All the stars were on hand for the 149th version of the Kentucky Derby to witness “The greatest two minutes in sports.” From Kansas City Chiefs superstar QB Patrick Mahomes to star singers and actors, there were plenty of big names on hand at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky.
Despite starting out a bit rough, getting stuck behind a couple of other horses when the gates lowered, the No. 8 horse, Mage, rallied back, picking up steam as the competition raged on. Eventually, the path ahead would clear, with Mage churning his legs just fast enough to pull ahead by about one horse length.
Hall of Famer Javier Castellano has raced a total of 16 times in the Kentucky Derby, showing his passion and persistence, but on his 16th try, the perseverance finally paid off as the winning horse Mage crossed the finish line in 2:01 in a true photo finish.
Prior to the victory, Castellano had the most Derby mounts without a win among active jockeys at 15 races. We can’t even imagine the joy the Venezuelan native is feeling right now. After the win, Castellano said, “I never give up. I always try to do the right thing. I’m blessed.”
Gustavo Delgado was the man behind the scenes, working closely to train Mage, and like Castellano, it is his first Kentucky Derby win. The 2023 Derby was Delgado and Castellano’s third time working together. Yet, today’s race was just Mage’s fourth time competing.
Last year’s Kentucky Derby winner was Lucky Strike after being an extremely longshot, facing 80-1 odds. Mage entered the event facing 16-1 odds, and now everyone who bet on the horse is feeling extremely lucky or smart. Either way, they have plenty of reason to celebrate their big win.
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