Animal Kingdom Ridden

Winner of the operation of the 137 Kentucky Derby did not make any sense at all. That's exactly right. Prep season will take the Triple Crown was a street full of shocking upset after the shocking upset in New York and California.

When the first horse crosses the finish line in the Run for the Roses at Churchill Downs early Saturday evening, it was a performance that left many in the record crowd of 164,858 Derby Day scratching their heads, and order a Mint Julep more.

The winner was a bit rushed the animal kingdom, who lit the scoreboard up to $ 43.80 for a $ 2 bet. The colt, who was against 20-1, had many things going against him in the next 114 miles of the Kentucky Derby.

I had never raced on dirt in your life. He also became the first horse since 1956 to win the Derby the dismissal of six weeks and the first horse since 1918 to win the biggest race in America with so little part.

Oh, and who had his fifth rider in piu 'races. John Velazquez won the Derby after the colt named to run until Friday. He was replaced by Robby Albarado, who has a broken nose and facial lacerations after he was thrown to attach the post parade for the third race here on Wednesday.

In fact, you would not expect the Kentucky Derby winner in the Animal Kingdom. But was he who went deep tranche Nehra and fed to a 3/4-length "" 2I win. Nehra, which exploded at 08.01, was a neck before Mucho Macho Man, that was three-quarter-length ahead of the leader Shackleford .

In addition to the $ 43.80 to win, went to Animal Kingdom $ 19.60 to place and $ 13 to see. Nehro paid $ 8 and $ 6.40 Mucho Macho and returned $ 7 Mon

"When I pulled out of the eighth pole, I knew went," Velazquez said.

Composed, Nick Zito-trained 5-1 favorite, was never a factor and eighth.

Animal Kingdom was certainly proven its ability to compete in a horse, but the big question is whether she is doing the dirt. Trainer Graham Motion and Barry Irwin, CEO of Team Valor International, which owns the colt, apparently there was no reason for concern.

Animal Kingdom is like a horse barn, the second string in Motion. Top Colt in the stable, Wood Memorial winner Toby's Corner, was declared out of Derby earlier this week the lame left hind leg.

"Someone said:" Are you surprised to win the second-tier horse, "and I said," I'm not sure that would qualify on both sides of the second level, "said Motion, who won his third Derby starter. " He is an exceptional horse to train in the morning. It 's really a great week. "The Derby lost power top star when his uncle two years, last year, Missouri, was scratched from the race Friday, the internal condition. Velazquez, who was 0-for-12 before the derby on Saturday, would ride the Uncle Mo if he had run.

Compound was supposed to be the horse to beat, but I had a very fast run.

"He was dead last and have never returned to him," Zito said the pace scenario. "I went to the 1:13 (six stages) and never came back."

The final race time was 2:02:04.

Animal Kingdom can now become the first first winner of the Triple Crown Sports in 1978 (confirmed) that can win the Preakness on May 21 in Baltimore and the Belmont Stakes in New York on 11 June.

One might think that Animal Kingdom would go to the second stage, but nothing has been confirmed on Saturday night.

"We talk about the Preakness, so if I can put it that way," said Irwin. "We'll see what we can find."