LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Two more horses died in the hours before 15-1 shot Mage won the Kentucky Derby by a length on Saturday, making it seven in all and casting a shadow over the 149th edition of the world’s most famous race.
Mage had only one victory in three previous races before holding off Two Phil’s in the stretch while covering 1 1/4 miles in 2:01.57 under Javier Castellano. The Hall of Fame jockey snapped an 0-for-15 skid in the Derby. He and trainer Gustavo Delgado are from Venezuela.
Forte, the early favorite, was scratched in the morning with a bruised foot, one of five horses that dropped out in the days leading to the race.
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.
Mage paid $32.42, $14.58 and $9.08.
Two Phil’s returned $10.44 and $6.52 at 9-1 odds. Angel of Empire paid $4.70 to show.
Meanwhile the Connecticut connection to the Derby, Confidence Game, finished 10th.
Michael Gualtieri of West Hartford was one of 30 people who had a share in the dark bay colt, a horse their trainer, Keith Desormeaux, bought for a bargain basement price of $25,000 at Keeneland. Confidence Game surprised his owners by winning the Rebel Stakes in February, a major prep race that serves as a qualifier for the Derby.
It was the second Derby horse in five years for Gualtieri, who is part of a stable called “Don’t Tell My Wife.” In 2018, My Boy Jack finished fifth in the Kentucky Derby.
