Marty McGee

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - All the figuring and agonizing that go into pre-race analyses of the Kentucky Derby were rendered useless Saturday at Churchill Downs when Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert once again proved the overriding factor.

Baffert won the coveted roses for a record seventh time when Medina Spirit, his lone starter in a field of 19 3-year-olds, led throughout in the 1 1/4-mile race under Hall of Fame jockey John Velazquez, turning back a sustained stretch bid from Mandaloun to win a dramatic 147th running of the Derby by a half-length.

"I cannot believe he won this race," a euphoric Baffert told NBC Sports in the immediate race aftermath. "This little horse, he's all guts."

This was the seventh time Baffert has won the Derby, breaking a tie with Ben A. Jones, who won six runnings from 1938 to 1952. Baffert and Velazquez, who now has won the Derby four times, also won the rescheduled 2020 Derby last September when Authentic also led at every call.

Sent off at 12-1, Medina Spirit returned $26.20 as sixth choice after finishing 1 1/4 miles in 2:01.02 over a fast track. He earned a Beyer Speed Figure of 102.

Mandaloun, a 26-1 shot, was another half-length ahead of Hot Rod Charlie, while Essential Quality, the 5-2 favorite, was just another head back in fourth. Brad Cox, a Louisville native, was making his Derby debut as the trainer of both Mandaloun and Essential Quality.

As often happens, the Derby did not unfold as many had expected. The race complexion was altered substantially in the first few strides when Rock Your World, a widely expected pacesetter, was crowded between rivals after not getting away particularly alertly under Joel Rosario, and a couple of other early-going types also failed to show speed. In the meantime, Medina Spirit, who had broken sharply from post 8, found himself alone on the lead almost immediately.

"I was surprised," said Velazquez. "When I hooked up with the other horse," referring to Mandaloun, "I said, 'Well, I think I'm going to win it.'"

Under the wire the first time, Medina Spirit was already in an easy lope for Velazquez, with 26-1 shot Soup and Sandwich in closest pursuit. By the time the leaders straightened down the backstretch, Mandaloun, ridden by Florent Geroux, was drafting comfortably in behind Medina Spirit in third, and with about three furlongs remaining, as Soup and Sandwich faltered, Geroux angled out Mandaloun to make a serious run at Medina Spirit.

Down the stretch, as Velazquez and Geroux put their mounts to fierce drives and Mandaloun appeared to perhaps poke his nose in front, Medina Spirit simply refused to yield. Hot Rod Charlie and Essential Quality both were gaining gradually on the top two, but neither could menace in the end. Behind Essential Quality, it was a gap of 4 1/2 lengths back to O Besos in fifth.

Medina Spirit, bred in Florida by Gail Rice, is from the first crop of the 10-year-old sire Protonico and was produced by Mongolian Changa, by Brilliant Speed. The colt was bought for a mere $35,000 as a 2-year-old by Zedan Racing Stables of Saudi Arabian businessman Amr F. Zedan, who lavished heavy praise on Baffert during the winner's circle ceremonies and at a post-race media conference.

"To Bob, it's not a job, it's art," said Zedan. Winning the Derby "was emotional, it was surreal - just amazing."

In the months-long run-up to the 2021 Derby, Medina Spirit was not considered the cream of Baffert's Derby contenders. His stablemate Life Is Good had trounced him in the March 6 Felipe at Santa Anita, and was bet down to just 2-1 in the third of five Derby future wager pools. But he suffered a minor injury a couple weeks after the San Felipe and was dropped from consideration. So, too, was Concert Tour more highly regarded than Medina Spirit, having looked terrific in winning his first three starts, but he also dropped out after finishing third in the April 10 Arkansas Derby.

"I knew (Medina Spirit) was training well, but I'm really, really surprised" at the result, said Baffert. "When I saw him on the easy lead, I kept waiting for these horses to come at him, but Johnny had him in a perfect spot. If you have him on the lead, he'll fight. That was him - all guts."

