Monarchos lands Kentucky Derby

Monarchos rules in the Kentucky Derby

Monarchos sped clear of several well-fancied rivals to win the 127th Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs.

Jockey Jorge Chavez steered the horse, trained by John Ward junior, to the second-fastest time in the big race's history.

He won America's most prestigious race for three-year-old thoroughbreds by 4 3/4 lengths from Invisible Ink. Congaree was a nose back in third.

There was disappointment for Sheikh Mohammed and his Godolphin team as Express Tour could only finish eighth, while favourite Point Given was fifth.

  Story of the 127th Kentucky Derby

Fastest first half-mile in history: 44 4/5 secs

Pace set by Songandaprayer, but Monarchos went clear after the turn

Result stands after steward's inquiry

Second highest crowd: 154,210

Highest crowd: 163,628, 100th running, 1974

Favourite Point Given finished fifth

A crowd of more than 150,000 - the second biggest in Kentucky history - attended the race, which is the first leg of the US Triple Crown.

National betting on the race, known as the Run for the Roses, rose nine per cent from last year to an all-time high of more than $71 million.

Total takings over the whole day jumped six per cent to a new high of $107 million.

The win was a reversal of fortune for Monarchos, who had been beaten behind Congaree in the Wood Memorial.

Monarchos passes the finishing post

He covered the 1m 2f dirt track in 1 min 59 4/5 secs. Only the legendary Secretariat's 1:59 2/5 in 1973 was faster.

Meanwhile, there was further disappointment in an agonising week for Sheikh Mohammed's mighty Godolphin team.

They have now suffered big-race reversals on either side of the Atlantic just days after the death of star stallion Dubai Millennium at stud in England.

Favourite Tobougg never threatened when finishing only ninth behind Golan in the 2,000 Guineas.

And Express Tour faded down the stretch to finish eighth behind winner Monarchos.

He's a nice horse and if you take your time with super athletes they repay you.

  Winning trainer John Ward jr

Sheikh Mohammed has made no secret of his desire to add a Kentucky Derby win to scores of big successes by his globe-trotting Godolphin operation.

John Velazquez, who rode the runner-up, lodged an objection claiming the winner had hampered Invisible Ink at the quarter pole but the result stood.

Chief steward Bernard Hettel explained: "We reviewed it two or three times and felt he had not substantially put himself in a position where he impeded."

---

Kentucky Derby result (Position, horse, jockey)

1 Monarchos (Jorge Chavez)
2 Invisible Ink (John Velazquez)
3 Congaree (Victor Espinoza)
4 Thunder Blitz (Edgar Prado)
5 Point Given (Gary Stevens)
6 Jamaican Rum (Eddie Delahoussaye)
7 A.P. Valentine (Corey Nakatani)
8 Express Tour (David Flores)
9 Fifty Stars (Donnie Meche)
10 Startac (Alex Solis)
11 Millennium Wind (Laffit Pincay Jr)
12 Arctic Boy (Calvin Borel)
13 Songandaprayer (Aaron Gryder)
14 Balto Star (Mark Guidry)
15 Dollar Bill (Pat Day)
16 Keats (Larry Melancon)
17 Talk is Money (Jerry Bailey) DNF

Returns (to $2 stake): Monarchos, win $23, place $11.80, show $8.80; Invisible Ink, $46.60 place, $21.20 show; Congaree $7.20 show.