American Pharoah’s Breathtaking Finish at the Kentucky Derby

America’s favorite the current Kentucky Derby champion has the chance to win the Triple Crown.

American Pharoah had won the Kentucky Derby held in Louisville, Kentucky last weekend. This didn’t come as a surprise to most horseracing fans. Anyone who doubted the young talent’s ability to go head to head with all the best racehorses in America was proven wrong. His victories in the pre-season were fairly promising, but it is the truth that he had never run with such a crowd before.

Victor Espinoza’s third Kentucky Derby win

The jockey Victor Espinoza is well-known for his extraordinary talent and success. As a teenager he worked as a bus driver in Mexico. He arrived to the United States with big hopes and dreams at the age of 17. One can say for sure that he succeeded. “Today finally I let him run” he said about Pharoah’s performance in the Grade I stakes race for three-year-olds. Last year’s Derby winner California Chrome was also ridden by the Latin American jockey. This year the 141st Derby had a record crowd of 170,513 which made it an even bigger honor for all owners and riders to compete. Those who like to bet on sports in the US had an amazing weekend with lots of excitement.

• American Pharoah won the Kentucky Derby
• It was Bob Baffert’s 4th win
• Pharoah could win the Triple Crown

The famous trainer Bob Baffert had three Kentucky Derby wins already but none since 2002. This was certainly a big year for him considering his horse was crowned champion again after a decade. His first win at “The Most Exciting Two Minutes In Sports” was in 1997 with Silver Charm and the next in the following year with Real Quiet. “I'm so lucky to be in this position. American Pharaoh and Dortmund, they run their races. This American Pharoah is something. He just keeps bringing it. ... It's a fantasy moment for us. I can't believe I'm standing here for a fourth time“ said Baffert.

Baffert scores his fourth Derby trophy

Since Baffert had started his career as a jockey he is getting along with them well. This could be one of the reasons why they make such a great team with Victor Espinoza. Although they both had been on the podium of America’s most prestigious race, it was the first time for the owners. According to gambling news the Zayat family could not be happier after years of coming in second, however finally this year they achieved all their goals. Ahmed Zayat himself called the fantastic horse a “freak of nature”. He was referring to the hidden rockets that the 3 year-old-colt shoots off whenever we think he couldn’t go any faster.

The Derby ran with the smallest field of 18 since 2004. One of the most promising competitors, Materiality didn’t perform as well as hoped breaking down from the lead quickly. The race being the “Fastest two minutes in sport” doesn’t give too much time to waste for anyone who wants to win. In the lead it was another one of Baffert’s horses Dortmund. He ran an early pace of 23.24 seconds for the first quarter-mile and 47.24 seconds for the half-mile. While Firing Line and American Pharoah kept up with him closely. In the end it came down to a head to head battle between Firing Lane and the winner.

Baffert could have been the first trainer to finish first and second in the Kentucky Derby since Ben Jones in 1948 with Citation and Coaltown if Dortmund came in second. What made the race even more special was that Garcia the rider of Dortmund is the home trainer of the winner and favorite of online sportsbooks in the US. He knew both horses very well and even stated that he thinks Pharoah is simply a better horse. With the Preakness Stakes coming soon the only question left is if the super duo can win the Triple Crown. Pharoah would become the first horse in history to win all three races since Affirmed in 1978. Both jockey and trainer are positive. Many believe if any horse can do it is the 141st Derby winner.