From five prior starts, Medina Spirit had posted two wins and three runner-up finishes, with only Life Is Good (twice) and Rock Your World having finished ahead of him. Although consistent and tenacious, he certainly did not demonstrate the kind of flash that some of Baffert's prior Derby winners such as American Pharoah (2015) and Justify (2018), both eventual Triple Crown winners, had shown.

"I never imagined last night I was going to be sitting here," Baffert said at the media conference. "He's a fighter, but the way he ran today, I didn't know he had that in him."

Medina Spirit earned $1,860,000 from the $3 million purse. The dark bay colt becomes the seventh Florida-bred to win the Derby and the first since Silver Charm, Baffert's first Derby winner, prevailed in 1997.

Baffert and Velazquez now will set their sights on the May 15 Preakness at Pimlico, where Baffert also has reigned supreme over the last quarter-century. Baffert is expected to run Concert Tour in the second jewel of the Triple Crown, which will end with the June 5 Belmont Stakes.

Velazquez now has won four of the last 11 runnings of the Derby, and three of the last five, having won with Animal Kingdom (2011), Always Dreaming (2017), and Authentic. Only Eddie Arcaro and Bill Hartack, with five each, have won it more. Velazquez is now tied for third with Bill Shoemaker with four Derby wins each.

Essential Quality came up a little more than a length shy of becoming the third 2-year-old champion in more than 40 years to win the Derby. Ridden by Luis Saez, the Godolphin homebred settled into a decent stalking spot as the race unfolded, but lacked a sufficient kick and incurred his first defeat following five straight wins.

Saez noted that Essential Quality "bumped pretty good" with Rock Your World at the break. "We ended up getting pretty wide the entire trip, which didn't help, either," he said.

Mandaloun, a Juddmonte Farms homebred who had been sixth in the Louisiana Derby in his final prep, "absolutely ran his heart out," said Geroux.

"Words can't describe how proud I am of him." Geroux said. "What a race and what a horse."

Rock Your World, the 9-2 second choice off a front-running score in the Santa Anita Derby, also was defeated for the first time, losing virtually all chance with the poor start. He never entered contention and faded to 17th.

"It was pretty much over after the break," said Rosario. "We got out of position from there and it was a tough trip to overcome in a race like the Derby."

After the top five, the order of finish was Midnight Bourbon, Keepmeinmind, Helium, Known Agenda, Highly Motivated, Sainthood, Like the King, Bourbonic, Hidden Stash, Brooklyn Strong, Super Stock, Rock Your World, Dynamic One, and Soup and Sandwich. The numbers were 8-7-9-14-6-10-4-12-1-17-5-2-20-13-3-18-15-11-19.

A full gate of 20 was reduced by one following the Friday scratch of King Fury because of a mild fever. None of the starters were treated with Lasix because, as of this year, the bleeder medication is no longer allowed in graded stakes in Kentucky. All qualifying preps also were run Lasix-free.

The Downs was filled to only about one-third of normal capacity because of the ongoing pandemic, with ontrack attendance announced at 51,838 about an hour before the race. The smaller crowd, along with spectacular spring weather, made for ideal conditions for attendees, many of whom paid considerable sums for tickets that included all food and beverage. There was virtually no waiting for customers at concession stands, restrooms, or the betting windows.

The $2 exacta (8-7) paid $503.60, the $1 trifecta (8-7-9) returned $1,696.90, and the $1 superfecta (8-7-9-14) was worth $9,456.40.

Baffert's prior Derby winners are Silver Charm (1997), Real Quiet (1998), War Emblem (2002), American Pharoah (2015), Justify (2018), and Authentic (2020).

Six other graded stakes were part of a 14-race, 10-hour Derby Day program, including three other Grade 1 events. The preceding stakes, the Grade 1 Old Forester, resulted in a dead heat between Colonel Liam and Domestic Spending.

DRF
https://www.drf.com/news/medina-spirit-gives-baffert-record-seventh-kentucky-derby-victory