2018 Kentucky Derby

{{Infobox horse race

| name = 144th Kentucky Derby

| image = 2018KentuckyDerbyLogo.png

| caption = Logo for the 2018 Kentucky Derby

| location = Churchill Downs
Louisville, Kentucky, United States

| date = {{start date|2018|5|5}}

| winning horse = Justify{{Cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2018/05/05/sports/kentucky-derby.html|title=Justify Wins Kentucky Derby, Conquering Rain, Mud and a 136-Year Curse|author=Melissa Hoppert|work=The New York Times|date=May 6, 2018|access-date=May 6, 2018}}

| winning time = 2:04.20

| starting price = 2.90/1

| winning jockey = Mike Smith

| winning trainer = Bob Baffert

| winning owner = China Horse Club, Head of Plains Partners, Starlight Racing, WinStar Farm

| surface = Dirt

| attendance = 157,813{{cite web |last1=Gabe |first1=Hauari |title=Over 157,000 people braved the elements at the 2018 Kentucky Derby |url=https://www.courier-journal.com/story/sports/horses/triple/derby/2018/05/05/2018-kentucky-derby-attendance/584193002/ |publisher=Courier Journal |access-date=19 September 2018 |date=May 5, 2018}}

| conditions = Sloppy (sealed)

| previous = 2017

| next = 2019

}}

The 2018 Kentucky Derby (officially, the 2018 Kentucky Derby presented by Woodford Reserve{{cite web|title=Woodford Reserve is New Kentucky Derby Sponsor|url=https://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-racing/articles/224298/woodford-reserve-is-new-kentucky-derby-sponsor|author=Frank Angst|date=October 25, 2017|website=BloodHorse.com|access-date=April 15, 2018}}) was the 144th running of the Kentucky Derby, and took place on Saturday, May 5, 2018, in Louisville, Kentucky. The field was open to 20 horses, with a purse of {{currency|2|USD}} million.{{cite web|url=https://www.kentuckyderby.com/derby-day-schedule/|work=Kentucky Derby|title=2018 Kentucky Derby & Oaks|access-date=March 24, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180921124809/https://www.kentuckyderby.com/derby-day-schedule|archive-date=September 21, 2018|url-status=dead}}{{Cite web|url=http://www.sportingnews.com/other-sports/news/when-is-the-kentucky-derby-2018-post-time-race-start-how-to-watch-tv-online/1qpx06q2fk9w41wzt6z8lxlczr|work=Sporting News|title=When is the Kentucky Derby 2018? Post time, race start, how to watch|author=Kenan Goyette|date=March 2, 2018|access-date=March 24, 2018}} The Derby is held annually in Louisville on the first Saturday in May, at the end of the two-week-long Kentucky Derby Festival. It is a Grade I stakes race for three-year-old Thoroughbreds at a distance of {{convert|1+1/4|mi}}, and has been run at Churchill Downs racetrack since its inception in 1875.{{cite web |title=History Of Churchill Downs |url=https://www.churchilldowns.com/about/ |publisher=Churchill Downs |access-date=March 1, 2017 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170301192639/https://www.churchilldowns.com/about/ |archive-date=March 1, 2017 }}

The race was broadcast by NBC, with coverage by NBCSN of undercard races beginning at 12:30pm EDT and main network coverage of pre-race activities starting at 2:30pm EDT.{{cite web|title=Watch Derby on NBC|url=https://www.kentuckyderby.com/party/watch|website=www.kentuckyderby.com|access-date=6 May 2018|publisher=Kentucky Derby|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170424125312/https://www.kentuckyderby.com/party/watch|archive-date=April 24, 2017|url-status=dead|df=mdy-all}} Post time was 6:52pm EDT. The race was won by Justify, who was the post-time favorite, in a time of 2:04.20 over a sloppy track. It is the first time since 1882 that the race was won by a horse that did not race at the age of two.

