Lightly Raced Mage Wins Kentucky Derby After Late Charge
By Dick Downey
@DowneyProfile
Posted May 6, 2023
Mage pulled off an upset to win the Kentucky Derby at 15-1 odds, earning veteran jockey Javier Castellano his first visit to the winner's circle in the Run for the Roses.
The winner came from over a dozen lengths off the early pace to catch Two Phil's and Jareth Loveberry midstretch and win by a length. Mage returned $2 bettors $32.42 to win, $14.58 to place and $9.08 to show. The Gustavo Delgado trainee was timed in 2:01.57 for the mile-and-a-quarter Kentucky Derby before an announced crowd of 150,325.
The victory was worth $1,860,000 of a $3 million purse and increased Mage's overall winnings to $2,107,200 with a record of two wins and a second from only four career starts. The son of Good Magic didn't race at age two; had never competed outside of Gulfstream Park before Derby day; and didn't debut until late January when he won a seven-furlong maiden race. Fourth in the Fountain of Youth Stakes (G2), Mage finished a length behind presumptive Kentucky Derby favorite Forte by a length in the Florida Derby (G1), punching his ticket to Kentucky.
Forte, who figured to be the Derby favorite, was scratched the morning of the race by the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission when state veterinarians determined he had a front foot bruise. The bruise likely was sustained when Forte took an off step in training earlier this week. The scratch capped off a wild three days when three other horses (Practical Move, Skinner and Continuar) were scratched by their trainers and another one (Lord Miles) was barred by the KHRC after two horses in the care of his trainer, Saffie Joseph, Jr., died on the track at Churchill Downs.
Owned by OGMA Investments LLC, Ramiro Restrepo, Sterling Racing LLC and CMNWLTH, Mage was purchased for $290,000 at the Fasig-Tipton Mid-Atlantic 2-year-old sale after initially selling for $235,000 at Keeneland in September 2021. He was bred in Kentucky by Grandview Equine and is out of the Big Brown mare Puca.
Running third behind Two Phil's was 4-1 favorite Angel of Empire, who was behind substantial traffic during the first run up the stretch. He and Flavien Prat found running room on the backstretch and mounted a strong rally only to come up a length-and-a-half short of victory. Disarm was fourth, another three lengths back.
The remaining order of finish was Hit Show in fifth, followed by Derma Sotogake, Tapit Trice, Raise Cain, Rocket Can, Confidence Game, Sun Thunder, Mandarin Hero, Reincarnate, Kingsbarns, King Russell, Verifying, Jace's Road and Cyclone Mischief. The last-place horse was ridden by Irad Ortiz, Jr., who picked up the mount after Forte's scratch.
Verifying narrowly led Kingsbarns and Reincarnate for the first three-quarters of a mile, cutting out fast fractions of 22.35 seconds for the first quarter, 45.73 for the half and six furlongs completed in 1:10.11. Mage had only two horses beaten after the first half-mile and was 13 1/4 lengths off the pace, just behind Angel of Empire.
As the field rounded the far turn and approached the top of the stretch, Two Phil's became the first to receive the benefit of the fast early pace. Fifth or fourth in the early going, he led Kingsbarns by 1 1/2 lengths at the quarter-pole after Verifying had hastily retreated to 16th position and Reincarnate to eighth. Kingsbarns soon began dropping back as well while Mage was going in the opposite direction, cutting his deficit from nine lengths after six furlongs to only 2 1/4 as he started turning for home in sixth. Although Angel of Empire was 10th at that point, he was just over a length behind Two Phil's.
At the furlong marker Mage stuck his head in front of Two Phil's with Angel of Empire making a determined run at both of them. From there Mage edged ahead of Two Phil's to secure victory while Two Phil's narrowly held off Angel of Empire.
Previous form held up pretty well among the top three. Mage had most recently finished second in the Florida Derby, and Two Phil's and Angel of Empire came into the race off dominant wins of the Jeff Ruby Steaks (G3) and the Arkansas Derby (G1), respectively.
KENTUCKY DERBY CHART FROM EQUIBASE
The Business Side
Churchill Downs reported that wagering from all sources was the highest all-time on the Kentucky Derby race, the Kentucky Derby Day program, and Kentucky Derby Week races.
Wagering from all sources on the Kentucky Derby Day program set a new record of $288.7 million, beating last year’s record of $273.8 million. All-sources wagering on the Kentucky Derby race was a new record of $188.7 million, beating the previous record of $179.0 million set in 2022. All-sources handle for Derby Week rose to a new record of $412.0 million, beating last year’s record of $391.8 million.
