs for some trainers, different farms , and tried to hone my horsemanship and learn as much as I could about the game."
Beckman joined the team of Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher in 2007, usually stationed with Pletcher's string at Saratoga Race Course. In 2009, a lazy 2-year-old that slept a lot arrived in Saratoga who Beckman helped develop and turn into a star. His name was Super Saver.
"He wasn't one that jumped off the page as a Derby winner early on," Beckman said. "There were so many other horses who overshadowed him. He just held his own, he was always an honest, classy animal."
Super Saver would give Pletcher his first Kentucky Derby winner, and give the Louisville-grown Beckman a taste of reaching the peak of the sport.
"It was one of the most exciting things I've ever been a part of," Beckman said. "One of the greatest days of my life."
One would think that being from the city of America's most prestigious horse race, Beckman would be disappointed in not being present at the track to share in the moment. However, Beckman knew his role and that the opportunity could come again.
"You understand where you are within the system," Beckman said. "At that point, we were getting babies shipped into Saratoga. ... I was happy where I was and excited to be part of the team, no matter where I was."
Now, 14 years later, Beckman has the chance to experience having his own Kentucky Derby starter in Louisville's crowning moment.
"It's nice to be around here and share in this experience," Beckman said. "This is our holiday. Just to be a part of it, everyone's excited for me and it's cool to have everyone along for the ride."
Perhaps winning the Derby now would have a greater meaning to Beckman than when he was younger. After leaving the Pletcher team in 2013, Beckman took a job training in Saudi Arabia. He returned to the United States as an assistant to Eoin Harty before going back to Saudi Arabia and eventually settling in as an assistant to Chad Brown upon returning to the United States in 2016. In 2021, he broke off on his own to make his mark on the sport, and return home.
"When you grow up here, you don't realize how good it is until you go and move away," Beckman said. "I didn't really realize how much of a gem Louisville was until I moved. You come back and appreciate how nice this is for multiple different reasons."
Beckman has seen his share of success as his career grows "one step at a time," but could not have expected to get his own Derby horse so soon.
Honor Marie proved himself to Beckman as a potential Derby contender after a victory in the Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes (G2) at Churchill Downs Nov. 25. He punched his ticket with a solid runner-up performance in the March 23 Louisiana Derby (G2) at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots and has received a reputation as a "buzz horse" leading into the Kentucky Derby.
"I know he likes the distance, he gets the trip," Beckman said. "I don't see any reason why he doesn't have as good a shot as any."
Like Beckman, Honor Marie is a fan of Louisville, having won two of three starts over the Churchill Downs oval and finishing second in his lone loss.
In 2021, Brad Cox became the first trainer from Louisville to win the Kentucky Derby with Mandaloun after Medina Spirit was disqualified for a failed drug test. However, a Louisville trainer has yet to cross the wire first.
Cox, who grew up just outside the track, returns to the Derby this year with Catching Freedom and Just a Touch. Danny Gargan, trainer of Dornoch and Society Man, also grew up in the track's surrounding neighborhood. With three trainers from the city represented by five horses, most of which are considered to have a strong chance at victory, it is possible that a Louisvillian finally celebrates inside of the Derby winner's circle.
"Hopefully I can bring it home for Louisville, for the state of Kentucky," Beckman said.
Being from the city, Beckman has a greater understanding of just how important the Kentucky Derby is to Louisville.
"If the Derby wasn't in Louisville, nobody would know where it is," Beckman said. "For me, horses and bourbon have been the two staples of what Kentucky is. This race is our shining moment. It's the Kentucky Derby. It's probably one of the hardest races just to get to. To be a local boy in the race, it's an absolute dream come true."
His dream coming true would likely vault him into celebrity status around his hometown. But for Beckman, the only thing that matters is taking care of the horse.
"I'm not seeking any recognition past the point of the horse," Beckman said. "Without the horse, I'm just Whit."
