Golden Horn wins third straight stakes in English Derby

Golden Horn remained unbeaten after four starts with an impressive win in Saturday’s $2,204,058 English Derby at Epsom Downs south of London, leading a sweep of the first two positions for trainer John Gosden.

Golden Horn, supplemented to the race earlier in the week for $115,275 by owner Anthony Oppenheimer, won by 3 1/2 lengths over Jack Hobbs. Storm the Stars, a 16-1 outsider trained by William Haggas, finished third in the field of 12.

Golden Horn was ridden by Frankie Dettori, his second career win in the English Derby. Dettori, 44, won the 2007 English Derby on Authorized.

Sent off as the 13-8 favorite, Golden Horn raced toward the back of the field for the first mile. Dettori guided Golden Horn to the outside in early stretch and steadily made progress through the uphill finish before taking the lead with a furlong to go. Golden Horn ran 1 1/2 miles on turf in 2:32.32.

“It was brilliant, the horse was magnificent,” Dettori said. “I was just a passenger. He flew into the last bit.”

Gosden said his pre-race conversation with Dettori focused on waiting until the stretch.

“I said, ‘Don’t press the button until the last two furlongs,’ ” Gosden said. “He remembered that as well, so it was a great ride. These things are made to look simple, and it could have been a complete mess if he’d gone too soon or let him roll up there with the pace, but he did it all right.”

The win was popular with bettors, with the bookmaker Coral estimating that the betting industry will pay out approximately $15 million on winning tickets, partially because of the presence of Dettori.

Dettori always has been a popular figure in British racing with his outgoing personality and success on the racetrack, including a sweep of the seven races on a championship-caliber card at Ascot in 2006. In recent years, he has had a more difficult time, serving a six-month suspension for substance abuse in winter 2012-13.

The Group 1 English Derby, restricted to colts and fillies, was by far the biggest win of his comeback.

Golden Horn, by Cape Cross, has won three consecutive stakes, a streak that began with the Feilden Stakes at Newmarket in April. Golden Horn became the favorite for the English Derby after winning the Group 2 Dante Stakes at York on May 14.

** Earlier on the Saturday program at Epsom, Pether’s Moon scored an 11-1 upset in the Group 1 Coronation Cup for older horses at 1 1/2 miles on turf.

Ridden by Pat Dobbs, Pether’s Moon closed from last in a field of four to catch the 8-11 favorite Dolniya in the final strides. Flintshire, second in the Breeders’ Cup Turf at Santa Anita last November, finished third, followed by Sheikhzayedroad. Ayrad and Romsdal were scratched.

Pether’s Moon, a 5-year-old horse by Dylan Thomas, is owned by Jack Manley and trained by Richard Hannon. The Coronation Cup was Pether’s Moon’s fifth stakes win and first in a Group 1.

Dolniya, a 4-year-old filly, was favored on the basis of her win in the $6 million Sheema Classic in Dubai on March 28.