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2015 Kentucky Derby

{{short description|141st running of Kentucky Derby}}

{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2015}}

{{Infobox horse race

| surface = Dirt

| name = 141st Kentucky Derby

| image = 2015 Kentucky Derby logo.svg

| caption = Official logo for the 2015 Kentucky Derby

| horse race = Kentucky Derby

| location = Churchill Downs

| date = {{Start date|2015|5|2}}

| winning horse = American Pharoah

| winning time = 2:03.02

| starting price = 3-1

| winning jockey = Victor Espinoza

| winning trainer = Bob Baffert

| winning owner = Zayat Stables, LLC

| conditions = Fast

| attendance = 170,513

| previous = 2014

| next = 2016

}}

The 2015 Kentucky Derby was the 141st running of the Kentucky Derby. The race was run at 6:44 pm Eastern Daylight Time (EDT) on May 2, 2015, at Churchill Downs.{{cite web|url=http://www.kentuckyderby.com/visit/plan-your-trip-kentucky-derby-and-oaks|title=Your Trip to the Derby 2015|year=2015|publisher=Churchill Downs Incorporated}} It was broadcast in the United States on the NBC television network.{{cite web|url=http://www.kentuckyderby.com/watch|title=Watch the Derby|year=2015|publisher=Churchill Downs Incorporated}} Kentucky native Ashley Judd voiced the opening for the telecast of the race, and was the first woman to do so.{{cite web|last=Doxsie|first=Don |url=http://qctimes.com/sports/columnists/doxsie/eye-openers-bears-needed-defense-but-did-the-white-thing/article_a5bca4d8-25bb-52c0-95d2-d8cc3769c734.html |title=Eye Openers: Bears needed defense, but did the White thing |date=May 2, 2015 |publisher=Qctimes.com |access-date=May 4, 2015}}{{cite web|url=https://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/ashley-judd-to-be-first-woman-to-narrate-opening-of-kentucky-derby/ |title=Ashley Judd to be first woman to narrate opening of Kentucky Derby |publisher=Fox News|agency=Associated Press |date=April 25, 2015 |access-date=May 4, 2015}}

The weather was warm, and a record 170,513 people attended.{{cite web|url=http://www.wdrb.com/story/28961472/kentucky-derby-141-breaks-attendance-record|title=Kentucky Derby 141 breaks attendance record|date=May 2, 2015|access-date=May 3, 2015|publisher=WDRB News|last=Ragsdale|first=Travis}} The 2015 race also set a wagering record with parimutuel betting of $137.9 million.{{cite web|author=Press Release|title=Record $194.3 Million Wagered, All-Time High 170,513 Attend Kentucky Derby|url=http://www.paulickreport.com/news/the-biz/record-194-3-million-wagered-all-time-high-170513-attend-kentucky-derby/|website=Paulick Report|access-date=May 4, 2015|date=May 2, 2015}} Jockey Victor Espinoza rode American Pharoah to victory after taking the lead in the homestretch. The race marked the fourth Kentucky Derby win for horse trainer Bob Baffert and the third win for Espinoza.

Qualification

{{main article|Road to the Kentucky Derby}}

The Kentucky Derby is a race for 3-year-old Thoroughbred horses. The 2015 field was determined by a points system that was introduced in 2013.{{cite web|url=http://www.kentuckyderby.com/road/about|title=About the Road to the Kentucky Derby|year=2015|publisher=Churchill Downs Incorporated}}

