2023 Kentucky Derby
The Kentucky Derby, often dubbed 'The Most Exciting Two Minutes in Sports,' is a spectacle rooted in deep tradition and unparalleled pageantry. However, the 149th running in 2023 delivered more than just a race; it unfolded as a dramatic saga of unexpected twists, tragic events, and an astonishing underdog victory. This year's Derby truly tested the very essence of triumph and tribulation within the world of horse racing, leaving an indelible mark on its storied history. The 2023 Kentucky Derby was unprecedentedly impacted by a distressing number of horse deaths and last-minute withdrawals, drastically altering the race field. Against formidable odds, an unexpected contender named Mage, with limited prior experience, surged to claim the prestigious Garland of Roses. Mage's surprising triumph underscored the thrilling unpredictability of horse racing, while also bringing intensified scrutiny to equine welfare.
AI Summary
The Kentucky Derby, often dubbed 'The Most Exciting Two Minutes in Sports,' is a spectacle rooted in deep tradition and unparalleled pageantry. However, the 149th running in 2023 delivered more than just a race; it unfolded as a dramatic saga of unexpected twists, tragic events, and an astonishing underdog victory. This year's Derby truly tested the very essence of triumph and tribulation within the world of horse racing, leaving an indelible mark on its storied history.
- The 2023 Kentucky Derby was unprecedentedly impacted by a distressing number of horse deaths and last-minute withdrawals, drastically altering the race field.
- Against formidable odds, an unexpected contender named Mage, with limited prior experience, surged to claim the prestigious Garland of Roses.
- Mage's surprising triumph underscored the thrilling unpredictability of horse racing, while also bringing intensified scrutiny to equine welfare.
The Run for the Roses: A Storied Tradition
Every first Saturday in May, the eyes of the world turn to Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky, for the legendary Kentucky Derby. The 149th running, held on May 6, 2023, continued this grand tradition, pitting the finest three-year-old thoroughbreds against each other.
This wasn't just any race; it was a Grade I stakes event covering a demanding 1¼ miles, offering a staggering $3 million purse. The victor wouldn't just claim prize money, but a place in history, forever etched into the annals of horse racing.
A Race for the Ages... and the Airwaves
The spectacle wasn't limited to the track. NBC's broadcast of the 2023 Derby drew an average Total Audience Delivery of 14.8 million viewers. This made it the most-watched sporting event and the second most-watched show overall — behind only the Academy Awards — since Super Bowl LVII in February, highlighting its massive cultural appeal.
The Road to Churchill Downs: Qualification
To even dream of running in the Derby, horses must earn their spot through a rigorous 'Road to the Kentucky Derby' points system. Introduced in 2013, this system replaced the old graded stakes earnings, making qualification a season-long campaign across various international races.
The 'Road' is a global endeavor. The Main Road features races primarily in North America, with a key stop in Dubai. Complementary roads include four races in Japan and seven across Great Britain, Ireland, and France, ensuring only the elite make it to the starting gate.
Unprecedented Withdrawals and Shifting Fortunes
The 2023 Derby build-up was unlike any other, marked by a cascade of last-minute withdrawals that dramatically reshaped the field. The draw for post positions on May 1 initially saw Forte installed as the 3-to-1 favorite, a strong contender for the win.
Just two days before the race, the chaos began. Practical Move, a promising contender, was scratched due to a fever, opening a spot for Cyclone Mischief. Then, in a stunning move, Lord Miles was withdrawn by order of the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission.
This unprecedented intervention stemmed from the indefinite suspension of trainer Saffie Joseph Jr., after two of his horses collapsed and died following races at Churchill Downs just days prior. Lord Miles' withdrawal paved the way for Japanese hopeful Mandarin Hero.
The musical chairs continued when another Japanese entry, Continuar, was scratched by his trainer, allowing King Russell to enter. The day before the Derby, Skinner developed a temperature and was also withdrawn. But the biggest shock was yet to come...
