LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Never underestimate Bob Baffert.
The six-time Kentucky Derby-winning trainer started the 2021 prep season with a loaded stable of top contenders. Yet he came to Louisville with just one starter, Medina Spirit, a 15-1 shot on the morning line and a largely overlooked colt in the discussion of the top Derby contenders.
Baffert will leave Churchill Downs with his seventh Kentucky Derby title, the most of all time.
Medina Spirit set the early pace and led a four-horse charge to the finish line Saturday and won the 147th Kentucky Derby in a close one over 26-1 shot Mandaloun, who finished second for trainer Brad Cox, who was attempting to become the first Louisville native to win the Derby.
Hot Rod Charlie finished third, and Cox’s other entry — 5-2 favorite Essential Quality — ended up fourth after a wide run into the stretch.
Medina Spirit stole the show — with John Velazquez aboard for his fourth Derby win — and he delivered Baffert his seventh Kentucky Derby trophy. The Nogales, Arizona-born, University of Arizona-educated horse trainer now has more Kentucky Derby wins than anyone in history.
“That little horse has got a heart — such a big heart,” Baffert said immediately after the race.
The Hall of Fame trainer also won last year’s Derby with Authentic, tying Ben Jones for most all-time victories in the race with six. This one broke the tie.
“I knew he was training well but I’m really really surprised,” Baffert said. “If you have him on the lead, he’ll fight. When those horses came to him, I can’t believe he won this race. That was all guts. I’m the luckiest guy in the world.”
Medina Spirit went off at 12-1 odds and paid $26.20 to win, $12.00 to place and $7.60 to show. The long shot Mandaloun finished $23.00 to place and $13.40 to show, and Hot Rod Charlie paid $5.20 to show.
O Besos finished fifth, followed by Midnight Bourbon, Keepmeinmind, Helium, Known Agenda and Highly Motivated in 10th. Next came Sainthood, followed by Like the King, Bourbonic, Hidden Stash, Brooklyn Strong, Super Stock and the 9-2 second choice Rock Your World in 17th. Dynamic One was 18th, and Soup and Sandwich, who raced among the early leaders, finished 19th and last. King Fury scratched from the race Friday.
Medina Spirit’s victory unfolded in front of an announced crowd of 51,838, a gathering limited because of the state’s COVID-19 social distancing guidelines.
The winner is owned by Zedan Racing Stables, Inc., which is owned by Los Angeles native and Saudi Arabian businessman Amr F. Zedan.
Velazquez won the Kentucky Derby for the fourth time, which ties him with Willie Shoemaker for the second-most in history behind only Eddie Arcaro and Bill Hartack, who won five each.
Medina Spirit was a highly touted colt in Baffert’s barn to start the year, but he largely played second fiddle to other West Coast stars.
The son of Protonico broke his maiden in his career debut Dec. 11 and finished a close second to stablemate Life Is Good — the Derby favorite early in the year — in his stakes debut in the Sham Stakes on Jan. 2.
Medina Spirit won next time out — a close victory in the Robert B. Lewis Stakes — but then he finished eight lengths behind Life Is Good in the San Felipe Stakes. After that race, Life Is Good was removed from the Derby trial due to a minor injury, sidelining Baffert’s perceived best hope at a seventh victory in the race.
That made Medina Spirit the de facto favorite for the Santa Anita Derby, but he finished second — beaten more than four lengths — by Rock Your World.
Still, the colt who was known for his grit throughout the Derby prep season came back to win the Kentucky Derby.
The winning time was 2:01.02, the eighth-fastest in Kentucky Derby history.
