2017 Kentucky Derby
Kentucky Derby | |
Location | Churchill Downs Louisville, Kentucky, United States |
---|---|
Date | May 6, 2017 |
Winning horse | Always Dreaming |
Winning time | 2:03.59 |
Jockey | John Velazquez |
Trainer | Todd Pletcher |
Owner | MeB Racing Stables, Brooklyn Boyz, Teresa Viola Racing Stable, St. Elias Stable, Siena Farm & West Point Thoroughbreds |
Conditions | Wet Fast (sealed)[1] |
Surface | Dirt |
Attendance | 158,070 |
The 2017 Kentucky Derby (in full, the Kentucky Derby Presented by
Qualification
The field for the Kentucky Derby was limited to twenty horses who qualified based on points earned in the
For the first time, a spot in the starting gate was set aside for a horse from Japan through the separate Japan Road to the Kentucky Derby. Epicharis, a grandson of 1989 Kentucky Derby winner Sunday Silence, qualified by winning the Hyacinth Stakes at Tokyo Racecourse on February 19.[12] However, the connections of Epicharis declined the invitation.[13]
Field
On May 3, entries for the Derby were taken and the post position draw was streamed live by Churchill Downs.[4] After drawing post position 14, Classic Empire was installed as the lukewarm favorite on the morning line at 4–1 by Mike Battaglia.[14] Always Dreaming in post position 5 and McCraken in post position 15 were both given odds of 5–1.[15]
The entry fee is normally $25,000, but Fast and Accurate was required to pay a supplemental entry fee of $200,000 as he was not nominated to the Triple Crown earlier in the year.[16] The two "also eligible" entries were scratched when none of the qualified horses opted to withdraw before the 9 a.m. Friday deadline.[17]
Race description
When betting opened, the odds for
The race had a difficult start for several horses. The most striking aspect of the start was the shocking refusal of
From post position five, Always Dreaming avoided traffic problems with a burst of early speed, then settled into second place behind long shot State of Honor. In the first turn, jockey John R. Velazquez kept the colt along the rail then moved him to the outside of State of Honor down the backstretch. The two raced together into the far turn, where State of Honor started to fade while Battle of Midway and Irish War Cry moved up to challenge for the lead. Always Dreaming quickly responded by drawing away, opening up a lead of several lengths. Lookin At Lee, who had run along the rail for most of the race, found racing room and made a late run, but never threatened Always Dreaming, who won by 2+3⁄4 lengths. Battle of Midway was five lengths behind in third with Classic Empire finishing fourth.[5][21]
Trainer Todd Pletcher had entered the race with one win (Super Saver in 2010) from forty-five starters over the years.[5] Although one of the most successful trainers in the history of the sport, Pletcher was relieved to get another Derby win with Always Dreaming. "To me", Pletcher said, "I felt I really needed that second one, you know?"[22]
It was also the second Derby win for Velazquez, who had previously won in 2011 with Animal Kingdom.[5] "This is the best horse Todd and I have ever come to the Kentucky Derby with", he said. "I got a good position early and then he relaxed. When we hit the quarter pole, I asked him and he responded. He did it himself from there."[23]
It was the first Derby win for the ownership group that included Anthony Bonomo (who owns Brooklyn Boyz Stable), his wife Mary Ellen (MeB Racing), Vincent Viola (St Elias Stable) and his wife Teresa (Teresa Viola Racing).[24] Mary Ellen Bonomo named the horse because of her tendency to daydream. "Everybody dreams of something, whether it's a big event or special day, the birth of their child, winning the Kentucky Derby. So I just said, 'Always Dreaming.' It just took off."[25]
