LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Mage crossed the finish line to win the 149th Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs on Saturday, overtaking Two Phil's down the stretch to win the first leg of horse racing's Triple Crown.
Mage, who had only one victory in three previous races, covered the 1 1/4 miles in 2:01.57 under Hall of Fame jockey Javier Castellano, who snapped an 0-for-15 skid in the Derby.
Two Phil's and 4-1 favorite Angel of Empire followed Mage to the finish line in front of a crowd of 150,335 on a warm and partly cloudy day at Churchill Downs.
Castellano and trainer Gustavo Delgado are from Venezuela. «I never give up,» said Castellano, a four-time Eclipse Award winner as outstanding jockey who was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2017. «I always try hard to do the right thing.