[energetic music playing]
["Win" by Lionel Fabert & Patrik Kabongo playing]
♪ I wanna win, win, win, win ♪
♪ I wanna… win♪
♪ Yeah, let's go ♪
♪ Yeah, yeah ♪
-♪ I wanna win ♪ -[horse nickers]
[announcer] From Churchill Downs here in Louisville, Kentucky,
for the 150th time, it's Derby Week.
[announcer 2] From parades and galas, to Thurby and beyond,
Derby Week is officially here, and it is jam-packed with festivities
bringing thousands of people right here to Louisville.
Not only is this the most prestigious event in all of sports,
not only is this the top of one of the oldest sporting events,
but it's the 150th.
[music continues]
[Peter Rotondo] The ultimate goal is to win Triple Crown races.
Of course, with the Kentucky Derby the first Saturday in May
being the marquee event followed by the Preakness and the Belmont,
that's the goal for most horsemen,
most trainers, most owners.
[Kenny McPeek] The biggest thing I'm worried about during Kentucky Derby Week
is keeping as much positive energy around us as we can.
You cannot waste any energy
worrying on things you have no control over.
[horse neighs]
[music swells, then fades]
[Danny Gargan] Do you like my bag?
That's where my life is going.
[laughs heartily]
You get to the Derby, and you're carrying a purse.
Been in the horse racing game my entire life.
Been in the Derby before.
I've never won the Kentucky Derby,
but having this opportunity is something that you just dream of.
We're going to the post position draw.
The Kentucky Derby draw's important
because the post position allows you to see
the trip you're gonna get.
Post position is the place in the gate where the horses break out.
-[crowd cheers] -And there'll be 20 spots.
[bell rings]
[ringing echoes]
I'd say anything from the 7 to the 14
with Dornoch would be perfect.
I would prefer to be… I mean, if you had the perfect board,
I'd like to be post 14, 13, somewhere in there.
He's gonna lay up on the lead, so…
They have different running styles, and, uh, we kinda just want him to bounce along
and run freely like he does when he runs his best.
Society Man,
he can be anywhere from the 14 to the 5
would… would be great.
[expectant music playing]
[indistinct chatter]
[John Stewart] Look at this. Look at this. Mike Repole here, ladies and gentlemen.
-We're live streaming. -I know. I'm gonna live… I wanna show you.
[John] No, no, no, no.
[indistinct chatter]
Hold on. I'm not sophisticated like… There we go.
Make sure you get my outfit.
-And then make sure you get your outfit. -Yes.
[woman laughs]
I told you, call me. I'll tell you how to dress up for these things.
[John] Everybody that thought that we were gonna punch each other, you're wrong.
[announcer 3] From heartbreak to hope. That is the difference
in the year of trainer Todd Pletcher and owner Mike Repole,
here with the Derby favorite, Fierceness.
Last year they were here with the Derby favorite, Forte.
Enter this year as Fierceness tries to deliver the winning finish.
The anxiety is mounting. The stress is mounting. The pressure's mounting.
[horse snorts]
The only one calm right now is Fierceness. I'd rather be him than me right now.
[indistinct chatter]
Good evening, everyone, and welcome back to Churchill Downs,
as we get set to draw
the 150th Kentucky Derby.
-Number one. -One. Dornoch.
[official 1] Post position number one goes to Dornoch.
[woman] Brutal.
[Danny] How do you get the one post two Derby times? In three…
It's my second time.
[Nick Luck] You would think,
lowest draw to the inside, highest to the outside,
it would be better to be drawn in post position one
than post position 20.
That's not always the case.
A lot of it depends on the style of running that your horse has.
It doesn't automatically follow
the… the best stall is 1, and the worst is 20.
Number four.
Four is Catching Freedom.
[expectant music playing]
-[official 1] Number eight. -Eight. Just A Touch.
[woman] Whoo!
-[official 1] Number 20. -Twenty. Society Man.
Bookends.
[official 1] Number three.
Three. Mystik Dan.
[music ends]
We drew post position three, and I'm thrilled with post position three
because I wanted to be inside.
In the Arkansas Derby, Mystik Dan drew the outside post position,
and going into the first turn,
there was a horse inside of him that actually bumped him
and pushed him out even further. I think that compromised his chances.
Sometimes post position does make a big difference.
In the Arkansas Derby it hurt us. Maybe in the Kentucky Derby it'll help us.
[official 1] Number 17.
Seventeen. Fierceness.
