Kentucky Derby 2018 Winner: Analysis and Race Highlights from Justify's Victory

Justify blazed to victory in the 2018 Kentucky Derby on Saturday and finished two-and-a-half lengths ahead of runner-up Good Magic to maintain the recent trend of favourites going on to triumph in the race.

The heavens opened over Churchill Downs in Louisville in time for the festival crescendo, but that spanner in the works couldn't slow the progress of Justify, who won in two minutes and 4.20 seconds.

A fifth Kentucky Derby victory for trainer Bob Baffert in the 144th annual edition of this race saw Justify begin this year's Triple Crown in fine fashion as he looks to join fellow Baffert steed American Pharoah, who bagged the rare award in 2015.

American Pharoah's achievement three years ago made him the first horse since 1978 to win all three legs of the Triple Crown, and ESPN's Darren Rovell noted Justify has his work cut out for him as he follows the lead of other recent favourites:

Two weeks remain until the 2018 Preakness Stakes at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, but he, as well as Baffert and jockey Mike Smith, will bask in what was a supremely confident first victory at Churchill Downs.

Here's a breakdown of the top payouts and full results list, via NBC broadcast:

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 1/2 lengths); Jockey: Jose Ortiz; Trainer: Chad Brown

Show ($200,000): Audible (-2 1/2 lengths); Jockey: Javier Castellano; Trainer: Todd Pletcher

4th ($100,000): Instilled Regard (-4 1/4 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 3/4 lengths); Jockey: Irad Ortiz Jr.; Trainer: William Mott

8th: Lone Sailor (-9 1/4 lengths); Jockey: James Graham; Trainer: Thomas Amoss

9th: Vino Rosso (-10 1/2 lengths); Jockey: John Velazquez; Trainer: Todd Pletcher

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

11th: Firenze Fire (-23 1/2 lengths); Jockey: Paco Lopez; Trainer: Jason Servis

12th: Bolt d'Oro (-24 1/4 lengths); Jockey: Victor Espinoza; Trainer: Mick Ruis

13th: Flameaway (-30 1/2 lengths); Jockey: Jose Lezcano; Trainer: Mark Casse

14th: Enticed (-34 3/4 lengths); Jockey: Junior Alvarado; Trainer: Kiaran McLaughlin

15th: Promises Fulfilled (-39 3/4 lengths); Jockey: Corey Lanerie; Trainer: Dale Romans

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

17th: Noble Indy (-42 1/4 lengths); Jockey: Florent Geroux; Trainer: Todd Pletcher

18th: Combatant (-42 3/4 lengths); Jockey: Ricardo Santana Jr.; Trainer: Steven Asmussen

19th: Magnum Moon (-49 1/2 lengths); Jockey: Luis Saez; Trainer: Todd Pletcher

20th: Mendelssohn (-73 1/4 lengths); Jockey: Ryan Moore; Trainer: Aidan O'Brien

Justify's post position of seventh immediately proved profitable, and a good start for jockey Smith saw him file in among the pace-setters with relative ease, sitting just on the shoulder of Promises Fulfilled.

Keeping him from the rail early on might have disrupted his charge enough to at least make him work for the win, but NBC Sports provided a replay of the race, and it was with ease that he made his way to the inside:

This was the slowest winning Kentucky Derby time recorded since we last saw conditions this sloppy at Churchill Downs in 2010, evidence as to just how that might have impacted certain runners and their preferences.

Inexperienced as Justify might be, however, he gave the impression he had more to give, and Dan Katz of Barstool Sports showed how his mud-free finishing face proved how much of the race he spent out in front:

The three-year-old must be something special after all, having broken the race's 132-year-old drought among horses who failed to make a start before their third birthday, per ESPN Stats & Info:

But that's how special horses tend to rise—with meteoric pace—and Justify has been no different, clearly outlining his spot as a cut above the rest on Saturday.

He debuted in February at Santa Anita and has now made it four victories from four as presenter Andy Slater summarised how swiftly Justify's price was cut the more his talent became known:

It's safe to say the world knows of him now after living up to his hype so astutely, holding off Good Magic's late charge to triumph by a significant margin.

Twinspires posed questions as to whether more difficult tests are to come at Preakness and at the Belmont Stakes:

This was a lot more routine for Smith than when he won his first Kentucky Derby aboard 50-1 Giacomo in 2005, per Melissa Hoppert of the New York Times.

Steadying a lead at the front looked far less problematic atop such a talented and powerful colt, and Smith emphasised post-race, via Hoppert, just how much simpler a talent like him makes things: "Keep riding horses like this, and you don’t have to work that hard. They take care of all the work for you."