Jeff Roberson/Connected Press
Medina Spirit and his connections galloped into the narrative books with an very good looking out comprise at the 2021 Kentucky Derby, edging out Mandaloun at Churchill Downs to comprise the 147th Flee for the Roses on Saturday.
This used to be far from the expected final consequence. Medina Spirit broke from his post at 12-1 odds, whereas Very crucial Quality, Hot Rod Charlie and Rock Your World were the favorites.
Once the world used to be off, those odds didn’t matter. Medina Spirit regarded love the premier horse within the pack from the initiating up. He stalked the lead early on, however as soon as he claimed first region, it used to be merely about outrunning the behind closers.
The snort remained the identical over the supreme quarter-mile, with the terminate four horses all working shut together across the perform line.
Whereas the favorites didn’t invent their bettors much cash, if any, the connections of Very crucial Quality and Hot Rod Charlie mute received a chunk of the $3 million purse.
Here is a take a look at the supreme shuffle chart, including Medina Spirit’s impressive finishing time.
Kentucky Derby 2021 Finishing Time, Flee Chart and Purse
1. Medina Spirit 2: 01.02, $1.86 million
2. Mandaloun (1/4 length within the lend a hand of), $600,000
3. Hot Rod Charlie (1), $300,000
4. Very crucial Quality (1), $150,000
5. O Besos (5.5), $90,000
6. Center of the night Bourbon (8.5)
7. Keepmeinmind (8.5)
8. Helium (10.5)
9. Recognized Agenda (10.5)
10. Highly Motivated (10.5)
11. Sainthood (12.5)
12. Bask in the King (12.5)
13. Bourbonic (15.5)
14. Hidden Stash (16.5)
15. Brooklyn Solid (18)
16. Trim Stock (19.5)
17. Rock Your World (24)
18. Dynamic One (31)
19. Soup and Sandwich (64)
King Fury (SCR)
The Florida-bred colt’s winning time is a coloration slower than the two: 00.61 that Authentic ran to plan shut the roses in 2020, however it’s miles the 2d-most productive time since Monarchos in 2001.
Bob Baffert, who won a story seventh Kentucky Derby as a coach, used to be even surprised by his colt’s effort.
“I cannot bid he won this shuffle,” the legendary coach said, per Byron King of BloodHorse. “That small horse—it used to be all guts. I’m the luckiest guy on the planet. This horse had this kind of enormous heart. Johnny told me remaining night time, ‘Develop now not underestimate this horse. He’s extra healthy than you suspect, Bob. Develop now not concern, we are going to safe the job done.’ And he received it done.”
The winning horse additionally had the nice thing about a confirmed jockey in John Velazquez. He won his fourth Derby including a 2020 comprise aboard Authentic and achieve himself within the history books.
ESPN Stats & Info @ESPNStatsInfo
John Velazquez aboard Medina Spirit gives Bob Baffert his seventh Kentucky Derby comprise, breaking a tie with Ben Jones for potentially the most wins all-time by a coach.
Velazquez additionally becomes apt the third jockey over the remaining 30 years to comprise consecutive Derbies. https://t.co/NA5jFLJvxo
“There are no phrases to bellow it,” Velazquez said on the NBC Sports activities broadcast. “What an incredible feeling. It apt doesn’t safe weak. I are looking out to attain lend a hand lend a hand subsequent year. At any time when I asked him for extra, he gave me an increasing selection of and extra. I was extra tired than he used to be.”
That is an precise indication for the horse’s quest to comprise the Triple Crown. He’ll need the shuffle he confirmed in this shuffle at the shorter 1 3/16th-mile computer screen for the Preakness, however the extra complex test will likely be the 1 1/2-mile Belmont Stakes if he makes it that far.
Mandaloun achieve in a sturdy exhibiting at 26-1 odds. The Brad H. Cox trainee made a shuffle for the improbably comprise down the supreme stretch, however his pain used to be met by the eventual winner.
“Flo[rent Geroux] said he ran tense, apt received a marginally tired behind,” Cox said, per Alicia Hughes of TVG. “It used to be positively a step up from his remaining shuffle. We knew that wasn‘t him in his remaining shuffle.”
The leisure shuffle Cox used to be relating to could maybe perchance well be a sixth-region perform at the Louisiana Derby that clearly didn’t bid his skill.
The two ravishing horses were followed by two of the greater favorites in Hot Rod Charlie and Very crucial Quality. Neither used to be ready to gain the walk early on and didn’t non-public ample kick to shut the gap over the supreme quarter-mile.
Each could maybe perchance well invent a return at the Preakness and could maybe perchance well be noteworthy adversaries. However for now, Medina Spirit is the horse to witness at Pimlico on Might fair 15.
