2010 Kentucky Derby Race Results & Recap

by Patricia Woo | May 3 2010

Todd Pletcher finally broke his Kentucky Derby winless streak on Saturday, May 1 - though not with Eskendereya, who had been considered the favorite all year. With two-time Kentucky Derby winner Calvin Borel in the irons, it was Super Saver who won the 136th Kentucky Derby.

As expected, speed demons Conveyance and Sidney's Candy pressed the initial pace with Line of David, Discreetly Mine and Mission Impazible in close pursuit. Lookin at Lucky, sent off as the race favorite under Garrett Gomez, was caught in traffic early, having to break from extreme inside post 1. After breaking from post 4, Borel kept Super Saver out of trouble and in stalking position along the rail, where he has been so successful throughout his career.

After 6 furlongs, Super Saver made his move, slipping between Conveyance and Noble's Promise, who had bumped with Lookin at Lucky early but had recovered enough to take over the lead. Then it was clear sailing to the finish for Super Saver, despite a late, desperate charge by Ice Box who rallied for second. Paddy O'Prado, who finished 16th in the list of graded stakes earners, came in third. Make Music for Me, who only secured a berth in the Kentucky Derby after a round of defections, finished fourth.

Rounding out the order of finish: Noble's Promise, Lookin at Lucky, Dublin, Stately Victor, Mission Impazible, Devil May Care, American Lion, Jackson Bend, Discreetly Mine, Dean's Kitten, Conveyance, Homeboykris, Sidney's Candy, Line of David, Awesome Act and Backtalk.

A son of Maria's Mon, Super Saver captured the 1 ¼ mile Kentucky Derby in 2:04.45 over a sloppy, sealed track. His 2 ½ length victory was off a runner-up finish in the Arkansas Derby on April 10 where he was outfinished to the wire. Not so in the Kentucky Derby, where his first-place finish earned $1.425M for owner WinStar Farms.

"[Super Saver] has just been getting better and better," Pletcher said, who snapped a 0-24 losing streak in the Derby with this victory. "We were kind of playing catch-up earlier in the year, but after the Arkansas Derby, he just really moved forward."

Super Saver now has a chance to become the first horse since Affirmed in 1978 to win the Triple Crown - Pletcher confirmed on Sunday that his charge will be moving on to the next race in the series. Ahead of him lies the Preakness Stakes on May 15, the shortest leg of the three-race series, and the Belmont Stakes on June 5, which is also known as the Test of the Champion for its grueling nature.

Does Super Saver have what it takes to win the Preakness Stakes and the Belmont Stakes?

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