Mage Wins 2023 Kentucky Derby After Holding off Two Phil's, Angel of Empire

Mage won the 149th running of the Kentucky Derby on Saturday from Churchill Downs in Louisville, holding off Two Phil's and Angel of Empire in the process.

Two Phil's held the lead at the beginning of the stretch, but Mage sprinted hard from the outside to go neck-and-neck with the leader. Meanwhile, a hard-charging Angel of Empire roared down the straightaway to give that duo a run for its money. In the end, Mage pulled ahead of Two Phil's by a length for the win, while Angel of Empire finished a close third.

Here's a look at this year's order of finish, payouts, and some news and notes on this year from Churchill Downs as it arrives.

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Order of Finish

1. Mage

2. Two Phil's

3. Angel of Empire

4. Disarm

5. Hit Show

6. Derma Sotogake

7. Tapit Trice

8. Raise Cain

9. Rocket Can

10. Confidence Game

11. Sun Thunder

12. Mandarin Hero

13. Reincarnate

14. Kingsbarns

15. King Russell

16. Verifying

17. Jace's Road

18. Cyclone Mischief

19. Skinner (SCR)

20. Forte (SCR)

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Payouts

Win: $32.42, $14.58, $9.08

Place: $10.44, $6.52

Show: $4.70

$2.00 Exacta (8-3): $330.44

$1.00 Trifecta (8-3-14): $982.36

$1.00 Superfecta (8-3-14-11): $15,643.60

Source: NBC broadcast

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News and Notes

This week has been tragic and difficult at Churchill Downs after seven horses died, including Chloe's Dream after suffering an injury Saturday during a pre-Derby race.

Saffie Joseph Jr., the trainer of two of those horses, was suspended indefinitely. His Derby horse, Lord Miles, was also pulled from the race.

Five horses in total were scratched before the start, including pre-race favorite Forte on Saturday morning. Kentucky Horse Racing Commission veterinarian Nick Smith would not let Forte compete because of a bruised right front foot.

Naturally, the week's tragedies cast a pall over this year's Derby as a sport that's been marred by deaths and doping schemes went through with its yearly main event.

In the end, the Derby went off at 7 p.m. ET, and Mage emerged as the winner.

Mage wasn't considered a favorite in this event at 15-1 odds, but there were a few things going in his favor.

For starters, Mage has a great bloodline, thanks to his grandfathers. Curlin finished top three at all 2007 Triple Crown races and won the Preakness Stakes, while Big Brown won the 2008 Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes.

In addition, jockey Javier Castellano and trainer Gustavo Delgado form a great duo. The Venezuelans have winning experience: Castellano is a two-time Preakness Stakes winner and 2016 Kentucky Oaks victor, and Delgado has trained horses to 275 victories.

Mage also impressed in the lead-up to the Derby despite making just three lifetime starts.

He won at Gulfstream Park earlier this year and finished fourth at the Fountain of Youth Stakes behind a top three that included horses that did or planned to run in the Derby in Forte, Rocket Can and Cyclone Mischief. Mage then finished second to Forte at the Florida Derby.

In the end, Mage is the Kentucky Derby champion to kick off the Triple Crown. The Preakness Stakes from Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore is up next on the schedule Saturday, May 20.