Qualification

The Kentucky Derby is only open to three-year-old Thoroughbreds,{{cite web| url=https://www.kentuckyderby.com/history/| title=Kentucky Derby History| publisher=Kentucky Derby| access-date=March 24, 2018| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180921130336/https://www.kentuckyderby.com/history| archive-date=September 21, 2018| url-status=dead}} thus all entrants in the 2018 race were part of the 2015 North American live foal crop of roughly 22,000.{{cite web|title=2015 Live Foal Crop Up Nearly 2%|url=https://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-racing/articles/104875/2015-live-foal-crop-up-nearly-2|website=BloodHorse.com|date=September 17, 2015|author=Staff|access-date=May 4, 2018}} The field was limited to twenty horses who qualified based on points earned in the 2018 Road to the Kentucky Derby, a series of designated races that was first introduced in 2013. This point system replaced the previous graded stakes race earnings system.{{cite web|url=https://www.kentuckyderby.com/horses/how-does-it-work|publisher= Churchill Downs Incorporated|title=About the Road to the Kentucky Derby|access-date=March 24, 2018}}

The top points earner in the 2018 series was Magnum Moon (150 points), winner of the Rebel Stakes and Arkansas Derby. Good Magic, the champion two-year-old from 2017, finished second in the series by winning both the Breeders' Cup Juvenile and the Blue Grass Stakes. The other major prep winners were Noble Indy (Louisiana Derby), Mendelssohn (UAE Derby), Audible (Florida Derby), Vino Rosso (Wood Memorial) and Justify (Santa Anita Derby).{{cite web|title=Kentucky Derby Leaderboard|url=https://www.kentuckyderby.com/uploads/wysiwyg/assets/uploads/20180414_Road_to_the_Kentucky_Derby_Leaderboard.pdf|website=www.kentuckyderby.com|access-date=April 8, 2018}}

Churchill Downs also created separate qualification roads for horses based in Japan and Europe. None of the invitations for qualifiers on the Japan Road was accepted. On the European Road, the connections of Gronkowski accepted after the colt qualified first.{{cite web|title=Gronkowski Punches Kentucky Derby Ticket in Burradon|url=https://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-racing/articles/226752/gronkowski-punches-kentucky-derby-ticket-in-burradon|author=Frank Angst|website=BloodHorse.com|date=March 30, 2018|access-date=March 30, 2018}} However, the colt subsequently became ill and had to miss the race.{{cite web|title=Gronkowski to Miss Kentucky Derby Due to Illness|url=https://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-racing/articles/227122/gronkowski-to-miss-kentucky-derby-due-to-illness|author=Alicia Wincze Hughes|website=BloodHorse.com|date=April 23, 2018|access-date=April 24, 2018}}

Field

The early favorite was Justify, who had made only three starts before the race but won each time with triple-digit Beyer Speed Figures. In the Derby, he had to surmount what came to be known as the "Curse of Apollo" – a reference to the fact that no horse had ever won the Derby without racing while at age two since Apollo in 1882. "Justify is a natural and he's still green, just learning how to run. He's so talented", said his trainer Bob Baffert. "But there are a lot of nice horses out there this year."{{cite web|last1=McNamara|first1=Ed|title=Lightly raced Justify early Kentucky Derby favorite|url=https://www.newsday.com/sports/horseracing/lightly-raced-justify-early-kentucky-derby-favorite-1.18003729|website=Newsday|date=April 12, 2018|access-date=April 14, 2018|archive-date=November 4, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211104024006/https://www.newsday.com/sports/horseracing/lightly-raced-justify-early-kentucky-derby-favorite-1.18003729|url-status=dead}}

Trainer Todd Pletcher, who won the 2017 Kentucky Derby with Always Dreaming, had four of the leading contenders: Magnum Moon, Audible, Vino Rosso, and Noble Indy. Magnum Moon was ranked number two on the National Thoroughbred Racing Association top three-year-old poll of April 16 after his win in the Arkansas Derby. He had made only four starts prior to the Kentucky Derby, like Justified not having raced at age two. Audible was ranked number three, while Vino Rosso and Noble Indy were ranked seventh and eighth respectively.{{cite web|title=Magnum Moon Moves to Second in NTRA 3-Year-Old Poll|url=https://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-racing/articles/227020/magnum-moon-moves-to-second-in-ntra-3-year-old-poll|website=BloodHorse.com|author=Staff|date=April 16, 2018|access-date=April 21, 2018|language=en}}{{cite web|last1=Haskin|first1=Steve|title=Derby Dozen – April 10, 2018|url=http://cs.bloodhorse.com/blogs/kentucky-derby-dozen/archive/2018/04/10/derby-dozen-april-10-2018-presented-by-shadwell-farm.aspx|website=BloodHorse.com|date=April 10, 2018|access-date=April 15, 2018|language=en}}

The two colts with the best form at age two, Good Magic and Bolt d'Oro, were ranked fourth and fifth respectively on the same poll. They were the winter-book favorites for the Derby, but both suffered training setbacks that delayed their return to the racetrack.{{cite web|last1=Privman|first1=Jay|title=Derby Watch: Good Magic, Bolt d'Oro at head of class |url=http://www.drf.com/news/derby-watch-good-magic-bolt-doro-head-class?enable=true|work=Daily Racing Form|date=February 7, 2018|access-date=April 21, 2018}} They both had one win from two starts at age three going into the Derby.