Field

The post position draw of the entries for the Kentucky Derby was held on Wednesday, April 29, 2015, at the Churchill Downs Racetrack clubhouse.{{cite web|url=http://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-racing/articles/91643/tale-of-verve-among-22-entered-for-ky-derby|title=Tale of Verve Among 22 Entered for KY Derby|publisher=Blood-Horse.com|access-date=April 29, 2015|date=April 29, 2015|last=Mitchell|first=Ron}} American Pharoah was installed as the 5-2 morning line favorite.{{cite web|title=Kentucky Derby favorite American Pharoah draws post 18|url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/horseracing/2015/04/29/american-pharoah-kentucky-derby-draw-dortmund-carpe-diem/26573455/|access-date=April 30, 2015|date=April 29, 2015|last=Mihoces|first=Gary|work=USA Today|at=Sports}} The day after the draw, Todd Pletcher scratched Stanford, stating that the horse was "fine" but they were not pleased with the draw and had been "on the fence" about running in the Derby.{{cite web|url=http://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-racing/articles/91684/ky-derby-stanford-out-frammento-in|title=KY Derby: Stanford Out, Frammento In|publisher=Blood-Horse.com|access-date=April 30, 2015|date=April 30, 2015|last=Novak|first=Claire}} On May 1, El Kabeir was scratched due to a possible hoof problem;{{cite web|url=http://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-racing/articles/91722/el-kabeir-scratched-from-kentucky-derby|title=El Kabeir Scratched From Kentucky Derby|publisher=Blood-Horse.com|access-date=May 1, 2015|date=May 1, 2015|last=Novak|first=Claire}} however, the also-eligible Tale of Verve did not get a chance to run since the scratch was made after the cutoff time that allows also-eligible runners to start in the race. Early on race day, International Star was also scratched after having problems with his left-front foot.{{cite web|url=http://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-racing/articles/91745/international-star-scratched-from-the-derby|title=International Star Scratched from the Derby|publisher=Blood-Horse.com|access-date=May 2, 2015|date=May 2, 2015|last=Angst|first=Frank}}

Overall, the 2015 field was considered "the deepest and most talented in decades". Trainer Bob Baffert had the top two favorites: American Pharoah and Dortmund.{{cite news|title=Kentucky Derby 2015: American Pharoah Wins a Close Race|last=Drape|first=Joe|work=The New York Times|date=May 2, 2015|access-date=May 3, 2015|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2015/05/03/sports/american-pharoah-wins-2015-kentucky-derby.html}} Dortmund, winner of the Santa Anita Derby, was 6–0 entering the race, a feat matched by 1977 winner Seattle Slew and 2004 winner Smarty Jones. American Pharoah was 4–1, having placed fifth in his debut before running off four straight victories, including an eight-length win in the Arkansas Derby. Baffert described the experience as like being "on pins and needles all week long", as reporters and fans expected one of his two horses to win.

Other notable horses in the field included the undefeated Florida Derby winner Materiality; Wood Memorial winner Frosted; UAE Derby winner Mubtaahij; and Sunland Derby winner Firing Line, who had lost to Dortmund twice by very narrow margins.

Race description

File:Kentucky National Guard (16745665074).jpg

The weather on race day, May 2, 2015, was warm. A record setting 170,513 fans watched the race live at Churchill Downs. The 2015 race also set a record for money wagered with $137.9 million bet from all sources on the Derby and $194.3 million for the entire day of racing. Eighteen horses started the race, which was the eleventh on the race card and started at 6:43 p.m. Television viewership was also higher than in previous years. The Nielsen ratings for the race were 9.6/23, which translated into roughly 16 million viewers.{{cite web|author1=Blood-Horse Staff|title=Average of 16 Million Viewed KY Derby on NBC |url=http://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-racing/articles/91813/average-of-16-million-viewed-ky-derby-on-nbc|access-date=May 6, 2015|date=May 5, 2015}}

Dortmund was the first out of the gate, followed closely by Firing Line and then American Pharoah.{{cite news |title=11th Race, Churchill Downs, May 2, 2015 |publisher=Equibase|date=May 2, 2015 |access-date=May 3, 2015 |url=http://www.equibase.com/static/chart/pdf/CD050215USA11.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150504193842/http://www.equibase.com/static/chart/pdf/CD050215USA11.pdf|url-status=dead |archive-date=May 4, 2015 }} In the early stages of the Kentucky Derby, Dortmund and Firing Line traded the lead several times. Carpe Diem and American Pharoah were also at the front of the pack, just behind the leaders.{{cite news|url=https://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/the-turnstile/kentucky-derby-215451739.html|last=Busbee|first=Jay|date=May 2, 2015|title=American Pharoah wins Kentucky Derby|work=The Turnstile|publisher=Yahoo! Sports|access-date=May 2, 2015}} Dortmund took the inside position and held it throughout the race. As the horses came around the final turn, it was a three-horse race. Dortmund held the lead on the inside, but Firing Line, running more toward the middle of the track, passed him. American Pharoah, ridden by Victor Espinoza, took the final turn very wide but had the lead by a head in the homestretch. From there, he increased his lead, winning with a time of 2:03.02. Firing Line finished second, one length back; Dortmund took third, three lengths off the lead. Frosted and Danzig Moon rounded out the top five.{{cite news|title=American Pharoah wins 141st Kentucky Derby|work=USA Today|date=May 2, 2015|url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/horseracing/2015/05/02/american-pharoah-kentucky-derby-winner/26767737/|access-date=May 3, 2015|first=Gary|last=Mihoces}}

