Kentucky Derby Results 2018: Race Highlights, Video Replay and Reaction

Justify came into the Kentucky Derby as a 3-1 favorite, per the Derby's website, but there were many questions as he took his first steps on the Churchill Downs racetrack in Louisville, Kentucky, Saturday afternoon.

Could he win a race that featured 19 other runners? Could he win a race outside the state of California? Could he win a race that took place on a rain-soaked track as the heavens continued to open?

Additionally, what kind of tactics would trainer Bob Baffert and jockey Mike Smith come up with in the first race of the Triple Crown season?

Justify answered all questions in the affirmative and projects to be a memorable champion. He earned a 2 1/2-length victory over second-place finisher Good Magic and won the race with a time of 2:04.20.

He handled the poor weather without a problem, as Smith and Baffert came up with the perfect strategy to bring home the victory.

Justify broke quickly from the gate and hustled to the front. He settled in behind the early speed of Promises Fulfilled, and that meant he did not have to engage in the bumping and pounding that many of the other horses had to endure.

No other horse had a bigger problem with the huge field than Mendelssohn. The UAE Derby champion got bumped badly at the start of the race and had to steady himself. He ended up at the back of the pack and never recovered. He was last in the field of 20.

Here's the video replay:

Kentucky Derby Payout (Based on $2 Bet)

1st: Justify (Win: $7.80; Place: $6.00; Show: $4.40)

2nd: Good Magic (Place: $9.20; Show: $6.60)

3rd: Audible (Show: $5.80)

Kentucky Derby Results List

Win ($1.24 million): Justify; Jockey: Mike Smith; Trainer: Bob Baffert

Place ($400,000): Good Magic (-2 ½ lengths); Jockey: Jose Ortiz; Trainer: Chad Brown

Show ($200,000): Audible (-2 ½ lengths); Jockey: Javier Castellano; Trainer: Todd Pletcher

4th ($100,000): Instilled Regard (-4 ¼ lengths); Jockey: Drayden Van Dyke; Trainer: Jerry Hollendorfer

5th ($60,000): My Boy Jack (-7 lengths); Jockey: Kent Desormeaux; Trainer: J. Keith Desormeaux

6th: Bravazo (-8 lengths); Jockey: Luis Contreras; Trainer: D. Wayne Lukas

7th: Hofburg (-8 ¾ lengths); Jockey: Irad Ortiz Jr.; Trainer: William Mott

8th: Lone Sailor (-9 ¼ lengths); Jockey: James Graham; Trainer: Thomas Amoss

9th: Vino Rosso (-10 ½ lengths); Jockey: John Velazquez; Trainer: Todd Pletcher

10th: Solomini (-11 lengths); Jockey: Flavien Prat; Trainer: Bob Baffert

11th: Firenze Fire (-23 ½ lengths); Jockey: Paco Lopez; Trainer: Jason Servis

12th: Bolt d'Oro (-24 ¼ lengths); Jockey: Victor Espinoza; Trainer: Mick Ruis

13th: Flameaway (-30 ½ lengths); Jockey: Jose Lezcano; Trainer: Mark Casse

14th: Enticed (-34 ¾ lengths); Jockey: Junior Alvarado; Trainer: Kiaran McLaughlin

15th: Promises Fulfilled (-39¾ lengths); Jockey: Corey Lanerie; Trainer: Dale Romans

16th: Free Drop Billy (-41 lengths); Jockey: Robby Albarado; Trainer: Dale Romans

17th: Noble Indy (-42 ¼ lengths); Jockey: Florent Geroux; Trainer: Todd Pletcher

18th: Combatant (-42 ¾ lengths); Jockey: Ricardo Santana Jr.; Trainer: Steven Asmussen

19th: Magnum Moon (-49 ½ lengths); Jockey: Luis Saez; Trainer: Todd Pletcher

20th: Mendelssohn (-73 ¼ lengths); Jockey: Ryan Moore; Trainer: Aidan O'Brien

Justify had to expend a lot of energy to stay near the front in the first half of the race.

He ran the first half-mile in 45.77 seconds, a time that could have left him fatigued and incapable of a strong stretch run if he were not a superb equine athlete

Justify proved to be just that as he took the lead and held off all challengers.

The biggest issue that Justify faced came from Good Magic, who is trained by Chad Brown.

When those two horses reached the stretch, Justify had the lead, but Good Magic clearly had him within his sights. It looked like jockey Jose Ortiz and Good Magic were about to eat into Justify's lead for a few strides, but the winner was not about to give up his lead. He kicked it into another gear and won the race in convincing fashion.

Baffert was thrilled with his horse's performance. "When he got away clean, then I thought we had a chance," Baffert said, per ESPN.com. "We had to get away. Then Mike took his time."

Smith was also over the moon with his horse's overall ability. "Amazing horse," Smith, said. "He's got that 'it' factor. He is so above average, he's got unbelievable talent and he's got a mind to go with it. He was loving this stuff."

Baffert, Smith and Justify can look ahead to the Preakness Stakes in Baltimore. The second jewel of the Triple Crown is slated for May 19, but Baffert will have to make sure his charge is fully healthy before he can start any serious training.

One thing Baffert understands is that having an experienced jockey is a necessity.

"Experience, it's a big deal," Baffert said, per David Grening of the Daily Racing Form. "Drayden Van Dyke [jockey aboard Instilled Regard], he's a great little rider, he's not there yet. Lot of pressure, especially on Derby Day, I've seen it. The pressure can get to them. I needed somebody that's been there so many times."

Brown thought Good Magic ran an excellent race, but he acknowledged that it was not good enough against Justify.

"I had a horse today that was good enough to win several Derbies. Just not this one," Brown said, per Mike Welsch of the Daily Racing Form. "I thought at the eighth pole that Justify might come back to us, given the fractions and the fact he was doing a lot of the heavy lifting up front. But that horse had another gear and found more. He was a deserving winner. He's a super horse."

Justify put on an outstanding show at Churchill Down, and it just may be the start of a memorable and perhaps historic Triple Crown season.