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Kentucky Derby Results 2021: Race Highlights, Video Replay and Reaction
May 2, 2021
The 147th running of the Kentucky Derby offered a surprising winner in Medina Spirit, another victory for Bob Baffert and a hotly contested race over the course of a little more than two minutes.
In short, it was everything you hope for from The Run for the Roses.
NBC Sports posted the video replay of Medina Spirit's surprising win:
Medina Spirit might have had the advantage of the legendary Baffert in his corner but he was far from a favorite. The winning colt who was sold as a yearling for just $1,000 went off at 12-1 odds.
Essential Quality was the post-time favorite at 5-2, with Rock Your World 9-2 and Hot Rod Charlie 5-1 not too far behind with oddsmakers. They finished fourth, third and 17th respectively.
Here's a look at how the 19-horse field fared Saturday.
2021 Kentucky Derby Finishing Order and Payout
1. Medina Spirit (Zedan Racing Stables Inc; John Velazquez): $1.86 million
2. Mandaloun (Juddmonte Farms [Khalid Abdullah]; Florent Geroux): $600,000
3. Hot Rod Charlie (Roadrunner Racing, Boat Racing, LLC and Strauss Bros Racing; Flavien Prat): $300,000
4. Essential Quality (Godolphin, LLC; Luis Saez): $150,000
5. O Besos (Bernard, L. Barrett, Tagg Team Racing and West Point Thoroughbreds; Marcelino Pedroza): $90,000
6. Midnight Bourbon
7. Keepmeinmind
8. Helium
9. Known Agenda
10. Highly Motivated
11. Sainthood
12. Like The King
13. Bourbonic
14. Hidden Stash
15. Brooklyn Strong
16. Super Stock
17. Rock Your World
18. Dynamic One
19. Soup and Sandwich
Reaction
This race was primarily about two things: Bob Baffert's legendary status and the underdog story of Medina Spirit.
Heading into the race Baffert said he thought his colt was "a cut below" the top horses in conversation with Tim Sullivan of the Louisville Courier Journal. San Felipe Stakes winner Life is Good was the most hyped horse in Baffert's stable this year but was unable to be in the field because of an ankle injury.
It's the second year in a row that Baffert's "backup horse" won the Derby.
Jockey John Velazquez deserves credit too. He put his trust in letting Medina Spirit run early, and the horse responded by nearly going wire to wire with the lead.
According to ESPN Stats & Info, both Baffert and Velazquez etched their name in the history books with the win.
ESPN Stats & Info @ESPNStatsInfoJohn Velazquez aboard Medina Spirit gives Bob Baffert his 7th Kentucky Derby win, breaking a tie with Ben Jones for the most wins all-time by a trainer. Velazquez also becomes just the 3rd jockey over the last 30 years to win consecutive Derbies. https://t.co/NA5jFLJvxo
Baffert was certainly soaking in the moment:
The Action Network's Darren Rovell provided some background to Medina Spirit's rise to stardom. There wasn't much competition to buy him as a yearling:
Where there is the thrill of victory, there is always the agony of defeat. Famed bettor Mattress Mack reportedly put $2.4 million on Essential Quality, and we all got to see what it looks like to lose that kind of money in around two minutes:
Jay Privman of Daily Racing Form broke down some of the action and where it went wrong for Rock Your World and Known Agenda, two horses who had especially rough trips.
Jay Privman @DRFPrivmanOther observations from watching replays: No positional change 1-2-3-4 final 1/4 mile. Midnight Bourbon ran amazing race considering early position. Rock Your World got crushed at start, thus being put in a position completely foreign to him (behind, on dirt) Known Agenda plods https://t.co/tYmz1FDvRx
Now the focus shifts over to the Preakness which is set to take place May 15. Medina Spirit certainly won't be overlooked there. The 1 3/16th-mile race figures to play to his strengths quite well, but challengers new and old will meet him there.
His Kentucky Derby win gives him the opportunity to run for history over the next few weeks.