(AP) — Justify splashed through the slop to win the Kentucky Derby by 2 1/2 lengths, becoming the first colt in 136 years to wear the roses after not racing as a 2-year-old.
The colt that began his racing career in February improved to 4-0 and gave Bob Baffert his fifth Derby victory on Saturday. That snapped a tie and left the 65-year-old trainer trailing only leader Ben Jones with six.
Mike Smith earned his second Derby victory. The 52-year-old jockey crossed the finish line at Churchill Downs with only a few specks of mud on his white and green silks in the rainiest Derby in the race’s 144 -year history.
Justify, the 5-2 favorite in the field of 20, ran 1 ¼ miles in 2:04.20.
Good Magic finished second and Audible was another head back in third.
