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[Breaking news update, published at 7:09 p.m. ET]
Mystic Dan crossed the finish line in front during the 150th running of the Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs in Louisville on Saturday.
The next race in the prestigious Triple Crown race will be the Preakness Stakes on May 18th at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, Maryland.
[Original story, published at 6 a.m. ET]
The Kentucky Derby has already been hailed as the “Greatest Two Minutes in Sports,” but this year’s 150th anniversary takes on even more historical significance.
First held in 1875, the race is the longest continuously running sporting event in the United States, and perhaps one of the most beloved.
Over the years, the Kentucky Derby has been the center of drama and controversy in the sport, and has crowned some of the greatest racehorses of all time.
Expect a similar situation this year as racing’s most famous jockey continues to be absent as the legendary jockey seeks his first Derby victory.
The Kentucky Derby will be held on Saturday, May 4th, with television coverage on NBC and Peacock beginning at 2:30 PM ET.
The race itself is scheduled to start at 6.57p ET.
A crowd of 10,000 people watched the first Kentucky Derby as the 3-year-old chestnut colt Aristides, ridden by jockey Oliver Lewis, won at Churchill Downs.
Since then, the Derby has continued to be held at the same venue, even during the World Wars and the Great Depression of the 1930s.
This year, more than 150,000 people are expected to flock to the famous racetrack to watch the races and enjoy the celebrations.
AP
This race, pictured in 1978, has been held at Churchill Downs every year since its inception.
Great horses have won the Derby, including Secretariat, American Pharoah, Citation, and most recently Justify.
The Kentucky Derby is also the first of the prestigious Triple Crown races, consisting of the Preakness Stakes and Belmont Stakes, and only 13 horses have won all three races in one year.
Although the races and venues remain largely unchanged, efforts are underway to improve horse safety at racetracks.
Last year, Churchill Downs announced new safety initiatives as part of an ongoing investigation into a series of horse deaths at the track.
The pre-race favorite has won the Kentucky Derby six times in the past 12 editions, and Fierceness aims to extend that record this year.
This stallion has had great results so far and showed some formidable footwork in his last race to easily win.
Trainer Todd Pletcher and jockey John Velasquez are hoping Fierceness can give the pair their second Kentucky Derby victory after their successful partnership on Always Dreaming in 2017.
Fierceness will face the toughest battle against Sierra Leone, according to the odds, but there are 20 runners looking to win the first jewel of this year’s Triple Crown.
Among them is outsider Society Man, ridden by a very special jockey, Frankie Dettori.
The Italian made a name for himself in Europe as one of the best jockeys in the history of flat horse racing. During his illustrious career, Dettori has ridden some of the best horses on the planet and racked up more than 3,300 wins.
John Walton/Press Association/AP
Jockey Frankie Dettori is aiming for his first Kentucky Derby victory this year.
Among his multiple career highlights are two straight wins at the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe and a Breeders’ Cup Turf title, all aboard the incredible horse Enable.
Last year, the 53-year-old postponed his retirement plans to compete in the United States, where he has already had much success. In April, Dettori rode six consecutive winning horses at Santa Anita Racetrack in California, giving him cumulative odds of over 77,000 to 1.
A win on Saturday would be his second attempt at the race and the best result of his career. But his dreams of winning the race were dashed when he drew an enviable margin at the start.
“For me, as a veteran jockey, I understand what the Kentucky Derby means to my trade. It would be a great feather to take off my cap. Just getting on the field is a win.” DeTori, who will be followed by Netflix cameras that day, told NBC Sports earlier this year.
The 150th running of the Kentucky Derby will be without Bob Baffert, perhaps the most famous name in the derby world.
Charlie Riedel/Associated Press
Trainer Bob Baffert watches training at Churchill Downs in 2016.
The 71-year-old, who has trained six Derby winners, was initially declared the winner in 2021 before being banned from running in the race after his horse Medina Spirit tested positive for a banned substance. Ta.
The suspension was originally for two years, but was extended for this year’s race by the race’s organizer and owner of the famous racetrack, Churchill Downs (CDI).
CDI’s statement from last year explained the decision, saying Baffert “continues to spread false narratives regarding Medina Spirit’s drug test failures.”
The trainer’s request for an emergency hearing was denied last month by a Kentucky Court of Appeals judge, meaning Moose, one of the best horses in the country trained by Baffert, will not be allowed to run.
This is a developing story and will be updated.