TwinSpires, the official betting partner of the Kentucky Derby, handled a new record of $73.6 million in wagering on Churchill Downs races for the Kentucky Derby Day program, compared to last year’s record of $67.4 million. TwinSpires’ handle on the Kentucky Derby race was a new record of $47.0 million, beating last year’s record of $44.0 million.
“We were thrilled to debut our new First Turn Experience, a one-of-a-kind premium accommodation with exclusive views of the horses and the racetrack from the rail of the first turn, as we commemorated the 50th anniversary of Secretariat’s victory in the Run for the Roses,” said Bill Carstanjen, CEO of CDI. “We expect the Kentucky Derby Week Adjusted EBITDA to reflect a new record with $14 to $16 million of growth over the prior record set last year. We will now accelerate our focus on our year-long celebration in preparation for the 150th Kentucky Derby in May 2024.”
--Edited release
2023 Kentucky Derby Facts, Figures; Jockey and Trainer Quotes
Winning Connections and Other Facts about Mage prior to the Kentucky Derby
Morning line: 15-1
Final odds: 15-1
Derby number: 8
Derby Points: 50
Non-Restricted Stakes Earnings: $205,200
Jockey: Javier Castellano
Trainer: Gustavo Delgado
Owner: OGMA Investments, LLC, Restrepo, Ramiro, Sterling Racing LLC and CMNWLTH
Breeder: Grandview Equine (KY)
Sire (Sire’s Sire, Dam): Good Magic (Curlin, Glinda the Good)
Dam (Dam’s Sire, Dam): Puca (Big Brown, Boat's Ghost)
Dosage Profile (Points) Index: 2-4-8-0-0 (14) 2.50
Foal Date: April 18, 2020
Auction Prices
$235,000 Keeneland September 2021
$290,000 Fasig-Tipton Mid-Atlantic 2022
Arrival at Churchill Downs: April 24, barn 42
The Top Five Finishers
1. Mage
2. Two Phil's
3. Angel of Empire
4. Disarm
5. Hit Show
Time, Track Condition
Winning Time: 2:01.57
Track: Fast
Race Fractions
Verifying led at the first three calls with quick splits of 22.35, 45.73 and 1:10.11. Two Phil's was in charge after a mile in 1:36.06. A nine-furlong time is not in the Equibase chart. The final time was 2:01.57.
Mage's internal fractions were 24.45 seconds, 48.38, 1:11.98 and 1:36.51.He ran the final quarter-mile in 25.06 seconds.
Winning Margins
Mage won by one length over Two Phil's, who was 1/2 length ahead of Angel of Empire Disarm was another three lengths back in fourth.
Purse
$3,000,000. First $1,860,000; second $600,000; third $300,000; fourth $150,000; fifth $90,000
Win-Place-Show Payoffs
Mage $32.42 14.58 9.08
Two Phil's 10.44 6.52
Angel of Empire 4.70
Miscellaneous Other Payoffs
$1 Oaks-Derby Double: $$183.36
$2 Exacta: $330.44
50 cent Pick 3: $40.63
50 cent Pick 4: $1,318.35
50 cent Pick 5: $17,538.09
20 cent Pick 6 (5/7, 5, 9, 3/8, 10, 21): $1,094,232.12
$1 Super High 5 (21, 3, 10, 17, 1): $194,923.09
$1.00 Daily Double (10-21): $58.02
$1 Superfecta $15,643.65
50 cent Trifecta: $491.18
Future Pool 1 (#40) $3.68
Sire Pool (#16 Good Magic) $53.10
Future Pool 2 (#40) $3/92
Future Pool 3 (#40) $6.82
Future Pool 4 (#28) $99.74
Future Pool 5 (#22) $153.84
Future Pool 6 (#22) $99.54
Order of finish, beaten lengths
1 Mage
2 Two Phil's 1 length
3 Angel of Empire 1 1/2
4 Disarm 4 1/2
5 Hit Show 6 1/4
6 Derma Sotogake 8
7 Tapit Trice 9 1/4
8 Raise Cain 10
9 Rocket Can 11
10 Confidence Game 14 1/2
11 Sun Thunder 16 3/4
12 Mandarin Hero 20 1/2
13 Reincarnate 24 1/2
14 Kingsbarns 25 1/4
15 King Russell 25 1/2
16 Verifying 54 3/4
17 Jace's Road 55 14
18 Cyclone Mischief 55 1/4, head
Attendance
2023: Attendance 150,325
2022: Attendance 147,294
2021: Attendance 51,838
2020: Spectators not allowed
2019: Attendance 150,729
2018: Attendance 157,813
2017: Attendance 158,070
2016: Attendance 167,227, second highest
2015: Attendance: 170,513, a record
2014 Attendance: 164,906
2013 Attendance 151,616
2012 Attendance 165,307
2011 Attendance: 164,858
2010 Attendance: 155,804
2009 Attendance: 153,563
2008 Attendance: 157,770
2007 Attendance: 156,635
2006 Attendance: 157,536
TRIVIA
Winner Lengths from Pace
First 1/4 mile: 10 1/2 lengths; second 1/4 mile: 13 1/4 lengths; third 1/4 mile: 9 lengths; fourth 1/4 mile: 2 1/4 lengths
Battle of the Pletcher horses
Kingsbarns was 14th; Tapit Trice was seventh
Battle of the Cox horses
Angel of Empire was third; Hit Show was fifth; Verifying was 16th; Jace's Road was 17th
Best, Worst in Proportion to Odds
Best finish of a low-odds horse: Angel of Empire, third at 4-1 odds.
