When they opened the gates on the 137th Kentucky Derby, Animal Kingdom came away cleanly from his auxiliary gate post, and settled kindly for Velazquez well behind the honest pace set by Shackleford (Forestry). That blaze-faced chestnut, who had been training up a storm under the Twin Spires, lived up to that reputation by getting his first quarter in :23.24 and :48.63, and was tracked by Comma to the Top (Bwana Charlie) and Decisive Moment (With Distinction). Meanwhile, favored Dialed In (Mineshaft) was a long way last. For a 19-horse field, there appeared to be a minimum of rough trips, and Animal Kingdom raced in the three path down the backstretch. “We were between horses and he was going well,” said his rider. As Velazquez began to gather his mount approaching the three-eighths pole, Animal Kingdom’s engine roared to life, and the chestnut avoided a potential problem by accelerating through a seam with Santiva (Giant’s Causeway) to his outside. “When we got clear, he gave me the feeling that he had it in him [to win],” said Velazquez. Guided a bit further out, the lightly raced chestnut accelerated smartly, reeling in Nehro (Mineshaft) and surging clear in the final strides. Shackleford stayed on bravely, but succumbed late to Mucho Macho Man (Macho Uno) to lose third.
“I’ve only won a couple of the big ones and, when it happens, it’s surreal,” said Team Valor founder and CEO Barry Irwin. “I couldn’t see a whole lot from where I was sitting. I picked him up at the eighth pole and he was on the move — my wife was going crazy.”
Churchill Downs announced that a record crowd of 164,858 was on hand for the 137th renewal of the “Run for the Roses.” The previous mark was 163,628, achieved during the centennial running in 1974.
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