[Travis] Mike Repole's Fierceness, last year's two-year-old champion,
is often brilliant.
[Mike Repole] One of the things we wanted with Fierceness was,
we wanted him to draw outside.
Usually, when you have what you think is the most talented or best horses,
you don't want them to get in trouble.
You'd rather take the scenic route outside
than be inside and take a shorter route,
but have somebody cut you off or get… get you stuck inside.
-Number 13. -[official 2] Thirteen.
West Saratoga.
[Travis] And that is it. That's the field for the 150th Kentucky Derby.
Best of luck over the next week,
and enjoy this beautiful night under the Twin Spires.
-[reporter] Thoughts? -[Brad Cox] Yeah, posts are fine, uh…
It's very overrated, post position.
I'm interested in how they come out, as opposed to where they come from.
[reporter] Being in 17, isn't that one of the last to load?
-Is that a benefit? -I think it is.
The less time you can spend in there… You don't wanna be the last one to load
because you wanna get time to set up properly,
but you don't wanna be standing in there any longer than you have to.
He's so different than all the horses that we've had, just…
He's so chilled, and so calm, and so collected.
[indistinct chatter]
My colt's doing good. He's proven he can handle the inside trip.
So we're pretty confident about the inside.
I was really more worried about having a 19, 20, a way outside draw for him,
but, um, we didn't get that. Thank goodness.
-Hey, Wayne. Good to see you. -[Wayne Lukas] Everything good with you?
Yeah, I got the bookends, but we'll come running out of that one.
-[Wayne] You'll be all right. -We'll be on the engine.
-[Wayne] Good. I'll chase you. -Good to see you.
All right. Don't chase too hard.
[reporter 2] So, drawing this post position's amazing.
How do you think that's gonna help him on Derby Day?
I think that's going to help him
because he was such a good Derby horse.
We prepared him for each race he ran.
We never look beyond a race.
[reporter 2] This is just a dream come true
to have a horse like West Saratoga run in the Kentucky Derby.
And I'm just wishing you the best of luck.
Yeah, I want blessings. Luck don't last. [laughs]
[reporter 2] Well, thank you so much to Larry.
And we will see you and West Saratoga on Derby Day.
[upbeat music playing]
[music fades]
[Larry Demeritte] Yeah, give her… Yes. Hey.
-How are you? -How are you, Donna?
-[Donna] I'm good. Good to see you. -Good to see you.
Are you gonna do the walkover?
You know that. [laughs]
-I'm walking over with you? -All right.
[Donna] How are you, um, keeping your energy up through this?
Trying to get as much rest as possible, Donna.
It's really hard.
My heart can't pump hard enough
to make the circulation.
-[Donna] But you've lived six years. -Yeah, yeah, yeah.
And I think the cancer, you were supposed to die in five years,
and that was 1996? [chuckles]
Yeah, yeah, yeah. And then they give me…
Because of this disease, you don't live past six months.
And now I'm into six years.
[pensive music playing]
I was born in Nassau, Bahamas.
My dad was a horse trainer.
And all us boys, we all loved the horses.
We watched the Derby every year in the Bahamas.
That's how come I had the desire to come over here.
When I first got, uh, diagnosed in '96,
I got really sick from all the chemo.
They gave me five years then.
I'm now on the chemo every month.
I never leave my house without giving thanks in the morning
for just waking up with the gift of life.
That's very important to me.
It's a lot of bumps in the road in this game, you know what I mean?
But to get to the ultimate goal, the ultimate prize,
is the Kentucky Derby.
So I feel like, you know,
I achieved quite a bit.
So much people come up to me and tell me
how much I inspired them and I encouraged them.
It's stuff like that that make life worth living.
[chuckles]
[Brian Hernandez Jr.] How long does this parade last?
[Jamie Hernandez] Like, an hour.
-[Brian] You guys ready? -Yeah.
[Brian] Yeah?
If I win the Kentucky Derby, you get a pretty good paycheck.
In the past, it was two million dollars. This year, the Derby's worth five million.
The winning horse gets 60%,
and then the winning jockey gets 10% of that 60%.
That would be, uh…
I don't know. We'd have to figure it out.
-[playful music playing] -[Brian muttering numbers]
300,000.
And then you've got to pay your agent,
your valet, taxes, everything else.
But it's a pretty good payday.
[indistinct chatter]
Come on, Dad!
-Come here. -It's a lot colder.
We gotta wait on your mom now.
Are we getting in golf carts or our truck?
