I'll Have Another chased down Bodemeister down the stretch to takethe 138th running of the Kentucky Derby on Saturday at ChurchillDowns in Louisville, Ky. The winning horse in the field of 20 has significant Canadianconnections. Mexican jockey Mario Gutierrez raced at Hastings Parkin Vancouver for six years, while the horse is owned by Windsor,Ont., native Jr. Paul Reddam. "I was just kind of numb through the whole race and blink my eyesand it was over," said Reddam.
"This team has just been terrific." An elated Gutierrez, celebrating Cinco de Mayo with a successfulfirst Derby run, gave special thanks to his friends and supportersfrom Vancouver in the post-race interview. Trainer Doug O'Neill captures his first Triple Crown race as aresult. The chestnut colt stormed out of post No. 19 the first winnerfrom that slot in 138 runnings of the Derby and bided his timeback in mid-pack while Bodemeister set a blistering pace on a hot,muggy afternoon. "He's an amazing horse," Gutierrez said.
"I told everybody beforethe first time I rode him, I knew he was the one." But a record crowd of 165,307 looking on didn't know I'll HaveAnother had the goods until the field turned for home. That's when Gutierrez, who moved up between horses around the finalturn, positioned his colt not far from the rail and set him down torun. The horse won by 1 lengths, paying $32.60 US, $13.80 and $9.Previously the Santa Anita Derby winner, he went off at 15-1 odds. Bodemeister with Hall of Fame jockey Mike Smith set Derby recordsfor his splits, but the horse's famed trainer Bob Baffert wasultimately denied a fourth Derby and 10th Triple Crown victory. Heran the opening quarter-mile in 22.32 seconds and the half-mile in45.39.
"I told Mike, `Look, if he breaks great and feels like running, wecan win it," said Baffert, who suffered a heart attack in Dubaifive weeks ago. "That's the only time I've run second where I'vebeen happy because he ran his race." Meanwhile, I'll Have Another was comfortably galloping along behindthe blazing speed. Gutierrez angled his colt clear on the finalturn and took dead-aim at Bodemeister, who was clearly in front atthe top of the stretch. "I knew we were in trouble when I saw Doug's horse coming," saidSmith, who won the Derby with 50-1 shot Giacomo in 2005.
Dullahan closed strongly to finish third. Went the Day Well finished fourth, followed by Creative Cause,Liaison, 5-1 second choice Union Rags, Rousing Sermon, Hansen,Daddy Nose Best and Optimizer. Alpha was 12th, followed by El Padrino, Done Talking, Sabercat, 8-1third choice Gemologist, Trinniberg, Prospective, Take Charge Indyand Daddy Long Legs was last. Gemologist had won all five of its previous races. The Preakness Stakes, the next jewel in the Triple Crown, will berun May 19 at Pimlico, Md.
"Maryland here we come," said O'Neill, who's based out of SouthernCalifornia. I'll Have Another cost just $11,000 as a yearling. The last horse to win the Triple Crown, which also includes theBelmont Stakes, was Affirmed in 1978. With files from CBCSports.ca. I am an expert from Pet & Products, usually analyzes all kind of industries situation, such as stainless steel trivet , bbq thermometer fork.
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