Lonnie Briley Prepares for First Kentucky Derby Run

LOUISVILLE, Ky., Lonnie Briley didn’t plan for this moment. At 72, the longtime Louisiana horseman finds himself preparing Coal Battle Horse for the Arkansas Derby, an event he never expected to be part of.

Briley’s early life didn’t point toward Churchill Downs. He spent decades in the oil fields of Louisiana and Texas, working his way up from a roughneck to a tool pusher. His ability to read blueprints set him apart, and that same attention to detail would later serve him well with horses.

“I was the only one who could read blueprints,” he said, a simple explanation for how he advanced in both trades.

Horses were always part of his life on the side. He rode in rodeos and broke young thoroughbreds when time allowed. Eventually, his skill with young horses drew the attention of John Franks, a successful oilman who also ran a large racing operation. Frank hired Briley to manage one of his farms, recognizing his work ethic and practical knowledge.

Briley handled breeding duties, prepped horses for sales, and even put together a full horse skeleton by hand using wire and glue, a way to better understand the animals’ structure. When Franks asked about it, Briley answered dryly: “Well, it ain’t eating nothing. If a horse has a problem, I can show you where.”

Though Franks passed away in 2003, Briley stayed in the game. He kept a modest operation in Washington, Louisiana, and continued racing at local tracks like Evangeline Downs. For him, working with horses was steady labor, not a pursuit of status or fame.

Then came Coal Battle Horse. The colt, a son of Coal Front, began putting together wins, four stakes victories from November to February. A third-place finish in the Arkansas Derby sealed a spot in the Kentucky Derby.

Briley still finds it hard to believe. “Never even dreamed about it, in truth,” he said. “You watch the Derby on TV, but you don’t think about running in it. You’re just looking for a horse that can run. I didn’t think I’d be standing here today.”

Now he’s at Churchill Downs with a Derby horse. Coal Battle Horse is considered a long shot at 30–1, but Briley isn’t concerned about odds. He hasn’t changed much, either. His drink of choice is still Dr. Pepper, sometimes mixed with lemonade or water. When a photographer brought him a Starbucks coffee, thinking it was a kind gesture, Briley handed it right back.

“There won’t be any mint juleps for me,” he said. “This is enough.”

Briley’s approach to the Arkansas Derby reflects the way he’s always handled his work: quiet, consistent, focused. There’s no elaborate strategy or polished image. Just a man who understands horses, trusts his experience, and lets the results speak for themselves.

“I just wanted a good racehorse,” he said. “Turns out, I might have one.”

Coal Battle Horse’s entry into the Derby puts Briley in a national spotlight, but he’s not one to chase attention. His strength lies in knowing the horses well and giving them what they need. This week at Churchill Downs, he’ll be doing what he’s done for years, taking care of his horse, no different than at a small track back home.

The Kentucky Derby has seen its share of big names and major operations. But it still makes room for people like Briley, steady hands with long histories, who show up prepared when opportunity arrives.