I’ll Have Another comes on late to win Kentucky Derby

Louisville, KY, United States (AHN Sports) – I’ll Have Another roared down the stretch from the middle of the pack to overtake Bodemeister and win the 138th Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs Saturday.

Bodemeister set a blistering pace but I’ll Have Another stayed close enough and had something left at the end to win the first jewel of the Triple Crown on a warm and humid Kentucky afternoon.

I’ll Have Another is the first winner out of post No. 19 in 138 runnings of the Derby and jockey Mario Gutierrez won the sports most famous race on his first try.

“He’s an amazing horse. I kept telling everybody, from the first time I met him, I knew he was the one. I knew he was good,” Gutierrez said. “I said in an interview, even if they allowed me to pick from the whole rest of the field, I would have stayed with him, 100 percent, no doubt about it.”

I’ll Have Another overtook Bodemeister down the stretch and won by 1 1/2 lengths. I’ll Have Another paid $32.60, $13.80 and $9 after running the 1 1/4 miles in 2:01.83.

Bodemeister, trained by three-time Derby winner Bob Baffert, was second and paid $6.20 and $5.60 as the 4-1 favorite. Dullahan finished in third and paid $7.20.

Gutierrez , a 25-year-old rider from Mexico, started his jockey career in Canada and was a leading rider at Hastings Park. He then moved on to Southern California and won the Santa Anita Derby.

Went the Day Well finished fourth, followed by Creative Cause, Liaison, Union Rags, Rousing Sermon, Hansen, Daddy Nose Best and Optimizer.

Alpha was 12th, followed by El Padrino, Done Talking, Sabercat, Gemologist, Trinniberg, Prospective, Take Charge Indy and Daddy Long Legs was last.

---

---