Kentucky Derby (Grade 1)

RAMIRO Restrepo landed the winning bid for a colt from the first crop of Good Magic at last year’s Fasig-Tipton Midlantic May sale of two-year-olds in training in Timonium, Maryland, and immediately went to work.

“We ended up spending $290,000 and in the real world that’s a lot of money. In horse racing it’s a respectable number but by no means a lot of money,” said Restrepo, a Miami-based bloodstock agent who also works as a South Florida field representative for the Kentucky-based Fasig-Tipton.

“We ended up getting the horse and since we went over budget, we put together an ownership group.

“This is a game where there are so many successful people that are buying in bulk at the highest end of the sport. I feel like they have unlimited bullets and we have a musket. When we buy, we almost can’t miss.”

Restrepo and Co. – which started as just he and the OGMA Investments family partnership run by trainer Gustavo Delgado and his son and assistant Gustavo Delgado Jr. and later joined by Sam Herzgerg’s Sterling Racing and the microshare partnership group CMNWLTH – didn’t miss.

The colt bought for $290,000, offered as Hip 592 out of the Sequel Bloodstock consignment, later became Mage and now the winner of the 149th Kentucky Derby presented by Woodford Reserve.

Record books

Mage put his name in the record books with a rallying victory in the Derby, closing from 16th of 18 early and storming down the Churchill Downs stretch in front of 150,335.

Ridden by Hall of Famer Javier Castellano, Mage won by a length over Two Phil’s with 4/1 post-time favourite Angel Of Empire another half-length back in third and Disarm fourth in the field of 18. Mage won in 2m01.57secs.

Mage scored at 15/1 in a cleanly run renewal of the opening jewel of the American Triple Crown that featured a lead-in that was anything but tidy.

The pomp and circumstance of Derby Weekend came against the backdrop of a rash of deaths at Churchill Downs – some breakdowns and others yet to be explained – and a bevy of scratches in one of the world’s most famous races.

The defections from the Run for the Roses started even before Derby Week officially kicked off with the annual Derby Festival Marathon, Steamboat Race, Pegasus Parade and other events in and around Louisville.

Blazing Sevens came first, removed from consideration by trainer Chad Brown to await the Preakness. Texas-bred Sunland Park Derby winner Wild On Ice came next, lost to a fatal injury pulling up from his five-furlong workout April 27th, a devastating blow for his lesser-known trainer Joel Marr and 60-year-old jockey Ken Tohill.

Entries were taken the Monday before the Derby and 23 runners were among the group to contest the opening jewel of the Triple Crown.

The Derby allows a maximum of 20 starters, thus Cyclone Mischief, Mandarin Hero and King Russell were relegated to the also-eligible list.

They each got a chance to run in the Derby when five horses were scratched from entry time until post time – the first time the Derby saw that many scratches since 1936 when 19 entered and 14 ran.

The first defection – Wood Memorial winner Lord Miles – was forced May 4th by the Kentucky Racing Commission, which determined “for the betterment of racing, the health and welfare of our equine athletes, and the safety of our jockeys, all horses trained by trainer Saffie Joseph, Jr. are scratched effective immediately and until further notice.”

Under fire

Joseph came under fire following the sudden deaths of two of his horses over the first two days of racing at the Churchill spring meet.

Santa Anita Derby winner Practical Move came out May 4th due to an elevated temperature and Japan’s Continuar also scratched that day when trainer Yoshito Yahagi determined the colt was not at peak fitness for the race.

Skinner came out the day before the race with an elevated temperature and morning-line favourite and last year’s champion two-year-old male Forte was scratched on Derby morning because state veterinarians were concerned over a bruise in the colt’s right front foot.

Further news involving the colt broke mid-week when it was revealed he had been disqualified from a victory in the 2022 Grade 1 Hopeful Stakes at Saratoga for testing positive for meloxicam, a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medication and Pletcher was suspended for 10 days and fined $1,000.

Forte beat Mage in back-to-back starts at Gulfstream Park in the Grade 2 Fountain of Youth and Grade 1 Florida Derby. Mage finished just a length back in second in the Florida Derby after a troubled trip that included a slow start and wide run into the lane.

That effort earned him enough points to guarantee a spot in the starting gate for the Kentucky Derby. Castellano, like the Delgados a native of Venezuela, picked Mage after initially committing to ride Gotham Stakes winner Raise Cain. Castellano won the Derby in his 16th attempt, coming into the paddock full of confidence that May 6th would be his day.

“When I was in the jockeys’ room and NBC put ‘0 for-15, Javier Castellano,’ in that moment, it gives me so much inspiration in myself,” Castellano said. “And I think, ‘this is the year. I’m going to break the year, and I’m going to win the race.’

“I feel a lot of confidence in myself. I have been describing the race. I have been dreaming that way for many years. Only needed a little opportunity to get it done, and I’m glad I did it.”