Top favorite Orb gallops to Kentucky Derby victory
LOUISVILLE, Kentucky—Orb splashed through the slop to win the Kentucky Derby on Saturday, giving US Hall of Fame trainer Shug McGaughey his first victory in the 3year-old classic.
The favorite was so far behind a wall of horses during the running that even his jockey wasn’t sure he could master the muddy track and make a run for the roses.
“I was really far back,” Joel Rosario said. “I said hopefully he can go faster than that. I was saying maybe I was too far back, but it was so easy.”
The bay colt made it look that way, splashing down the dirt track to win the Derby by 2 1-2 lengths.
Long shot Golden Soul was second with Revolutionary third while Normandy Invasion faded to fourth.
Orb, the 5-1 favorite, broke from the No. 16 post and bided his time near the back of the pack early while Palace Malice set a blistering pace in the muck.
Orb was still idling in 16th place a halfmile into the race. On the turn for home, Rosario moved him past 11 horses into striking position in the middle of the track. With a quarter of a mile to go, Orb began picking off the leaders. The only question left was whether he could sustain his momentum on a surface that resembled creamy peanut butter.
“He was very relaxed, it’s exactly what I wanted,” Rosario said.
Orb ran the 2000 meters (1-¼ miles) in 2:02.89. Orb paid $12.80, $7.40 and $5.40. Golden Soul, a 34-1 shot, returned $38.60 and $19.40 while Revolutionary paid $5.40 to show.