Sitting in the interview room at Churchill Downs on Saturday evening, the eyes of Ogden Mills "Dinny" Phipps averted their gaze to watch a nearby replay of the 139th Kentucky Derby over and over. Each time, the result was the same—Orb, the homebred colt he owns in partnership with his cousin, Stuart S. Janney III, splashing home in the mud to overpower a strong field of 3-year-olds in America's most famed race.
Orb went off the tepid favorite, the product of coming into the Derby with a four-race win streak and the positive impression he made all week here at Churchill Downs, including a sharp final workout Monday. Then he went out and ran like he trained.
Total betting on the Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs on Saturday was $130.5 million, according to the chart, down 2.2 percent from the record total of $133.5 million bet last year but still the second-highest figure of all time.
When he guided Orb to a decisive triumph Saturday in the Kentucky Derby, jockey Joel Rosario completed an amazing run that began five weeks earlier with his victory aboard Animal Kingdom in the $10 million Dubai World Cup.
After a week where everything went swimmingly for the five-time Eclipse Award winning trainer, Todd Pletcher’s quintet of Kentucky Derby contenders floundered in the slop at Churchill Downs in the 139th Run for the Roses. The best Pletcher could do was a third-place finish with Revolutionary, the 6-1 second choice.
Kentucky Derby and Derby Future Wager payoffs
Recaps, results, and photos for the 2013 Kentucky Derby card at Churchill Downs.
As of 1 p.m. Eastern, the updated forecast for the balance of Kentucky Derby Day is not encouraging. With the main track at Churchill Downs already downgraded to sloppy after several hours of a steady drizzle, there is little sign of a let-up.
Pedigree analysis of the 20 horses set to contest the Kentucky Derby.
