(CNN) — Mage won the 149th Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky, on Saturday.
The 3-12 months-outdated chestnut colt, properly trained by Gustavo Delgado, edged out Two Phil’s, who crossed the line to finish in next place, and Angel of Empire completed third, in front of the over 150,000 lovers in attendance.
Mage’s win arrived after intensely favored Forte was scratched from the race earlier in the working day just after a Kentucky Horse Racing Commission veterinarian located the horse had a bruised ideal entrance foot, Churchill Downs reported.
Forte had been mentioned as the 3-1 morning line favourite to earn the first leg of the sport’s Triple Crown. Forte was the fifth horse to be scratched from the race and so the variety of horses in the key function dropped to 18. It is the initial time considering that 1936 that 5 horses have been scratched from the Derby.
“I never ever give up, I usually check out tough,” jockey Javier Castellano mentioned. “It took me a very little whilst to get there, to at last get it.” The victory was the to start with at the Kentucky Derby for Castellano in 16 attempts.
Prior to the Kentucky Derby, Mage only had a single victory in three occupation begins. On Saturday, he finished the “Greatest two minutes in Sports” with a time of 2:01.57.
Mage will now have a probability to continue on the chase for the elusive Triple Crown at the Preakness Stakes in Maryland on May possibly 20. The third leg is at the Belmont Stakes in New York on June 10.
7 horses died in the guide up to Saturday’s race
This year’s Derby was marred by an unusually significant variety of horse deaths in times preceding the key party, and two extra died in before races Saturday. In total, seven horses have died since April 27.
Chloe’s Dream and Freezing Issue both equally “sustained racing injuries from which they could not get better on Saturday, and for humane motives, both have been euthanized,” according to Darren Rogers, senior director of communications and media companies for Churchill Downs.
On Friday, racehorse trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. was suspended indefinitely by Churchill Downs subsequent the “highly unusual” deaths of two of his horses, Mothers and fathers Pleasure and Chasing Artie.
Three other horses — not qualified by Joseph — also died in the latest times. According to Churchill Downs, Wild on Ice, a Derby contender, was hurt although instruction on Thursday and Just take Cost Briana was injured in a race on Tuesday. Equally were being “euthanized for humane good reasons.”
On April 29, 3-12 months-outdated gelding Code of Kings died just after flipping and breaking his neck in Churchill’s momentary paddock before a race, according to Daily Racing Type.
Animal legal rights business PETA released a statement following the two deaths Saturday, stating, “Churchill Downs is a killing industry. Freezing Level is the hottest casualty. He’s the 2nd horse to die these days at the keep track of, creating it an appalling seven fatalities in progress of the Kentucky Derby. They should play ‘Taps’ at the Derby instead of ‘My Previous Kentucky Dwelling.’”
Correction: A earlier edition of this story misstated the site of Churchill Downs. It is in Louisville.
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