On Derby Day itself, just hours before the starting gate opened, the morning-line favorite, Forte, was scratched. A bruised right foot ended his Derby dreams, sending shockwaves through the racing world and leaving a wide-open field for the remaining contenders.
A Dark Cloud Over Churchill Downs: Equine Fatalities
Beyond the dramatic scratches, the week leading up to the 2023 Kentucky Derby was tragically overshadowed by a distressing number of horse deaths at Churchill Downs. A total of seven horses perished, casting a somber shadow over the festivities.
The grim tally began before Derby week with Wild on Ice, a potential contender, who was euthanized after suffering an injury during training. Code of Kings followed, dying after flipping and breaking his neck, a truly heartbreaking incident.
Adding to the distress, Take Charge Briana was injured during a race and also euthanized. The fatalities involving Saffie Joseph Jr.'s horses—Parents Pride and Chasing Artie—were particularly concerning, leading to his temporary suspension and an investigation.
The tragedy continued on Derby day itself. Chloe's Dream and Freezing Point both sustained critical injuries in undercard races and were subsequently euthanized. These events ignited intense debate and scrutiny regarding horse welfare and safety protocols in racing.
Mage's Miraculous Ascent: The Race unfolds
With the field dramatically altered and an air of somber reflection permeating the track, the 149th Kentucky Derby finally began. As the gates crashed open, Mage, a relative longshot, broke slowly, finding himself near the back of the pack.
Up front, Verifying, Kingsbarns, and Reincarnate set a blistering pace, tearing through the first fractions. The crowd roared, unaware that a powerful surge was building from behind, a testament to the unpredictable nature of the 'Greatest Two Minutes in Sports'.
By the mile marker, Mage had quietly advanced to sixth position. Then, as they rounded the final turn and entered the stretch, jockey Javier Castellano unleashed Mage with a magnificent charge to the outside. He quickly overtook Two Phil's, who had held a strong lead.
In a thrilling display of grit and speed, Mage pulled ahead, holding off a determined late surge from both Two Phil's and Angel of Empire to win by a length. His final time: a respectable 2:01.57 on a fast track.
An Underdog's Place in History
Mage's victory was remarkable for several reasons. He entered the Derby with only a single win from three previous starts — a truly light resumé for a Derby champion. This placed him in an exclusive club of horses who won with so little experience.
Furthermore, Mage became only the fourth horse in history to win the Kentucky Derby without having raced as a two-year-old. This feat, shared with legendary names like Justify and Apollo, speaks volumes about his latent talent and rapid development.
Mage became the fourth horse to win the Kentucky Derby with only three previous starts, joining: Justify Big Brown Regret
The triumph marked a momentous first for his connections: both jockey Javier Castellano and trainer Gustavo Delgado celebrated their inaugural Kentucky Derby wins. It was a victory for the persistent and the hopeful.
Mage's ownership group, including OGMA Investments, Ramiro Restrepo, Sterling Racing, and Commonwealth Thoroughbreds — a micro-shares company — banded together after Restrepo and Delgado famously bought Mage for $290,000, slightly above their initial budget. It was an investment that paid off handsomely.
The Final Standings
Here's a look at how the top contenders finished in the thrilling 149th running of the Kentucky Derby:
Finish Program Numbers Horse Qualifying Points Trainer Jockey Morning Line Odds Final Odds Margin (Lengths) Winnings 1 8 Mage 50 Gustavo Delgado Javier Castellano 15-1 15.21 $1,860,000 2 3 Two Phil's 123 Larry Rivelli Jareth Loveberry 12-1 9.87 1 $600,000 3 14 Angel of Empire 154 Brad H. Cox Flavien Prat 8-1 4.06 1+1⁄2 $300,000 4 11 Disarm 46 Steven M. Asmussen Joel Rosario 30-1 27.12 4+1⁄2 $150,000 5 1 Hit Show 60 Brad H. Cox Manuel Franco 30-1 24.02 6+1⁄2 $90,000
Pari-mutuel Payouts
For those who placed their bets, Mage delivered a significant return. Here's a summary of the payouts for a $2 stake:
Program number Horse name Win Place Show 8 Mage $32.42 $14.58 $9.08 3 Two Phil's — $10.44 $6.52 14 Angel of Empire — — $4.70
The exotic bets also paid out handsomely, reflecting the unpredictable nature of the race and Mage's underdog status. Imagine hitting these combinations!
