The 150th Kentucky Derby will be a race that lives long in the memory, as racing fans witnessed one of the closest ever finishes to the Triple Crown race. It was a famous year in the race’s illustrious history, as it celebrated 150 years of the most famous sporting event on the U.S. calendar.
However, now that the Derby is over for another 12 months, the attention quickly turns to the middle jewel of the Triple Crown, with the Preakness Stakes being staged at Pimlico on May 17.
The Belmont Stakes will then complete the Triple Crown series in June, but could we see a Triple Crown winner crowned? Below you can find out more about some of the winners and losers from this year’s edition of the Kentucky Derby.
Mystik Dan
It would be hard to argue that there were many bigger winners on Derby day than Mystik Dan, as the three-year-old for Kenneth McPeek defied lofty odds to storm to victory. However, a lot of the credit should be given to jockey Brian Hernandez, who made the race-winning decision to go down the rail.
The advantage that the move gave to the contender was ultimately the difference-maker, as Mystik Dan finished just ahead of Sierra Leone and Forever Young.
It was a second win this year for the talented three-year-old, and connections will now be weighing up whether they will target a second Triple Crown success in the TwinSpires Preakness Stakes odds. However, should they overlook the race at Pimlico, it’s likely that he will go straight to Saratoga for the Belmont Stakes in June.
Forever Young
The unlucky horse in this year’s edition of the Kentucky Derby was Forever Young, with many claiming that the Japanese raider was the best horse in the race. Ryusei Sakai gave the runner a dream ride at Churchill Downs, but his momentum was altered down the final stretch after Sierra Leone kept moving left into the eventual third.
Frustrations of connections were made even horse after he was deemed to be third over the line following a photo finish. Yoshito Yahagi was still delighted with his runner’s performance, as Forever Young came the closest of any Japanese raider to win the Triple Crown opener.
But, there will be no further efforts in the series this year for the three-year-old star, as he was shipped back to Asia just days after the race at Churchill Downs. But, he could be a major player if returning to the United States later in the year for the Breeders’ Cup Classic.
Honor Marie
There are always hard luck stories in the Derby, with the big field constantly jostling for position in the early stages. One of the runners’s with the most to complain about after the race was Honor Marie, for trainer D Whitworth Beckman. The three-year-old was bumped on a number of occasions in the opening stages of the race, losing him positions back down the field.
However, connections will still likely take positives in the manner in which he finished the Derby, as he picked up speed in the closing part of the race to finish eighth, which would have seemed incredibly unlikely after the first couple of furlongs. There may yet be hope for Honor Marie, especially considering that the trainer has already openly admitted that they will be targeting a run in the Belmont Stakes in June.
Sierra Leone
Sierra Leone will also go down as an unlucky loser in the Derby this year, as he just couldn’t get to the line ahead of Mystik Dan. The runner for Chad Brown bumped with Forever Young when the race picked up, but his race was effectively jeopardised after having to make the widest passage into the straight.
He edged left in the closing stages, effectively hindering his and Forever Young’s chances of victory. But, he certainly showed that he has the quality to compete in these massive Grade Ones, and he will be a solid contender at the Belmont Stakes in June.
Fierceness
The biggest disappointment in the Kentucky Derby this year was Fierceness for trainer Todd Pletcher. He eventually went off as the favourite after impressing in the G1 Florida Derby, and he certainly appeared to be the runner to beat based on speed figures that had been clocked on the Road to the Kentucky Derby. But, at no point during the race at Churchill Downs did he look comfortable.
His chances were effectively blown when coming out of the stalls slowly, with John Velazquez then pushing him onto the tails of the leader. But, his energy looked spent following these exertions, and he quickly dropped toward the back of the field when the leaders turned for home.
He eventually could finish no better than 15th in the Derby, and was a staggering 24 lengths behind Mystik Dan. Pletcher will likely give him another chance on the Triple Crown series, as connections have teased that he will be pointed toward the Belmont Stakes. However, he will bypass the Preakness Stakes.
