LOUISVILLE, K.Y. (LOOTPRESS) – With a shocking turn of events, Medina Spirit has won the 2021 Kentucky Derby. The American Thoroughbred led the pack for the majority of the race and finished with a time of 2:01.02.
This is the seventh Kentucky Derby win for the trainer of Medina Spirit, Bob Baffert, who now holds the record for most Kentucky Derby wins of all time.
Medina Spirit’s victory also secured a fourth Derby win for his jockey, John R. Velazquez.
The duo was put at odds of a 15-1 chance of winning, while the favorite, Essential Quality, who finished in fourth place, was put at a 2-1 odds. Mandaloun came in at second place, followed by Hot Rod Charlie in third.
When asked about how he felt about the win, Baffert was at a loss for words at first, saying it was hard to take in; however, he went on, speaking of how when you win, you’re not sure if you’ll ever get that feeling again. He ended his interview, expressing his pride for his team.
This is Medina Spirit’s second first-place race in 2021- the first being the Robert B. Lewis Stakes held at Santa Anita Park in January of 2021. The racehorse also placed second in three other races this year.
This year’s Derby, which was the 147th time the event has taken place, was held at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky and was attended by 51,838 excited fans.
No other sporting event since the pandemic began in 2020 has had this many attendants.
For more information about the results, click here.