$2 exacta (8–3): $330.44 $0.50 trifecta (8–3–14): $491.18 $1 superfecta (8–3–14–11): $15,643.65 $1 Super High Five (8–3–14–11–1): $194,923.09
Article
2023 Kentucky Derby
The 2023 Kentucky Derby (branded as the 149th Running of the Kentucky Derby presented by Woodford Reserve for sponsorship reasons) was the 149th running of the Kentucky Derby. It took place on May 6, 2023, the first Saturday in May, in Louisville, Kentucky. The race was open to 20 horses, who qualified for the race by earning points on the 2023 Road to the Kentucky Derby. The Kentucky Derby is a Grade I stakes race at a distance of 1+1⁄4 miles (2.0 km) and has been run at Churchill Downs racetrack since its inception in (/wiki/1875KentuckyDerby). The purse for 2023 was US$3 million. The race was won by Mage.
The race was broadcast by NBC, with coverage of undercard races beginning at 10:30 am EDT on USA Network and main network coverage of pre-race activities starting at 12:30 pm EDT. It was also livestreamed on NBCSports.com. According to The Blood-Horse, NBC's broadcast "averaged a Total Audience Delivery (TAD) of 14.8 million viewers—making it the most-watched sporting event and second most watched show (behind only the Academy Awards) since Super Bowl LVII in February."
During the week of the 2023 Derby, seven horses died at Churchill Downs, including two who were euthanized prior to the signature race on Saturday.
Qualification
2023 Kentucky Derby
The field is limited to twenty horses who qualify based on points earned in the 2023 Road to the Kentucky Derby, a series of designated races that was first introduced in 2013. This point system replaced the previous graded stakes race earnings system. The Main Road consists mostly of races in North America and one in Dubai, the Japan Road consists of four races in Japan, and the European Road consists of seven races in Great Britain, Ireland and France.
Entries
2023 Kentucky Derby
The draw for the event was held at Churchill Downs at 2:00 p.m. on May 1, 2023. Forte was installed as the 3-to-1 favorite and drew post number 15.
Three horses were withdrawn from the Derby two days before the race. On May 4, trainer Tim Yakteen withdrew Practical Move after the horse developed a fever, which allowed the Dale Romans-trained Cyclone Mischief to qualify from the also-eligible list. Later that day, Wood Memorial winner Lord Miles was withdrawn by order of the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission, which announced that all horses trained by Saffie Joseph Jr. could not race until further notice after two of them collapsed and died following races run at Churchill on April 29 and May 2. The withdrawal of Lord Miles allowed Japanese horse Mandarin Hero to take part in the race. The third and final also-eligible, the Ron Moquett-trained King Russell, qualified for the Derby on the evening of May 4 after another Japanese contender, Continuar, was withdrawn by trainer Yoshito Yahagi. On the day before the Derby, John Shirreffs withdrew Skinner after that horse developed a temperature. On May 6, just hours before the Derby was scheduled to start, Forte was withdrawn from the race. Mike Repole, the co-owner of Forte, cited the cause as a bruised right foot.
