LOUISVILLE, Ky. - A Kentucky Derby week that included a hint of controversy for trainer Bob Baffert ended in triumph on Saturday.
Baffert scored his third career victory in the Kentucky Derby when the front-running War Emblem pulled away in the final furlong to win by four lengths at 20-1. Owned by Ahmed Salman's Thoroughbred Corp., War Emblem joins Silver Charm (1997) and Real Quiet (1998) as Baffert-trained winners of the Derby.
What comes down, must go up. One race after the disappointment of seeing Snow Ridge disqualified from victory in the Churchill Downs Handicap, trainer D. Wayne Lukas headed right back to the winner's circle. This time, he stayed there.
Lukas's fleet filly Holiday Runner flew out of the gate, turned back a challenge from favored Posse, then held off a belated bid from Zavata to capture the $121,400 Three Chimneys Juvenile, a five-furlong dash for 2-year-olds.
The stakes undercard got off to a controversial start when Snow Ridge was disqualified from first and placed second, giving D'wildcat ($19.80) the victory in the $171,450 .
Snow Ridge survived an early pace duel with Accelerant to draw well clear into the stretch then withstood D'wildcat's final rally to post an apparent neck triumph. But following an objection by jockey Kent Desormeaux aboard D'wildcat, who alleged Snow Ridge's rider, Mike Smith, had struck his horse across the face with his whip in deep stretch, the stewards reversed the original order of finish.
LOUISVILLE, Ky - Prince Ahmed bin Salman had great fun a few hours before watching his new purchase, War Emblem, win the Kentucky Derby. Three races earlier, Salman was in the middle of a joyous winner's circle following an emphatic victory by Stylish in the $115,200 Citgo Distaff Turf Mile.
Stylish, ridden by Jerry Bailey and trained by Bill Mott, returned $9 after coming from mid-pack to win the Grade 3, one-mile turf race by 1 1/4 lengths over La Recherche. Dianehill, part of an entry favored at 5-2, was just another head back in third in a field of 10 fillies and mares.
LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Gold Mover finished first, but was disqualified by the stewards for interference in midstretch, enabling Celtic Melody to win the Grade 1, $228,000 , one of five stakes on the Kentucky Derby undercard at Churchill Downs.
Gold Mover, a slight favorite over Nasty Storm, was placed second. Hattiesburg finished third.
LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Danthebluegrassman, a surprise entrant in the Kentucky Derby on Wednesday, was scratched Saturday morning after the horse showed signs of tying up, trainer Bob Baffert said.
Baffert took Danthebluegrassman to the track Saturday morning for a routine jog, and when the horse came back to the barn, Baffert noticed he was "walking a little short in behind." Baffert treated the horse with Banamine and then muscle relaxers.
"If you don't treat them right away they mess up their back muscles," Baffert said.
ETOBICOKE, Ontario - Shaws Creek rallied from well off suicidal fractions under Jake Barton to capture the $168,150 Queenston Stakes at Woodbine Saturday.
Favored Wild Whiskey and Rare Friends hooked up through fractions of 21:75 and 43.85 seconds in the seven-furlong dash for Canadian-bred 3-year-olds. Shaws Creek began his rally at the quarter pole and mowed down Rare Friends in the final furlong to prevail by 1 3/4 lengths over a closing Embattle. The final time was 1:23.46.
Shaws Creek ($18.l0) earned $100,890 for the Jam Jar Racing Stable and trainer John Ross.
GRAND PRAIRIE, Texas - Beau's Town won his sixth consecutive race Saturday when he powered to a 1 3/4-length victory over Boots on Sunday in the $75,000 Ford Express Stakes at Lone Star Park.
It was another seven lengths back in third to Exemplary, who was five lengths clear of Peanutsinacoke.
Alternate moved closer to a berth in the Grade 3 Delaware Oaks by scoring a 4 3/4-length victory in the $75,600 Go for Wand Stakes at Delaware Park.
A 3-year-old filly trained by Graham Motion, Alternate ($3) was boxed in among rivals for most of the 1 1/16-mile race before jockey Ramon Dominguez steered her clear of traffic on the far turn. She overtook Spelling in upper stretch and drew away, completing the distance in 1:46.35.
JAMAICA, N.Y. - Fast Decision, trying stakes company for the first time, won Saturday's $150,000 Withers, a Grade 3 for 3-year-olds, at Aqueduct.
Fast Decision, stalked the pace under Jose Santos and seized the lead from the pacesetter, Shah Jehan, in deep stretch and stormed home a three-quarter-length winner.
