Justify breaks ‘curse of Apollo’ to claim Derby
Undefeated Justify won the 144th Kentucky Derby on Saturday, ignoring the wettest conditions in race history to become the first horse since Apollo in 1882 who did not race as a two-year-old.
Trainer Bob Baffert won the Derby for the fifth time, one shy of the record owned by 1940s legendary trainer Ben Jones, while jockey Mike Smith captured his second victory in the 1¼ mile classic at Louisville’s Churchill Downs. “It took a great horse to do what he did today,” Baffert said. “I rank him up there with my top ones. We knew we had something special.”
Favourite Justify, who went off at 5-2 odds, unleashed the third-fastest half-mile pace in Derby history and went on to win in 2min 4.20sec, with Good Magic second, edging thirdplace Audible at the line.
Mendelssohn, trained by Ireland’s Aidan O’Brien and hoping to become the first Europeanbased horse to win the Derby, was last in the 20-horse field before 157,813 spectators.
Justify, who improved to 4-0, became the first horse since Apollo 136 years ago to win the showdown for three-year-olds without running the year before.
“It would take a horse like him to break that curse,” said Smith, whose other Derby win came in 2005 aboard 50-1 longshot Giacomo. “Wow, I don’t have the words to describe what makes this horse so special. He is just so big and talented. He has got the mind for it.”
Justify captured the opening leg of US flat racing’s Triple Crown, which continues in two weeks at the Preakness in Baltimore, Maryland, and concludes with June’s Belmont Stakes in New York.
Only 12 horses in history have swept the treble, Bafferttrained American Pharoah being the most recent in 2015.
“I think this horse is as special as American Pharoah to win a race like this, especially the way he did it,” Baffert said.
Despite a muddy track and intense downpours as horses were loaded into the starting gates, Justify broke well, starting seventh from the rail and settling into second behind early leader Promises Fulfilled.
Justify took the lead on the far turn and charged into the backstretch. Good Magic chased in pursuit but never had a move to prevent him from becoming the sixth consecutive favourite to win the Derby.
Baffert admitted the wet conditions had him concerned.
“This track had me worried but when he got away I knew we had a chance.”
While O’Brien found misery in Kentucky, there was some comfort. O’Brien-trained Saxon Warrior won the 2,000 Guineas in England on Saturday.