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Belmont Stakes Day Belmont Festival Friday Eclipse Stakes Day Hollywood Gold Cup Preakness Stakes results |
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Rhetorical and jockey Irad Ortiz Jr. after winning the Old Forester Bourbon Turf Classic (G1). | |
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Kentucky Derby Day is the biggest card of racing at Churchill Downs. Before the main event, there were 8 stakes races (7 graded) contested over the fast main track and firm Matt Winn turf course on Saturday. Conditions were chilly and cloudy on Saturday for the 150,415 fans in attendance, with the daytime high only reaching 55 degrees at the start of the stakes action.
TwinSpires, the official betting partner of the Kentucky Derby, handled a new record of $129 million in wagering on Churchill Downs races for Kentucky Derby Week, up $7 million or 6% from the prior record set in 2025. TwinSpires handled a new record of $89 million in wagering on the Kentucky Derby Day program, up 1% compared to last year's record of $88 million. Churchill Downs Inc. expects record-setting Adjusted EBITDA for Churchill Downs Racetrack on Derby Week with $15 to $18 million of Adjusted EBITDA growth compared to the prior year.
Jockey Irad Ortiz Jr. sent Rhetorical to the lead first time by through fractions of 23.51, 47.40, and 1:10.70 while pressed by 19-1 Mercante and stalked by 15-2 Program Trading. Into the stretch Rhetorical opened a 3 1/2 length lead through 1 mile in 1:34.29, and cruised to a 3 1/4 length win over late-running 8-1 Make Me King in a stakes record 1:45.22, just 0.45 second off the course record. It was another 3 1/2 lengths back to 10-1 Corruption third.
Results chart from DRF
Left: Rhetorical heads to the winner's circle. Winning jockey Irad Ortiz Jr. said, "It was beautiful. He broke great and relaxed really well for me. He showed another gear when I asked him to go. I was confident the whole way."
Right: Rhetorical in the post parade. Winning trainer Will Walden said, "The key for this horse was getting him in front. He's a real Alpha male; he wants to dominate every group of horses. When he got out front today, I saw everything change. His demeanor, his body language, he liked it out there. We had him down at Palm Meadows this winter and did a lot of basic things with him. It was real good for him. Yes, he's the best horse I've had so far; far and away."
Left: Second place finisher Make Me King in the post parade. Jockey Jose Ortiz said, "It was a very good trip coming from the outside post. I was able to save a lot of ground on both turns. On the final turn, I was able to drop behind Flavien (Prat on Asbury Park) and work my out half around the turn. It was beautiful. The winner got away with some easy fractions but my horse is really nice."
Right: Third place finisher Corruption in the post parade. The Mark Casse trainee improved his record to 5 wins, 2 seconds, and 2 thirds in 13 starts, earning $757,775 for owners Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners and Harry Colburn.
16-1 Italian Soiree was quickest away through an opening quarter of 24.26 before 13-2 fifth choice Classic Q took over through a half in 47.93 and 3/4 in 1:11.72. Turning for home, Classic Q opened up a 2 length lead through 7f in 1:23.07, and kept to task by John Velazquez, Classic Q held off late-running favorite Portfolio Duration to win by a neck in 1:34.71. It was another 2 1/4 lengths back to Pin Up Betty third.
Results chart from DRF
Left: Classic Q returns after the race. Winning jockey John Velazquez said, "I tried to rate her but she started getting aggressive and throwing her head. I decided just to take a long hold and see how long I could hold it. I waited until the quarter pole and she spurted away, which was enough to win it."
Right: Classic Q in the post parade. Winning trainer Mark Casse said, "It's so rewarding. She's run so hard so many times. I'm so grateful we're able to get the job done in this race. She likes it here. She really likes the shorter turns."
Jocker Jose Ortiz sent Englishman to the lead out of the chute through fractions of 22.06, 44.20, and 1:08.13 while pressed by Crude Velocity and stalked by 13-1 Crown the Buckeye. Englishman continued to lead to the 1/8 pole through 7f in 1:20.69 but Crude Velocity, confidently ridden by Florent Geroux, rallied by to win going away by 3 3/4 lengths in a stakes record 1:33.87, just 0.61 second off the track record. It was another 2 3/4 lengths back to late-running 13-1 Stop the Car third.
Results chart from DRF
Left: Crude Velocity heads to the winner's circle. Winning jockey Florent Geroux said, "He was a lot more professional today and put me in the right spot. Since the blinkers have been removed, he's been a dream to ride. He's able to follow very fast fractions easily and I attacked Englishman at the quarter-pole and responded well. He's an amazing horse. He's not very big and I have worked in the mornings and I told Bob it was the best 3-year-old in his barn. I wish we had more time to develop and I think he would have been in the Derby today."