Adding an international element to the field was Mendelssohn, trained in Ireland by Aidan O'Brien. Mendelssohn started his racing career on the turf and proved his ability to ship well by winning the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf at Del Mar in California in 2017. However, O'Brien felt that the colt would be equally suited to racing on the dirt given his pedigree: Mendelssohn is a half brother to multiple Eclipse Award-winner Beholder. Mendelssohn earned his berth by winning the UAE Derby in an "astonishing" performance while setting a track record.{{cite web|last1=Wood|first1=Greg|title=Mendelssohn a top contender to end Europe's duck in Kentucky Derby|url=https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2018/apr/01/mendelssohn-kentucky-derby-dubai-aidan-obrien-ryan-moore-horse-racing|website=The Guardian|access-date=April 15, 2018|date=April 1, 2018}}

Entries for the Kentucky Derby were taken on May 1. Justify drew post position 7 and was installed as the 3-1 morning line favorite by oddsmaker Mike Battaglia.{{cite web|title=Justify Draws Post 7 as 3-1 Derby Choice|url=https://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-racing/articles/227289/justify-draws-post-7-as-3-1-derby-choice|author=Evan Hammonds|website=BloodHorse.com|date=May 1, 2018|access-date=May 1, 2018}}{{cite web|title=Kentucky Derby Draw 2018: Odds, Post Positions and Contenders|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2018/05/01/sports/kentucky-derby-draw-odds.html|author=Melissa Hoppert|website=The New York Times|access-date=May 1, 2018|date=May 1, 2018}}

Race description

File:Kentucky National Guard (41949180181).jpg]]

Because the Derby was held on a rainy day, the surface of the track was sealed to mitigate the effect of heavy rain on the footing. Nonetheless, the track condition was sloppy. By post time, more than {{convert|2.8|in|cm}} of rain had been recorded that day at nearby Louisville International Airport, breaking the Derby Day precipitation record of {{convert|2.31|in|cm}} that had been set in 1918. Despite the rain, a crowd of 157,813 attended the event, the eighth largest in Derby history,{{cite news|url=http://www.wdrb.com/story/38120361/big-crowds-brave-several-inches-of-rain-for-144th-kentucky-derby |title=Big crowds brave several inches of rain for 144th Kentucky Derby |publisher=WDRB |location=Louisville, Kentucky |date=May 5, 2018 |access-date=May 6, 2018}} and the wettest of all time.{{cite news |title=Justify captures Kentucky Derby in record-breaking race |url=https://www.reviewjournal.com/sports/justify-captures-kentucky-derby-in-record-breaking-race/ |newspaper=Las Vegas Review Journal |agency=Associated Press|access-date=25 September 2018 |date=5 May 2018}} A record $149.2 million was bet on the Derby itself from all sources, while the full card earned an all-source handle of $225.7 million, up 8% from the previous year's record.{{cite web|title=Derby Day Rain Doesn't Dampen Record Betting|url=https://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-racing/articles/227410/derby-day-rain-doesnt-dampen-record-betting|author=Gregory A. Hall|website=BloodHorse.com|date=May 6, 2018|access-date=May 6, 2018}}

File:Justify in starting gate for 2018 Kentucky Derby.ogg

On the track, Justify's jockey Mike Smith used the colt's early speed to gain vantage position near the rail moving into the first turn. He was positioned just a length after Promises Fulfilled and maintained this position down the backstretch. Following them closely were Flameaway, Bolt d'Oro and Good Magic. Although the opening fractions (22.24 for the first quarter, 45.77 for the half, 1:11.01 for the three-quarters) were fast, Smith said Justify felt "very comfortable".