This was the fifth consecutive Derby in which the post-time favorite won. The only other time this happened was in the late 1890s.[26]
Result
Finish | Post | Horse | Jockey | Trainer | Morning Line Odds |
Final Odds |
Margin (lengths) |
Winnings | Points |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 5 | Always Dreaming | John Velazquez
|
Todd Pletcher | 5–1 | 4.70 | +2+3⁄4 | $1,635,800 | 100 |
2 | 1 | Lookin At Lee | Corey Lanerie | Steve Asmussen | 20–1 | 33.20 | 2+3⁄4 | $400,000 | 32 |
3 | 11 | Battle of Midway | Flavien Prat | Jerry Hollendorfer | 30–1 | 40.00 | 7+3⁄4 | $200,000 | 40 |
4 | 14 | Classic Empire | Julien Leparoux | Mark Casse
|
4–1 | 6.80 | 8+3⁄4 | $100,000 | 132 |
5 | 19 | Practical Joke | Joel Rosario | Chad Brown | 20–1 | 27.80 | 9+1⁄2 | $60,000 | 74 |
6 | 16 | Tapwrit | José Ortiz | Todd Pletcher | 20–1 | 27.10 | 10+1⁄4 | 54 | |
7 | 10 | Gunnevera | Javier Castellano | Antonio Sano | 15–1 | 10.00 | 13+1⁄4 | 84 | |
8 | 15 | McCraken | Brian Hernandez Jr. | Ian Wilkes | 5–1 | 6.90 | 13+1⁄4 | 40 | |
9 | 18 | Gormley | Victor Espinoza | John Shirreffs | 15–1 | 22.30 | 14+1⁄4 | 125 | |
10 | 17 | Irish War Cry | Rajiv Maragh | H. Graham Motion | 6–1 | 4.80 | 16+1⁄2 | 110 | |
11 | 8 | Hence | Florent Geroux | Steve Asmussen | 15–1 | 15.00 | 18+1⁄2 | 50 | |
12 | 4 | Untrapped | Ricardo Santana Jr. | Steve Asmussen | 30–1 | 58.00 | 19+1⁄4 | 34 | |
13 | 7 | Girvin | Mike E. Smith | Joe Sharp
|
15–1 | 22.10 | 19+1⁄2 | 150 | |
14 | 20 | Patch | Tyler Gaffalione | Todd Pletcher | 30–1 | 14.10 | 21 | 40 | |
15 | 13 | J Boys Echo | Luis Saez | Dale Romans | 20–1 | 47.30 | 23 | 63 | |
16 | 12 | Sonneteer | Kent Desormeaux | J. Keith Desormeaux | 50–1 | 39.70 | 26+1⁄4 | 30 | |
17 | 3 | Fast and Accurate | Channing Hill | Michael Maker
|
50–1 | 41.80 | 28+3⁄4 | 50 | |
18 | 9 | Irap | Mario Gutierrez | Doug O'Neill | 20–1 | 41.40 | 40+3⁄4 | 113 | |
19 | 6 | State of Honor | Jose Lezcano | Mark Casse
|
30–1 | 54.00 | 45+3⁄4 | 62 | |
DNF | 2 | Thunder Snow | Christophe Soumillon | Saeed bin Suroor | 20–1 | 16.40 | 100 | ||
— | also eligible | SCR | 30 | ||||||
— | also eligible | John Velazquez |
SCR | 30 |
- Track: Wet Fast (sealed)
Times: 1⁄4 mile – 0:22.70; 1⁄2 mile – 0:46.53; 3⁄4 mile – 1:11.12; mile – 1:37.27; final – 2:03.59.
Splits for each quarter-mile: (:22.70) (:23.83) (:24.59) (:26.15) (:26.32)
Source: Equibase chart[1]
Payout
The Kentucky Derby payout schedule[1]
Program number |
Horse Name | Win | Place | Show |
---|---|---|---|---|
5 | Always Dreaming | $11.40 | $7.20 | $5.80 |
1 | Lookin At Lee | — | $26.60 | $15.20 |
11 | Battle of Midway | — | — | $20.80 |
- $2 Exacta: (5–1) $336.20
- $1 Trifecta: (5–1–11) $8,297.20
- $1 Superfecta: (5–1–11–14) $75,974.50
- $1 Super Hi 5 (Pentafecta): (5–1–11–14–19) $493,348.70
Subsequent Grade I wins
After winning the Derby, Always Dreaming never won another race.[27] Several of the runners up went on to achieve Grade I success:
- Battle of Midway[28] – Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile
- Practical Joke[29] – H. Allen Jerkens Stakes
- Tapwrit[30] – Belmont Stakes
- GirvinHaskell Invitational
- Thunder Snow[32] – Prix Jean Prat, 2018 & 2019 Dubai World Cup
References
- ^ a b c d e f g h "CHURCHILL DOWNS – May 6, 2017 – Race 12" (PDF). Equibase. May 6, 2017. Retrieved May 6, 2017.
- ^ "2017 Kentucky Derby & Oaks – May 5 and 6, 2017". Churchill Downs. Archived from the original on February 28, 2017. Retrieved March 1, 2017.
- ^ "History Of Churchill Downs". Churchill Downs. Archived from the original on March 1, 2017. Retrieved March 1, 2017.
