LOUISVILLE, Ky. — The 20-horse field for Saturday’s 138th Kentucky Derby was billed as one of the best, most competitive in years. Any of at least 10 runners could win, everyone said, and no one would be surprised.
Given that build-up, the race itself was a strange affair — a two-horse race, actually. Bodemeister, the 4-1 favorite who set the pace through lightning fractions (:22.32, :45.39, 1:09.80) and led into the final sixteenth, and 15-1 I’ll Have Another, who ran him down late to win by 1 1/2 lengths after breaking from post 19, were the only runners who looked at any point like they might win.
Jason Szenes
‘I’LL’ TAKE MY CHANCES: Kentucky Derby winner I’ll Have Another will be shipped to Baltimore today to prepare for the Preakness Stakes on May 19.
Dullahan rallied very wide into the stretch for third, a neck behind Bodemeister. Went the Day Well, after a rough trip, — “I got shut off and lost my position twice in the first quarter-mile,” jockey John Velazquez said — finished well for fourth. But neither was ever a threat to take it all.
Creative Cause, who beat Bodemeister in the San Felipe and was beaten by a nose by I’ll Have Another in the Santa Anita Derby, ran a respectable fifth, beaten 1 1/2 lengths for second. But several other highly regarded runners were nowhere.
Two-year-old champion Hansen (ninth) had a perfect trip tracking the pace but couldn’t go the distance.
“Ramon [Dominguez] had him in a great spot and had every chance if we were good enough,” said trainer Mike Maker. “We weren’t good enough.”
Daddy Nose Best, the “wise-guy” horse, ran a no-excuse 10th.
“He had position,” trainer Steve Asmussen said. “He just didn’t do anything with it.”
Previously unbeaten Gemologist, after a perfect stalking trip, backed up badly to finish 16th. “We were able to relax right behind the speed,” jockey Javier Castellano said. “Unfortunately, I don’t know why it wasn’t his day.”
For Union Rags, seventh as the 5-1 second choice, it was a case of, “They’re off. You lose.”
A step slow out of the gate from post 4, Union Rags dropped to the back of the pack after being sandwiched between Dullahan coming in from post 5 and Take Charge Indy coming out from post 3.
“The race was lost right there,” trainer Michael Matz said yesterday morning as he grazed Union Rags, who was dragging him around as if he hadn’t run. “We were supposed to be third or fourth past the finish line the first time. Not 18th.”
Matz compared Union Rags’ hard luck at the break with Lookin At Lucky being eliminated at the start of the 2010 Derby.
Told that Kent Desormeaux, the rider of Dullahan, and Calvin Borel, on Take Charge Indy, were the same two jockeys that took Lookin at Lucky out of the race, Matz said: “Those guys are old enough. They should know better than to drive like that.”
* Florida Derby winner Take Charge Indy, who faded badly to finish 19th, had a good excuse. He is scheduled to undergo surgery to remove a bone chip in his left front ankle sustained during the race and should return to training late this summer.
* Five of the first eight finishers in the Derby — I’ll Have Another, Bodemeister, Creative Cause, Liaison (sixth) and Rousing Sermon (eighth) — are based in southern California.
ed.fountaine@nypost.com
Kentucky Derby, Union Rags, Bodemeister, LOUISVILLE, Ky., Santa Anita Derby, Michael Matz, Kent Desormeaux
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