In the final turn, Bolt d'Oro and later Good Magic were both put to a drive, while Promises Fulfilled began to drop back. Justify responded to urging to open up a lead of {{frac|1|1|2}} lengths as they turned into the stretch, widening to {{frac|2|1|2}} lengths at the finish line. Bolt d'Oro tired, eventually finishing in twelfth place, but Good Magic persevered to finish second. Audible closed from twelfth place to finish third, just a head behind Good Magic.{{cite web|last1=Wincze-Hughes|first1=Alicia|title=Justify Untouchable in Kentucky Derby|url=https://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-racing/articles/227402/justify-untouchable-in-kentucky-derby|website=BloodHorse.com|date=May 6, 2018|access-date=May 6, 2018}}{{cite web|last1=Privman|first1=Jay|title=Curse of Apollo lifted as Justify cruises in Kentucky Derby|url=http://www.drf.com/news/curse-apollo-lifted-justify-cruises-kentucky-derby?enable=true|website=Daily Racing Form|date=May 5, 2018|access-date=May 6, 2018}}

It was the fifth Derby win for Baffert and the second for Smith.

Mendelssohn, who went off as the third choice in the betting, broke well from post position 14 but was hit hard shortly after the start by Magnum Moon, who veered over from post position 16. Losing ground and "banged around in traffic", Mendelssohn was eased and finished last. On the other hand, Instilled Regard, who broke from post position 15 and was also involved in the initial bumping incident, rallied from 17th place to finish fourth.

Results

class="wikitable sortable"

!Finish

!Program
Number

!Horse

!Jockey

!Trainer

!Qualifying
Points

!Morning Line
Odds

!Final Odds

!Margin
(Lengths)