- ^ a b "Watch Derby on NBC". www.kentuckyderby.com. Archived from the original on April 24, 2017. Retrieved April 16, 2017.
- ^ a b c d e Angst, Frank. "Always Dreaming True in Kentucky Derby Win". BloodHorse.com. Retrieved May 7, 2017.
- ^ a b Blood-Horse staf (May 8, 2017). "Derby Telecast Viewership Largest Since 1989". BloodHorse.com. Archived from the original on May 9, 2017. Retrieved May 8, 2017.
- ^ "About the Road to the Kentucky Derby". Churchill Downs Incorporated. 2016. Archived from the original on April 11, 2016. Retrieved April 17, 2016.
- ^ "Girvin Reigns in Louisiana Derby". BloodHorse.com. Archived from the original on April 2, 2017. Retrieved April 2, 2017.
- ^ Wincze Hughes, Alicia. "Classic Empire Delivers in Arkansas Derby". BloodHorse.com. Archived from the original on April 16, 2017. Retrieved April 16, 2017.
- ^ "Not This Time Retired Due to Injury". BloodHorse.com. Archived from the original on May 7, 2017. Retrieved March 1, 2017.
- ^ Haskin, Steve. "Derby Dozen – March 14, 2017 – Presented by Shadwell Farm". cs.bloodhorse.com. Retrieved March 15, 2017.
- ^ "Epicharis Earns Japan's Kentucky Derby Bid". BloodHorse.com. Archived from the original on March 1, 2017. Retrieved March 1, 2017.
- ^ "Kentucky Derby Leaderboard – April 8 update" (PDF). www.kentuckyderby.com. Archived (PDF) from the original on April 9, 2017. Retrieved April 9, 2017.
- ^ Mensching, Kurt (May 3, 2017). "Kentucky Derby 2017 odds: Morning line released". SB Nation. Retrieved May 3, 2017.
- ^ Hammonds, Evan. "Derby Draw: Classic Empire 4–1 Choice, Draws Post 14". BloodHorse.com. Retrieved May 3, 2017.
- ^ "Nominations, Triple Crown (2017)" (PDF). www.kentuckyderby.com. Archived (PDF) from the original on April 17, 2017. Retrieved April 16, 2017.
- ^ Mitchell, Ron. "Soggy Start to Oaks Day; No Derby Scratches". BloodHorse.com. Retrieved May 5, 2017.
- ^ "The Latest: Always Dreaming wins Kentucky Derby in slop". USA TODAY. Associated Press. May 6, 2017. Archived from the original on May 7, 2017. Retrieved May 8, 2017.
- ^ "Bucking Thunder Snow appears to be OK, but teasing follows on Twitter". sacbee. Retrieved May 7, 2017.
- ^ Wolken, Dan. "Always Dreaming recovers well from Derby, heads to Preakness". USA TODAY. Archived from the original on May 8, 2017. Retrieved May 9, 2017.
- ^ "Always Dreaming becomes fifth straight favorite to win Kentucky Derby". Daily Racing Form. Archived from the original on May 7, 2017. Retrieved May 7, 2017.
- ^ "Always Dreaming pulls away on a soggy track to win 143rd Kentucky Derby". Washington Post. Retrieved May 7, 2017.
- ^ Cherwa, John (May 6, 2017). "Always Dreaming wins the 143rd Kentucky Derby". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on May 7, 2017. Retrieved May 7, 2017.
- ^ "A Derby 'Dream' Come True". www.thoroughbreddailynews.com. May 7, 2017. Retrieved May 7, 2017.
- ^ Drape, Joe (May 7, 2017). "Always Dreaming's Story Starts With 2 Brooklyn Boys' Trips to the Track". The New York Times. Retrieved May 7, 2017.
- ^ McGee, Marty (May 6, 2017). "Always Dreaming fifth straight favorite to win Derby". Daily Racing Form. ESPN.com. Archived from the original on May 7, 2017. Retrieved May 7, 2017.
- ^ "Profile of Almost Dreaming". www.equibase.com. Retrieved April 12, 2020.
- ^ "Battle of Midway". www.equibase.com. Retrieved April 12, 2020.
- ^ "Practical Joke". www.equibase.com. Retrieved April 12, 2020.
- ^ "Tapwrit Profile". www.equibase.com. Retrieved April 12, 2020.
- ^ "Girvin". www.equibase.com. Retrieved April 12, 2020.
- ^ "Thunder Snow". www.equibase.com. Retrieved April 12, 2020.