LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Mage with Hall of Fame jockey Javier Castellano on board, won the 149th running of the Kentucky Derby. This was Castellano’s 16 attempt at winning the Derby. Like Castellano, trainer Gustavo Delgado, is from Valenzuela.
“I never give up,” Castellano said. “I always try hard to do the right thing. It took me a little while to get there. I finally got it.”
Mage joined Canonero II as Derby winners with Venezuelan ties. Canonero II won the Derby and Preakness in 1971.
“Turning for home, he had a lot of heart,” Castellano said. “He’s a little horse with a big heart.”
The 15-1 shot won the race by a length over Jareth Loveberry and Two Phil’s.
Before Saturday, Mage had only won one race in three previous races. He ran the 1 1/4 miles in 2:01:57. Mage was the wire-to-wire winner at Gulfstream Park in January and was the runner-up in the Florida Derby. There were concerns about the horse’s ability to break out of the starting gate, and according to Churchill Downs, his inexperience was a cause of concern coming into the Derby.
Mage is a Kentucky-born horse, and the breeder is Grandview Equine.
Two Phil’s was second and 4-1 favorite Angel of Empire was third in front of a crowd of 150,335 on a warm and partly cloudy day at Churchill Downs.
Early favorite, Forte, scratched Saturday morning with a bruised foot. It was one of five horses that dropped out of the Derby.
This is a developing story and will be updated.