It was second straight Derby win for Espinoza, who rode California Chrome to victory in 2014, and his third overall. "I feel like the luckiest Mexican on Earth", he declared after the race. For trainer Bob Baffert, it was his fourth Derby victory and his first since 2002. Espinoza and Baffert had teamed up to win the 2002 Kentucky Derby with War Emblem. For owner Ahmed Zayat, it was his first Derby victory and the end of a streak of losses. His horses had placed second in three of the previous six Kentucky Derbies, including 2009 when American Pharoah's sire, Pioneerof The Nile, finished second. Additionally, Zayat's 2010 entry, Eskendereya, was the morning line favorite but had to scratch with a career-ending leg injury. "I'm speechless", Zayat said. "No more seconds ... This is one special horse ... This is a dream come true." Zayat collected $1.4 million for the win out of the $2.2 million total purse.{{cite news|title=American Pharoah rules in Kentucky Derby|work=Los Angeles Times|date=May 2, 2015|last=Klein|first=Gary|url=http://www.latimes.com/sports/la-sp-kentucky-derby-20150503-story.html|access-date=May 3, 2015}} American Pharoah became the first two-year-old champion to win the Derby since Street Sense in 2007.{{cite web|last1=Hammonds|first1=Evan|title=Favored American Pharoah Wins Kentucky Derby|url=http://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-racing/articles/91764/favored-american-pharoah-wins-kentucky-derby|website=Blood Horse|access-date=May 3, 2015|date=May 2, 2015}}

=Results=

class="sortable wikitable"

! scope="col"| Finish

! scope="col"| Program #
(Position){{efn|Because of scratches, horses with higher program numbers moved closer to the rail in the starting gate. For example, American Pharoah had saddle cloth number 18 but started from the 15th stall in the starting gate. Post position can be critical as horses strive to get good position going into the first turn of the race.}}

! scope="col"| Horse

! scope="col"| Jockey

! scope="col"| Trainer

! scope="col" class="unsortable"| Morning Line
Odds

! scope="col"| Final Odds

! scope="col|Margin
(lengths)

! scope="col"| Winnings

! scope="col"| Points

1

|18 (15)

|American Pharoah

| {{sortname|Victor|Espinoza}}

| {{sortname|Bob|Baffert}}

|5-2

|2.9

|

|$1,240,000

|160

2

|10 (9)

|Firing Line

| {{sortname|Gary|Stevens|Gary Stevens (jockey)}}

| {{sortname|Simon|Callaghan}}

|12-1

|9.5

|1

|$400,000

|58

3

|8 (7)

|Dortmund

| {{sortname|Martin|Garcia|dab=jockey}}

| {{sortname|Bob|Baffert}}

|3-1

|4.3

|3

|$200,000

|170

4

|15 (12)

|Frosted

| {{sortname|Joel|Rosario}}

| {{sortname|Kiaran|McLaughlin}}

|15-1

|10.3

|{{frac|3|1|4}}

|$100,000

|113

5

|5 (5)

|Danzig Moon

| {{sortname|Julien|Leparoux}}

| {{sortname|Mark E.|Casse}}

|30-1

|22.6

|{{frac|8|1|2}}

|$60,000

|45

6

|3 (3)

|Materiality

| {{sortname|Javier|Castellano}}

| {{sortname|Todd|Pletcher}}

|12-1

|11.5

|{{frac|7|3|4}}

|

|100

7

|14 (11)

|Keen Ice

| {{sortname|Kent|Desormeaux}}

| {{sortname|Dale|Romans}}

|50-1

|45.8

|{{frac|8|3|4}}

|

|22

8

|6 (6)

|Mubtaahij

| {{sortname|Christophe|Soumillon}}

| {{sortname|Michael|de Kock}}

|20-1

|14.4

|{{frac|9|1|2}}

|

|100

9

|13 (10)

|Itsaknockout

| {{sortname|Luis|Saez}}

| {{sortname|Todd|Pletcher}}

|30-1

|30.6

|{{frac|10|1|4}}

|

|60

10

|2 (2)

