A mud covered Orb with jockey Joel Rosario splashed over the muddy track to win the Kentucky Derby on Saturday, giving Hall of Fame trainer Shug McGaughey his first victory in the prestigious race.
Thoroughbred racing at Churchill Downs
When the field turned for home on Saturday afternoon at Churchill Downs, Normandy Invasion grabbed the lead while Orb was gearing up, but Orb prevailed, carrying Joel Rosario to his first Derby win.
© 2013 by Jarrett Campbell
When the field turned for home on the cool, overcast Saturday afternoon at Churchill Downs, Normandy Invasion grabbed the lead while Orb was gearing up. But in the deep stretch, Orb prevailed, carrying Joel Rosario to his first Derby win.
Long shot Golden Soul was second with Revolutionary third.
Goldencents, owned in part by Rick Pitino, coach of Louisville's national basketball champions, finished a 17th. His jockey, Kevin Krigger, was trying to become the first black rider to win the race since 1902.
Rosie Napravnik was also bidding to make history as the first woman jockey to win the world's biggest horse race. She finished fifth aboard Mylute, the highest finish by a female rider.
Orb will follow up his win at Churchill Downs by running in the Preakness on May 18, giving the colt a shot at the Triple Crown.
Trainer McGaughey has never won the Preakness in spite of two previous attempts. He hasn't had a horse in the race since 1989, when Easy Goer finished second to Sunday Silence, duplicating their Derby finish that year.
For a trainer who has always shown patience with his horses, McGaughey is eagerly anticipating the grueling Triple Crown campaign that compresses three races into a five-week span.