Worst finish of a low-odds horse: Tapit Trice, seventh at 9-2
Best finish of a high-odds horse: Mage, first at 15-1
Worst finish of a high-odds horse: Cyclone Mischief, 18th at 29-1
Show Bet in the Derby
At 15-1 odds, Mage paid 9.08
At 9-1 odds, Two Phil's paid 6.52
At 4-1 odds, Angel of Empire paid an amazing 4.70
POST-RACE TRAINER QUOTES
Gustavo Delgado Jr., Owner/Assistant Trainer, Mage, First: "It’s an amazing feeling. I have my entire family here. It’s such an amazing feeling. Sometimes you have to follow your intuitions and that’s what I did with this horse. Sometimes it pays out and sometimes it doesn’t. It really did today. When I saw him started to make his move I felt very confident. When Javier started to asking I knew he’d sustain it.
“I felt so confident going into this race, because my dad was the trainer. And he was telling me step by step what he was doing with the horse. It was a masterpiece. I was asking for the wire, asking for the wire. Once he made the lead, it was how we had planned the race to happen. Everything went according to plan. This is the dream I have, a year-and-a-half ago, I wrote a note: ‘We’re going to win the Derby next year.’ Not having the experience, he proved today that it didn’t matter.”
Larry Rivelli, Trainer, Two Phil’s, Second: “Man, he tried so hard and ran his heart out. I’m so proud of this horse and everyone involved. He ran an incredible race.”
Brad Cox, Trainer, Angel of Empire, Third, Hit Show, Fifth, Jace’s Road, 17th, Verifying, 16th: “Angel of Empire ran well. It was a hot pace. Down the backside he had a few beat. I don’t know where the winner was laying. We had a little bit of excitement down the lane. I thought he (Angel of Empire) had a shot. Hit Show had a beautiful trip from the one hole. We were close, but we come here to win it, so I’m a little disappointed. Overall, very happy with the horses’ performances. Off to Preakness with somebody. We have First Mission. This is demanding. I don’t know if I’ll run any of these horses back in two weeks.”
Steve Asmussen, Trainer, Disarm, Fourth: “He faced some of the best 3-year-olds in the country. Obviously, I was hoping for a better finish today. I loved that he continued on, through it all. He was fourth today, and he’s a solid horse. The race could have been smoother for everybody. You put 18 in there, there was a lot of contact and stuff like that. He took a whole lot of dirt on the backside. You could tell it was a little confusing to him for a ways down the backside, but he stayed on well. It looked like when he got a seam there, about the eighth pole, he could do it. Then he still finished up OK.”
Todd Pletcher, Trainer, Tapit Trice, Seventh, Kingsbarns, 14th: “Tapit Trice did what he always does – he broke slow and then he had to check a couple of times heading into the first turn. When it came time he couldn’t get going well enough; farther for him. We’re thinking Belmont. Kingsbarns ran as far as he could and as hard as he could, but the half mile was a little too fast for him and he just couldn’t keep up.”
Ben Colebrook, Trainer, Raise Cain, Eighth: “He was in a pretty good spot early but just didn’t have the late kick he needed.”
Bill Mott, Trainer, Rocket Can, Ninth: “We finished in the middle of the pack. He still put in a good effort today.”
Kenny McPeek, Trainer, Sun Thunder, 11th: “I think we’ll point to the Belmont after this. He was a little up against it today but we’ll come back to fight another day.”
Tim Yakteen, Trainer, Reincarnate, 13th: “It wasn’t our day. The most important thing is the horse came out of it OK.”
Ron Moquett, Trainer, King Russell, 15th: “He made us proud. We didn’t the result we wanted, but I knew we were up against it when I saw how wide he was in both turns. He came back very well. He’s happy. We’ll get them down the road.”
Dale Romans, Trainer, Cyclone Mischief, 18th: “It wasn’t our day today. He broke poorly and that was it.”