Horse deaths
2023 Kentucky Derby
Saffie Joseph Jr. in 2022
Seven horses died at Churchill Downs during the week of the Kentucky Derby, including two horses that died in undercard races on the day of the Derby. Wild on Ice, a Derby contender, was hurt while training on April 27 and was euthanized. On April 29, Code of Kings died after flipping and breaking his neck. Take Charge Briana was injured in a race on May 2 and was euthanized. On May 4, trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. was suspended indefinitely by Churchill Downs after two of his horses, Parents Pride and Chasing Artie, died. Parents Pride suddenly died on April 29 and Chasing Artie collapsed and died following a race on May 2. Following a two-month investigation, Joseph was reinstated on June 30.
Chloe's Dream and Freezing Point were euthanized on May 6 after being injured in undercard races. Chloe's Dream injured his right front knee in the second race and went into an equine ambulance; he was euthanized after. In the eighth race, Freezing Point was injured after being bumped in the backstretch and went into an equine ambulance. His injured left front ankle was reportedly put in a splint, but he was eventually euthanized.
Result
2023 Kentucky Derby
Mage won by a length with a time of 2:01.57. Initially, he broke slowly and was near the back of the pack. Verifying, Kingsbarns and Reincarnate set a fast pace with fractions of :22.35, :45.73 and 1:10.11. Mage was in sixth place by the mile marker. He charged to the outside of Two Phil's, overtook Two Phil's down the stretch and held off Two Phil's and Angel of Empire for the win.
Mage had only one win before the Kentucky Derby. Mage became the fourth horse to win the Kentucky Derby after having only three previous starts, joining Justify, Big Brown and Regret. He also became the fourth horse to win the Kentucky Derby without racing as a two-year old, joining Justify and Apollo. It is the first Kentucky Derby win for jockey Javier Castellano and trainer Gustavo Delgado.
Mage is owned by OGMA Investments, Ramiro Restrepo, Sterling Racing and Commonwealth Thoroughbreds, a micro-shares company that sells shares to back the career of an athlete or horse. They banded together after Restrepo and Delgado bought Mage for $290,000, which was above their initial budget.
<table><thead><tr><th>Finish</th><th>Program Numbers</th><th>Horse</th><th>Qualifying Points</th><th>Trainer</th><th>Jockey</th><th>Morning Line Odds</th><th>Final Odds</th><th>Margin (Lengths)</th><th>Winnings</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>1</td><td>8</td><td>Mage</td><td>50</td><td>Gustavo Delgado</td><td>Javier Castellano</td><td>15-1</td><td>15.21</td><td></td><td>$1,860,000</td></tr><tr><td>2</td><td>3</td><td>Two Phil's</td><td>123</td><td>Larry Rivelli</td><td>Jareth Loveberry</td><td>12-1</td><td>9.87</td><td>1</td><td>$600,000</td></tr><tr><td>3</td><td>14</td><td>Angel of Empire</td><td>154</td><td>Brad H. Cox</td><td>Flavien Prat</td><td>8-1</td><td>4.06</td><td>1+1⁄2</td><td>$300,000</td></tr><tr><td>4</td><td>11</td><td>Disarm</td><td>46</td><td>Steven M. Asmussen</td><td>Joel Rosario</td><td>30-1</td><td>27.12</td><td>4+1⁄2</td><td>$150,000</td></tr><tr><td>5</td><td>1</td><td>Hit Show</td><td>60</td><td>Brad H. Cox</td><td>Manuel Franco</td><td>30-1</td><td>24.02</td><td>6+1⁄2</td><td>$90,000</td></tr><tr><td>6</td><td>17</td><td>Derma Sotogake (JPN)</td><td>100</td><td>Hidetaka Otonashi</td><td>Christophe Lemaire</td><td>10-1</td><td>7.80</td><td>8</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>7</td><td>5</td><td>Tapit Trice</td><td>150</td><td>Todd A. Pletcher</td><td>Luis