Right: Crude Velocity in the post parade. Winning trainer Bob Baffert said, "This horse is a freaky horse. He is so talented. I was very surprised that he was able to win first out with all of the trouble he got in. If he stays healthy, we'll be hearing from this horse down the road."
 Yellow Card wins the Twin Spires Turf Sprint (G2) |
Jockey Fernando De La Cruz sent 11-2 Joe Shiesty to lead through fractions of 22.39 and 44.69 while pressed by Yellow Card and stalked by Litigation. Joe Shiesty continuted to lead to midstretch through 5f in 56.19 but Yellow Card under Flavien Prat outfinished him to win by a neck in 1:02.20. It was a head back to Litigation third.
Results chart from DRF
Left: Yellow Card returns after the race. Winning jockey Flavien Prat said, "He broke well and we got into a good spot. He really showed a lot of courage. The whole race was a battle, and he fought to get to the wire first."
Right: Yellow Card heads back to the barn. Winning trainer Mike McCarthy said, "Last time at Keeneland he got banged around at the half-mile pole and it wasn't his day. I'm so proud of him and the effort he was able to put in today. I'm so glad Flavien decided to stick with him. (Owner) Jim Daniell needed this one, I needed this one."
Jockey Javier Castellano sent 45-1 longest shot Macho Music to the lead out of the chute through fractions of 22.46 and 45.03 while pressed by Knightsbridge and stalked by 7-1 Imagination. Turning for home, Macho Music tired as T O Elvis swept to the lead 4 wide through 3/4 in 1:08.57. Kept to task by Ryusei Sakai, T O Elvis drew off to win by 3 1/4 lengths over late-running 7-1 Disruptor in a stakes record time of 1:20.49, just 0.05 second off the track record. It was another 2 length back to 28-1 Crazy Mason third, while favorite Knightsbridge tired late to finish 6th beaten 6 1/4 lengths.
Results chart from DRF
Left: T O Elvis heads to the winner's circle. Winning jockey Ryusei Sakai said, "It's so special to get a win like this at Churchill Downs. It's been such a great experience."
Right: T O Elvis returns after the race. Winning trainer Daisuke Takayanagi said, "This is a first winner for Japan here. It was a very challenging race but we were able to get it done. We had a plan for this race even though we did not get to run in Dubai."
 Stark Contrast wins the American Turf (G2) |
27-1 Street Beast was quickest away through an opening quarter of 23.20 before 13-1 Honey Dutch took over on the clubhouse turn though a half in 47.13 and 3/4 in 1:10.58. Into the stretch Remember Mamba, 12th early, came out 4 wide to sweep to the lead through 1 mile in 1:34.26, but favorite Stark Contrast, 8th early under Flavien Prat, came out wide for room and rallied to win going away by 2 1/4 lengths over Remember Mamba in 1:40.31. It was another 1 1/2 lengths back to Honey Dutch third.
Left: Stark Contrast heads to the winner's circle. Winning jockey Flavien Prat said, "My only instructions were to get him in a good spot. I did that. He's a good horse; he's a very good horse."
Right: Stark Contrast heads back to the barn. Winning trainer Mike McCarthy said, "I can't tell you how highly I thought about this horse. He got a little sick on us over the winter. We were able to reroute and go to the Jeff Ruby Steaks. Flavien speaks for himself and he gave him a great trip. (Owners) Mr. and Mrs. Amerman are not here today but I really wish they were."
Jockey Tyler Gaffalione sent 7-1 fourth choice R Disaster to lead out of the chute through fractions of 22.77 and 45.05 while pressed by Splendora and stalked by Ways and Means. Turning for home R Disaster opened up a 2 length lead through 3/4 in 1:08.51, and drew off to win by 2 1/4 lengths over Ways and Means in 1:20.94, just half a second off the track record. It was another 1 3/4 length back to Usha third, while favorite Splendora tired late to finish 4th beaten 10 1/2 lengths.
Results chart from DRF
Left: R Disaster heads to the winner's circle. Winning jockey Tyler Gaffalione said, "This filly came here ready to run today. As soon as the gate popped open, she broke alertly, I was able to put my hands down and let her find her stride. She was traveling so easy that I knew (down the stretch), she was going to be able to find another gear. The rest of horses weren't much of a threat."
Right: R Disaster heads back to the barn. Winning trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. said, "She ran her race last time in the Madison (G1). The pace was extremely fast last time – faster than we would have liked. We didn't originally intend to come back in this race, but she bounced out of her last work very well. So, we decided to enter and see what happens. We knew there were some Grade I-caliber fillies in this race but she was doing so well. Tyler gave her the perfect ride today."
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