2011 KENTUCKY DERBY

© 2011 Cindy Pierson Dulay

 Animal Kingdom winning The 137th running of The Kentucky Derby.

 ANIMAL KINGDOM WINS 137TH KENTUCKY DERBY 

KENTUCKY DERBY OFFICIAL RESULTS

MAY 7, 2011

KENTUCKY DERBY

GRADE I

CHURCHILL DOWNS; LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY

FOR THREE YEAR OLDS

ONE AND ONE QUARTER MILES

MAIN TRACK: FAST

ANIMAL KINGDOM

Winner

137th Kentucky Derby

Jockey:  John Velazquez

Trainer: H. Graham Motion

Owner/Breeders: Team Valor 

Chestnut Colt

Sire: Leroidesanimaux (BRZ)

Dam:  Dalicia (GER), by Acatenango (GER)

OFFICIAL ORDER OF FINISH

Scratches: Uncle Mo

 23.24, 48.63, 1:13.40, 1:37.49, 2:02.04

ANIMAL KINGDOM WINS 137TH RUN FOR THE ROSES

May 7, 2011

Churchill Downs

Louisville, Kentucky

The culmination of a crazy couple of weeks unfolded late this Saturday afternoon closing the chapter on yet another run for the roses.  To understand this race was to appreciate all the great potential of the three-year-olds that didn't make it and the raw unmolded talent that did enter the starting gate on this day.  For the first time in a long time there was no clear cut low priced favorite and that was confirmed the minute Uncle Mo's connections told the media Friday that he was a scratch.  The past performances looked like something you would see handicapping a two-year-old turf race in late September.  The performance lines of those filled with turf racing experience and multiple preps on synthetic surfaces did little to separate the nineteen colts that would enter the gate on this day.   

The Jersey connections of trainer Kelly Breen and owners George and Lori Hall would enter Pants On Fire, winner of the Louisiana Derby with first time derby pilot Rosie Napravnik.  Nick Zito would bring yet another runner for Robert LaPenta in Dialed In who many thought would be the colt to finally get LaPenta that long sought after derby win.  Todd Pletcher would still have Stay Thirsty in the gate despite losing Repole runner Uncle Mo late in the week after doctors could not confirm what ailment the colt was suffering from after being discovered following his disappointing third place finish in The Wood Memorial just a few short weeks ago.  Midnight Interlude, the Santa Anita Derby winner, represented the California horses but was really never given any respect by the Beyer Numbers people or the crowd making many wonder what has happened to the three-year-old talent coming out of California.  A whacky year to say the least but a very good year if one was looking for large mutuels.

In the end it would be a chestnut colt from the barn of Graham Motion that would run late down the lane to capture this years running of the Kentucky Derby.  The colts first performance on the dirt going farther than any other time in his career would stop the tele-time in 2:02.04, giving his trainer his first Derby win. Jockey John Velazquez won his first derby as he picked up the mount from Robby Albarado after he was hurt in a recent accident and the scratch of Uncle Mo which left Velazquez without a mount for the big race.  Albarado would ride on the undercard of the Derby but Team Valor chose to replace him thinking he wasn't fit enough to ride their horse in the Derby.  While Velazquez did finally win his first Derby in thirteen tries you couldn't help but notice his less than thrilled demeanor as he gave the impression that perhaps he backed into the win when Albarado could have ridden the horse.  Team Valor, the racing syndicate, which tries to make racing affordable to ordinary owners also found the winner's circle for the first time capping a day of firsts.  

The biggest day of the year and virtually no coverage on TV.  Sure NBC came in at four o'clock in the afternoon and did an admirable job but it seems that ESPN had thrown in the towel on their Derby coverage which would leave those with TVG to get plenty of insight before the undercard races only to be told they could only see them if the had a TVG internet account they could watch some slow jagged continually buffering video on the internet before coming back to the TV for post race thoughts.  It makes it hard for those  who have limited resources and can't make it to the track to follow the day.  Sure those who had HRTV had the under card but in an industry which is struggling for fans you would think that maybe for one day everyone could get on the same page because at the end of the day everyone wins when the handle is at an all-time high.  And when you draw 165,000 fans on track at Churchill one should be able to deduct that there will be plenty of attention paid to this afternoons events.  More attention paid equals more money spent.  Someday the track operators will figure it out, let's just hope its sooner rather than later. See the Animal Kingdom bandwagon at Pimlico.

See below for complete Derby recap:

Watch Me Go lost his footing at the break while Shackleford led Comma To The Top, Decisive Moment, Pants On Fire and Nehro past the stands for the first time, through the first turn and down the back side.  In the far turn Shackleford was still clinging to a half length advantage while Nehro was gearing up for his run at the leader.  Comma To The Top was starting to give way in third position with Pants On Fire in fourth position trying to stay with the leaders.  Animal Kingdom was in the middle of a six wide move as Shackelford came off the turn and into the stretch with a length advantage.  Nehro was still second while Animal Kingdom was now outside of the early runners with aim on the lead.  Inside the furlong marker Animal Kingdom took over and the increased his lead while drifting out late to win The 137^th Running of The Kentucky Derby by two and three-quarter lengths at the wire in a final time of 2:02.04.  Nehro was able to maintain second through the stretch a neck in front of the late closing Mucho Macho Man.