Saez</td><td>5-1</td><td>4.53</td><td>9+1⁄4</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>8</td><td>16</td><td>Raise Cain</td><td>64</td><td>Ben Colbrook</td><td>Gerardo Corrales</td><td>50-1</td><td>33.04</td><td>10</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>9</td><td>18</td><td>Rocket Can</td><td>60</td><td>William I. Mott</td><td>Junior Alvarado</td><td>15-1</td><td>28.81</td><td>11</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>10</td><td>4</td><td>Confidence Game</td><td>57</td><td>J. Keith Desormeaux</td><td>James Graham</td><td>20-1</td><td>21.03</td><td>14+1⁄2</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>11</td><td>13</td><td>Sun Thunder</td><td>54</td><td>Kenneth G. McPeek</td><td>Brian Hernandez Jr.</td><td>50-1</td><td>33.06</td><td>16+3⁄4</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>12</td><td>22</td><td>Mandarin Hero (JPN)</td><td>40</td><td>Terunobu Fujita</td><td>Kazushi Kimura</td><td>20-1</td><td>17.47</td><td>20+1⁄2</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>13</td><td>7</td><td>Reincarnate</td><td>45</td><td>Tim Yakteen</td><td>John Velazquez</td><td>50-1</td><td>14.76</td><td>24+1⁄2</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>14</td><td>6</td><td>Kingsbarns</td><td>100</td><td>Todd A. Pletcher</td><td>José Ortiz</td><td>12-1</td><td>11.72</td><td>25+1⁄4</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>15</td><td>23</td><td>King Russell</td><td>40</td><td>Ron Moquett</td><td>Rafael Bejarano</td><td>50-1</td><td>32.27</td><td>25+1⁄2</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>16</td><td>2</td><td>Verifying</td><td>54</td><td>Brad H. Cox</td><td>Tyler Gaffalione</td><td>15-1</td><td>14.30</td><td>54+3⁄4</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>17</td><td>12</td><td>Jace's Road</td><td>45</td><td>Brad H. Cox</td><td>Florent Geroux</td><td>15-1</td><td>33.47</td><td>55+1⁄4</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>18</td><td>21</td><td>Cyclone Mischief</td><td>45</td><td>Dale L. Romans</td><td>Irad Ortiz Jr.</td><td>30-1</td><td>29.02</td><td>55+1⁄2</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Scratched</td><td>9</td><td>Skinner</td><td>45</td><td>John Shirreffs</td><td>Juan Hernandez</td><td>20-1</td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><td>10</td><td>Practical Move</td><td>160</td><td>Tim Yakteen</td><td>Ramon Vasquez</td><td>10-1</td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><td>15</td><td>Forte</td><td>190</td><td>Todd A. Pletcher</td><td>Irad Ortiz Jr.</td><td>3-1</td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><td>19</td><td>Lord Miles</td><td>104</td><td>Saffie Joseph Jr.</td><td>Paco Lopez</td><td>30-1</td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><td>20</td><td>Continuar (JPN)</td><td>30</td><td>Yoshito Yahagi</td><td>Ryusei Sakai</td><td>50-1</td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr></tbody></table>
Track condition: fast
Times: 1⁄4 mile – 22.35; 1⁄2 mile – 45.73; 3⁄4 mile – 1:10.11; mile – 1:36.06; final – 2:01.57. Splits for each quarter-mile: (22.35) (23:38) (24:38) (25:95) (25:51)
Payouts
The table below provides the Kentucky Derby payout schedule for a $2 stake.
<table><thead><tr><th>Program number</th><th>Horse name</th><th>Win</th><th>Place</th><th>Show</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>8</td><td>Mage</td><td>$32.42</td><td>$14.58</td><td>$9.08</td></tr><tr><td>3</td><td>Two Phil's</td><td>—</td><td>$10.44</td><td>$6.52</td></tr><tr><td>14</td><td>Angel of Empire</td><td>—</td><td>—</td><td>$4.70</td></tr></tbody></table>
• $2 exacta (8–3): $330.44 • $0.50 trifecta (8–3–14): $491.18 • $1 superfecta (8–3–14–11): $15,643.65 • $1 Super High Five (8–3–14–11–1): $194,923.09