Kentucky Derby 2015: American Pharoah Wins a Close Race

LOUISVILLE, Ky. — It was no secret that Bob Baffert had brought a couple of big horses to America’s biggest race, the Kentucky Derby: Dortmund had never been beaten, and his stablemate, American Pharoah, was being compared to the great Seattle Slew. In fact, some closed their eyes and transported themselves back to 1948, when the legendary trainer Ben Jones brought a couple of iconic colts named Citation and Coaltown to Churchill Downs.

What most wanted to know, however, was which of Baffert’s two colts was better. For weeks, Baffert, the white-haired trainer, had to do something that did not come naturally: He had to dodge the question. He had to keep his own counsel.

It was wise, of course — the owner of Dortmund, Kaleem Shah, and the owner of American Pharoah, Ahmed Zayat, each provided Baffert with an ample number of quality horses. Why alienate one or the other? It was also necessary: Baffert was not sure.

He had kept the colts apart the past five months, with Dortmund dominating in California in three impressive victories against what was considered the stiffest competition in the land. American Pharoah, who was injured late in his 2-year-old campaign, was dispatched to Arkansas in March and April — on the late side — for two tuneups that looked like workouts, as he won the Rebel Stakes by six and a quarter lengths and the Arkansas Derby by eight.

Victor Espinoza and American Pharoah edged Firing Line in the Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs on Saturday. “That other horse was tough,” Espinoza said. “He wasn’t going away.” Credit Andrew Hancock for The New York Times

Sure, American Pharoah, a son of Pioneerof the Nile, had been regarded well enough early in his career that he was voted the 2-year-old champion even though he missed the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile. But over the past few weeks here, as Baffert heard a couple of Hall of Fame trainers, D. Wayne Lukas and Bill Mott, tell him he had a special horse on his hands, he wondered.

Ben Jones. Seattle Slew. Triple Crown.

“I hope they are right,” Baffert said he thought as his stomach pulled tighter in knots.

Besides, there were 16 other horses in this 141st edition of the Derby, and as a group, this bunch was considered the deepest and most talented in decades. The Florida Derby champion Materiality was undefeated. Frosted had looked like a worldbeater in winning the Wood Memorial. Mubtaahij had come from Dubai as the winner of four of the five races he had run on dirt.

Then there was the Sunland Derby victor Firing Line, who had twice looked Dortmund in the eye in the stretch only to come up a head short.

But as the gate opened and Dortmund, followed by Firing Line, passed the grandstand, the record announced crowd of 170,513 knew that it would quickly find out which Baffert colt was better on this day. As they glided into the first turn with Dortmund hugging the rail, Firing Line behind and outside in his jet stream, and American Pharoah loping effortlessly in their shadow, Baffert was at peace.

“It was our Derby to lose,” he said.

Martin Garcia had Dortmund clipping along at a comfortable pace, hitting quarter poles as if time by a metronome, a half-mile in 47.34 seconds, three-quarters in 1 minute 11.29 seconds. It was clear halfway down the backstretch that only three horses mattered in this race. Dortmund, Firing Line and American Pharoah were on a conveyor belt, and the rest of the field was struggling to keep up.

Gary Stevens, aboard Firing Line, chased Dortmund in the far turn. Stevens, 52, had been coming here for 30 years, winning on the first Saturday in May three times. He had a plan. In their previous meeting, in the Robert B. Lewis, Firing Line passed Dortmund in the stretch but was quickly reeled in.

“Dortmund is like Silver Charm and likes a fight,” Stevens said, referring to the colt he rode to victory in the 1997 Derby. “I moved too early.”

He was not going to make the same mistake.

As they turned for home, Dortmund cut the corner first. Firing Line moved to the middle of the track, and Victor Espinoza, aboard American Pharoah, chose the wide route.

The trainer Bob Baffert after his fourth Kentucky Derby victory. Credit William DeShazer for The New York Times

Stevens and Firing Line hooked Dortmund first. They matched strides for 10, 20, 30 yards — and then, as if Stevens hit a booster, Firing Line vaulted by for good.

“He was on it,” Stevens said. “Coming for home, I thought I might get there.”

Espinoza moved American Pharoah closer to Firing Line, shaking up his reins, making up ground by inches rather than yards.

“That other horse was tough,” Espinoza said. “He wasn’t going away.”