!Winnings

|Justify

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

|{{sortname|Bob|Baffert}}

|100

|{{ntsh|3}}3-1

|2.90

|$1,432,000

|Good Magic

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

|{{sortname|Chad|Brown|Chad Brown (horse trainer)}}

|134

|{{ntsh|12}}12-1

|9.70

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

|$400,000

|Audible

|{{sortname|Javier|Castellano}}

|{{sortname|Todd|Pletcher}}

|110

|{{ntsh|8}}8-1

|7.00

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

|$200,000

|15

|Instilled Regard

|{{sortname|Drayden|Van Dyke}}

|{{sortname|Jerry|Hollendorfer}}

|29

|{{ntsh|50}}50-1

|85.10

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

|$100,000

|10

|My Boy Jack

|{{sortname|Kent|Desormeaux}}

|{{sortname|J. Keith|Desormeaux}}

|52

|{{ntsh|20}}20-1

|6.70

|$60,000

|13

|Bravazo

|{{sortname|Luis|Contreras|Luis Contreras (jockey)}}

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

|54

|{{ntsh|50}}50-1

|66.90

|Hofburg

|{{sortname|Irad|Ortiz Jr.}}

|{{sortname|Bill|Mott|William I. Mott}}

|40

|{{ntsh|20}}20-1

|27.00

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

|Lone Sailor

|{{sortname|James|Graham|James Graham (jockey)}}

|{{sortname|Thomas|Amoss}}

|42

|{{ntsh|50}}50-1

|24.50

|{{frac|9|1|4}}

|18

|Vino Rosso

|{{sortname|John|Velazquez}}

|{{sortname|Todd|Pletcher}}

|107

|{{ntsh|12}}12-1

|14.10

|{{frac|10|1|2}}

|17

|Solomini

|{{sortname|Flavien|Prat}}

|{{sortname|Bob|Baffert}}

|54

|{{ntsh|30}}30-1

|62.90

|11

|Firenze Fire

|{{sortname|Paco|Lopez|Paco Lopez (jockey)}}

|{{sortname|Jason|Servis}}

|39

|{{ntsh|50}}50-1

|59.70

|{{frac|23|1|2}}

|11

|Bolt d'Oro

|{{sortname|Victor|Espinoza}}

|{{sortname|Mick|Ruis}}

|104

|{{ntsh|8}}8-1

|8.90

|{{frac|24|1|4}}

|Flameaway

|{{sortname|Jose|Lezcano}}

|{{sortname|Mark|Casse}}

|70

|{{ntsh|30}}30-1

|37.50

|{{frac|30|1|2}}

|12

|Enticed

|{{sortname|Junior|Alvarado}}

|{{sortname|Kiaran|McLaughlin}}

|103

|{{ntsh|30}}30-1

|50.30

|{{frac|34|3|4}}

|Promises Fulfilled

|{{sortname|Corey|Lanerie}}

|{{sortname|Dale|Romans}}

|52

|{{ntsh|30}}30-1

|49.00

|{{frac|39|3|4}}

|Free Drop Billy

|{{sortname|Robby|Albarado}}

|{{sortname|Dale|Romans}}

|44

|{{ntsh|30}}30-1

|45.40

|41

|19

|Noble Indy

|{{sortname|Florent|Geroux}}

|{{sortname|Todd|Pletcher}}

|110

|{{ntsh|30}}30-1

|59.20

|{{frac|42|1|4}}

|20

|Combatant

|{{sortname|Ricardo|Santana Jr.}}

|{{sortname|Steve|Asmussen}}

|32

|{{ntsh|50}}50-1

|70.60

|{{frac|42|3|4}}

|16

|Magnum Moon

|{{sortname|Luis|Saez}}

|{{sortname|Todd|Pletcher}}

|150

|{{ntsh|6}}6-1

|13.70

|{{frac|49|1|2}}

|14

|Mendelssohn

|{{sortname|Ryan|Moore|Ryan Moore (jockey)}}

|{{sortname|Aidan|O'Brien}}

|100

|{{ntsh|5}}5-1

|6.80

|{{frac|73|1|4}}

bgcolor="lightgray"

{{ntsh|21}}also eligible

|~~Blended Citizen~~{{efn|Blended Citizen was "also eligible", meaning he would have drawn into the field if any of the top 20 had withdrawn before betting began on May 4.{{cite web|title=Also-eligible Blended Citizen officially out|url=http://live.drf.com/nuggets/42291-kyderby-also-eligible-blended-citizen-officially-out|work=Daily Racing Form|author=Nicole Russo|date=May 4, 2018|access-date=May 4, 2018}}}}

|~~{{sortname|Kyle|Frey}}~~

|~~{{sortname|Doug|O'Neill}}~~

|22

|{{ntsh|50}}50-1

|SCR

Track: Sloppy (sealed)

Times: {{frac|1|4}} mile – 22.24; {{frac|1|2}} mile – 45.77; {{frac|3|4}} mile – 1:11.01; mile – 1:37.35; final – 2:04.20.

Splits for each quarter-mile: (22.24) (23.53) (25.24) (26.34) (26.85)

Source: Equibase chart{{cite web|title=Chart of the 2018 Kentucky Derby|url=http://www.equibase.com/premium/chartEmb.cfm?track=CD&raceDate=05/05/2018&cy=USA&rn=12|website=Equibase|access-date=May 6, 2018}}

=Payout=

The table below gives Kentucky Derby payout schedule{{Cite web|url=https://www.cbssports.com/general/news/kentucky-derby-2018-winner-payouts-win-place-show-trifecta-and-superfecta-results/|title=Kentucky Derby 2018 winner, payouts: Win, place, show, trifecta and superfecta results|author=Cody Benjamin|work=CBS Sports|date=May 6, 2018|access-date=May 6, 2018}}

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|7

|Justify

| align=center| $7.80

| align=center| $6.00

| align=center| $4.40

align=center|6

|Good Magic

| align=center| –

| align=center| $9.20

| align=center| $6.60

align=center|5

|Audible

| align=center| –

| align=center| $5.80

$2 Exacta: (7–6) $69.60
$1 Trifecta: (7–6–5) $141.40
$1 Superfecta: (7–6–5–15) $19,618.20
$1 Super High Five: (7–6–5–15–10) $183,580.20

Subsequent Grade I wins

Several horses went on from the Derby to post Grade I wins. Most notably, Justify completed the American Triple Crown and was named Horse of the Year.{{cite web |title=Profile of Justify |url=http://www.equibase.com/profiles/Results.cfm?type=Horse&refno=9896728®istry=T&rbt=TB |website=www.equibase.com |access-date=12 April 2020 }}

Justify – Preakness Stakes, Belmont Stakes
Good Magic – Haskell Invitational
Vino Rosso{{cite web |title=Profile of Vino Rosso |url=http://www.equibase.com/profiles/Results.cfm?type=Horse&refno=9896727®istry=T&rbt=TB |website=www.equibase.com |access-date=12 April 2020 }} – 2019 Gold Cup at Santa Anita Stakes, Breeders' Cup Classic
Instilled Regard – 2020 Manhattan Stakes
Promises Fulfilled – H. Allen Jerkens Stakes
Combatant{{cite web |title=Profile of Combatant |url=http://www.equibase.com/profiles/Results.cfm?type=Horse&refno=9907688®istry=T&rbt=TB |website=www.equibase.com |access-date=12 April 2020 }} – 2020 Santa Anita Handicap