LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Nyquist won the Kentucky Derby on Satuday at Churchill Downs.
Exaggerator finished second and Gun Runner came in third.
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The 142nd edition of the Run for the Roses had a full field of 20 and almost as many intriguing angles. It had an undefeated favorite, the 7-for-7 Nyquist, front-runners Danzing Candy and Outwork, a handful of stalkers and an inordinate number of deep closers (nine) and gray horses (five). It included a winless horse (Trojan Nation), one that never had run on dirt (Oscar Nominated) and a Japan-based colt (Lani), whose previous race was in Dubai.
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There were three sons of North America’s leading sire, Tapit, and two sired by the world’s hottest young stallion, Uncle Mo. Jockey Victor Espinoza, on long shot Whitmore, was seeking an unprecedented third consecutive Derby win. Keith and Kent Desormeaux, with Exaggerator, were attempting to become the first trainer-jockey brother combination to win the Derby.
Bob Baffert, who saddled Mor Spirit, ended the 37-year Triple Crown drought last year with American Pharoah. “We’re just the opening act this year,’’ said Baffert, who on Saturday was trying for his fifth Derby win, one short of record-holder Ben Jones.
From 1980 to 1999, every Kentucky Derby favorite lost, but in the previous 16, seven betting choices finished first, including the previous three. Starting in 2000, when Fusaichi Pegasus broke the jinx, Smarty Jones (2004), Street Sense (2007), Big Brown (2008), Orb (2013), California Chrome (2014) and eventual Triple Crown hero American Pharoah (2015).
Nyquist was favored because he was the proven class of the field, with high cruising speed, versatility and grit. He had won four Grade I stakes at four tracks in three states, on fast and wet tracks. None of his rivals had a resume approaching that.
A month ago, Baffert said, “It’s Nyquist and then the rest of them.’’ This week he cautioned handicappers about expecting the Derby to play out as it looked on paper. The chaos factor always looms.
“There’s so much that can happen in these Derbys,’’ Baffert said. “Your horse has to show up. A lot of horses will just lay an egg for whatever reason. The way these things are getting, they’re almost like Trump rallies. They’re crazy.
“The walkover [from the backstretch] got to American Pharoah last year, and it definitely cost him his fastball. He finally settled down and we dodged a bullet. He still ran great, but it wasn’t the Pharoah that we knew.’’
..... - Newsday