|Carpe Diem

| {{sortname|John|Velazquez}}

| {{sortname|Todd|Pletcher}}

|8-1

|7.7

|11

|

|160

11

|21 (18)

|Frammento

| {{sortname|Corey|Nakatani}}

| {{sortname|Nick|Zito}}

|50-1

|69.5

|12

|

|20

12

|9 (8)

|Bolo

| {{sortname|Rafael|Bejarano}}

| {{sortname|Carla|Gaines}}

|30-1

|31.9

|{{frac|12|3|4}}

|

|30

13

|17 (14)

|Mr. Z

| {{sortname|Ramon A.|Vazquez}}

| {{sortname|D. Wayne|Lukas}}

|50-1

|36.6

|{{frac|15|1|2}}

|

|34

14

|1 (1)

|Ocho Ocho Ocho

| {{sortname|Elvis|Trujillo}}

| {{sortname|James M.|Cassidy}}

|50-1

|26.1

|{{frac|15|1|2}}

|

|30

15

|20 (17)

|Far Right

| {{sortname|Mike E.|Smith}}

| {{sortname|Ron|Moquett

}

|30-1

|39.2

|{{frac|15|3|4}}

|

|62

|-

|16

|16 (13)

|War Story

| {{sortname|Joe|Talamo}}

| {{sortname|Tom|Amoss}}

|50-1

|45.3

|{{frac|19|1|4}}

|

|44

|-

|17

|4 (4)

|Tencendur

| {{sortname|Manuel|Franco|dab=jockey}}

| {{sortname|George|Weaver|George Weaver (racehorse trainer)}}

|30-1

|52.3

|35

|

|41

|-

|18

|19 (16)

|Upstart

| {{sortname|José|Ortiz|José Ortiz (jockey)}}

| {{sortname|Richard|Violette}}

|15-1

|15.7

|{{frac|60|1|2}}

|

|76

|-bgcolor=#FFCCCC

|{{ntsh|21}}scratched

|12

|International Star

| {{sortname|Miguel|Mena}}

| {{sortname|Michael|Maker}}

|SCR

| -

| -

|

|171

|-bgcolor=#FFCCCC

|{{ntsh|19}}scratched

|7

|El Kabeir

| {{sortname|Calvin|Borel}}

| {{sortname|John|Terranova}}

|SCR

| -

| -

|

|95

|-bgcolor=#FFCCCC

|{{ntsh|20}}scratched

|11

|Stanford

| {{sortname|Florent|Geroux}}

| {{sortname|Todd|Pletcher}}

|SCR

| -

| -

|

|40

|-bgcolor="lightgray"

|{{ntsh|22}}scratched

|22

|Tale of Verve

| {{sortname|Brian|Hernandez Jr.}}

| {{sortname|Dallas|Stewart}}

|SCR

| -

| -

|

|0

|}

Track – Fast

Times: {{frac|1|4}} mile – 23.24; {{frac|1|2}} mile – 47.34; {{frac|3|4}} mile – 1:11.29; mile – 1:36.45; final – 2:03.02.

Splits for each quarter-mile: (23.24) (24.10) (23.95) (25.16) (26.57)

Source: Equibase Chart

{{notelist}}

Payout

The Kentucky Derby Payout Schedule

class = "wikitable sortable" | border="2" cellpadding="0" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-size:90%"
bgcolor="#DACAA5" align="center"

| width="48px" | Program
Number

| width="130px" | Horse Name

| width="58px" | Win

| width="58px" | Place

| width="58px" | Show

align=center|18

|American Pharoah

| align=center|   $7.80

| align=center| $5.80

| align=center| $4.20

align=center|10

|Firing Line

| align=center| –

| align=center| $8.40

| align=center| $5.40

align=center|8

|Dortmund

| align=center| –

| align=center| –

| align=center| $4.20

Subsequent Grade I wins

Several horses from the Derby went on to later wins at the Grade I level. Most notably, American Pharoah went on to win the American Triple Crown and was named Horse of the Year.{{cite web |title=American Pharoah |url=http://www.equibase.com/profiles/Results.cfm?type=Horse&refno=9314281®istry=T |website=www.equibase.com |access-date=15 April 2020 }}

References

{{reflist|30em}}

{{Kentucky Derby}}

{{Thoroughbred Racing on NBC}}

Category:Kentucky Derby races

Derby

Kentucky Derby

Category:May 2015 sports events in the United States

Category:2010s in Louisville, Kentucky

Kentucky