2015 Kentucky Derby
| Kentucky Derby | |
Official logo for the 2015 Kentucky Derby
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| Location | Churchill Downs |
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| Date | May 2, 2015 |
| Winning horse | American Pharoah |
| Jockey | Victor Espinoza |
| Trainer | Bob Baffert |
| Owner | Zayat Stables, LLC |
| Conditions | Fast |
| Surface | Dirt |
| Attendance | 170,513 |
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The 2015 Kentucky Derby (in full, the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands, due to sponsorship) was the 141st running of the Kentucky Derby. The race was run at 6:44 pm Eastern Daylight Time (EDT) on May 2, 2015, at Churchill Downs. It was broadcast in the United States on the NBC television network. Kentucky native Ashley Judd voiced the opening for the telecast of the race, and was the first woman to do so.
The weather was warm, and a record 170,513 people attended. The 2015 race also set a wagering record with parimutuel betting of $137.9 million. Jockey Victor Espinoza rode American Pharoah to victory after taking the lead in the homestretch. The race marked the fourth Kentucky Derby win for horse trainer Bob Baffert and the third win for Espinoza.
The Kentucky Derby is a race for 3-year-old Thoroughbred horses. The 2015 field was determined by a points system that was introduced in 2013.
The post position draw of the entries for the Kentucky Derby was held on Wednesday, April 29, 2015, at the Churchill Downs Racetrack clubhouse.American Pharoah was installed as the 5-2 morning line favorite. The day after the draw, Todd Pletcher scratched Stanford, stating that the horse was "fine" but they were not pleased with the draw and had been "on the fence" about running in the Derby. On May 1, El Kabeir was scratched due to a possible hoof problem; however, the also-eligible Tale of Verve did not get a chance to run since the scratch was made after the cutoff time that allows also-eligible runners to start in the race. Early on race day, International Star was also scratched after having problems with his left-front foot.
Overall, the 2015 field was considered "the deepest and most talented in decades". Trainer Bob Baffert had the top two favorites: American Pharoah and Dortmund. Dortmund, winner of the Santa Anita Derby, was 6–0 entering the race, a feat matched by 1977 winner Seattle Slew and 2004 winner Smarty Jones. American Pharoah was 4–1, having placed fifth in his debut before running off four straight victories, including an eight-length win in the Arkansas Derby. Baffert described the experience as like being "on pins and needles all week long," as reporters and fans expected one of his two horses to win. Other notable horses in the field included the undefeated Florida Derby champion Materiality; Frosted, who beat a loaded Wood Memorial field; Mubtaahij, who had won four of the five races he entered in Dubai; and Sunland Derby winner Firing Line, who had lost to Dortmund twice by very narrow margins.
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