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Something stunning was about to happen as the two colts bounded into the deep stretch, the one in front hitting the ground with a wobble, the one giving chase gathering strength with every stride. Either Bodemeister was going to give the trainer Bob Baffert, fresh off a heart attack, his fourth Kentucky Derby victory, or I’ll Have Another was going to give an anonymous jockey, Mario Gutierrez, one of the most unlikely victories in the 138 runnings of America’s greatest horse race.
For a mile and an eighth, Bodemeister had been breathtaking. He had come to Churchill Downs as the undisputed king of speed after leading every step of the way in the Arkansas Derby. It was why bettors in a record crowd of more than 165,000 had made him the 4-1 favorite. But the colt was taking on...
To anyone who calls himself a speed handicapper, there should be no doubt about the identity of the best colt in the Kentucky Derby. When Bodemeister won his final prep race, the Arkansas Derby, he appeared to be in a class by... more »
On the kind of Kentucky spring morning that makes you glad to be alive, Bob Baffert was talking about the first time horse racing nearly killed him. The longtime, highly decorated trainer was leaning on the rail along the... more »
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