[Brian] I don't know what we're doing, Joshlyn.
[Jamie] Stand by it, Brian. I'll take a picture.
Smile.
-Brian's in a Derby parade. -[Brian] Riding in the Pegasus Parade.
[Jamie] Kids get to ride with him, and it should be a good time.
Okay. Climb in.
Going into the Derby, it's such a buildup. We have all these events, and Derby Week.
And… and it's nonstop. Go, go, go.
[marching band playing upbeat tune]
You gotta wave, Anabelle.
[cheering]
These events are always fun. Especially when you have a horse in… in the Derby.
We try to dip our foot into as much as we can
without going overboard,
because he, at the end of the day, still has a job to do.
[Brian] I'm riding in the Derby with Mystik Dan.
We're just hoping that we have the, uh, the right horse on the right day.
[music continues]
[music ends]
-[man] I've got a question for you. -What's that?
How come they come around with the bottles of wine all the time,
but they don't come around with the bottles of Jack Daniel's?
Or Woodford or anything. Or tequila.
I can't figure it out myself.
I think they want me to keep walking up to the bar.
There's too many winos here tonight. That's the problem.
[Brad] Wonder if they can get wine over here.
[woman] See? Now he wants wine.
[Brad] Might as well drink something.
Bill, get you some of this.
[Bill] I'll try it.
Yeah, get… He… he needs a glass.
And a… He needs a glass and a pour.
[bugler plays "Call to Post"]
[music ends]
Welcome along to the 2024 Trainers' Dinner
for the 150th running
of the Kentucky Derby.
To start the evening, I'd like to welcome Kenny McPeek
and the man they call Coach up on the stage.
[audience clapping]
[Kenny] Age before beauty. Go ahead.
[audience laughs]
[Wayne] You realize that Kenny McPeek,
Todd Pletcher,
and myself have won six Kentucky Derbies.
[laughter]
Todd has won two. I won four.
[audience laughing and clapping]
[presenter] So, Kenny, if it wasn't for, uh, Wayne's Thunder Gulch in 1995,
you may have had your Derby win, um, with Tejano Run.
-Was he second? -[laughter]
He reminds me of that regularly.
[clapping]
Kenny, better get a word from you about Mystik Dan.
What gives you the confidence he might be the horse
that's, uh, able to deliver your first Kentucky Derby?
I'm excited about this colt.
This horse has got a lot of talent. Don't leave him out now.
I think we got as big a chance as anybody.
[presenter] And, Wayne, the most experienced trainer,
what is it about this race that keeps you coming back for more?
I always tell the young trainers that you need to get this one.
You go anywhere you go, and if you win it,
you will not be ready for what has happened to you
the next day, and the months and years to follow.
[presenter] Thank you very much to Kenny,
and thank you very much to the living legend,
Mr. D. Wayne Lukas, everybody.
[audience cheering]
[energetic country music playing]
[horse nickers]
-[music fades] -[horse grunts]
-[producer] Frankie coming in today? -[Danny] Yeah.
[producer] What does that mean?
We missed you. That means that all the press will be around.
Frankie livens up everything.
[indistinct chatter]
Can I ask you one quick favor? The Louisville football coach in the back.
-Do you mind? -[Danny] No.
[coach] You only had… You only had five colts?
-Five colts last year. -[coach] Last year.
Two of them made it to the Derby. Getting here's really difficult.
-[Frankie Dettori] Danny. -Hey, Frankie. They're here to see you.
[Frankie and Danny laugh]
[Danny] I'm miked up and everything for this.
-Good to see you. -Really good.
-He's gonna go to the track here and… -Perfect.
train… You can watch him train with us, and…
He's gonna stand at the gate. Gallop a mile and a half, stand at the gate.
I'm gonna have a look at him. That's my boy.
Hello, you.
Are you sleepy? Hey.
When I meet my horse for the first time,
I look at his demeanor, his character.
Is he quiet? Is he bothered?
If you wanna win, you wanna be on the same side.
So if you ask him to slow down, he'll slow down.
If you ask him to go faster, he'll go faster.
And this can only happen if you gel with that horse.
[Danny] Jayson, he played Major League Baseball.
-He's a big lad. -He was a good player.
-Was he? -Yeah, real good player.
He owns part of Dornoch. Jayson.
-Hi, Jayson. How are you? -[Danny] This is…
-Frank. -[Jayson Werth] Pleasure to meet you.
[Frankie] We're in the same team, but we're not. It doesn't matter. [laughs]
[Danny] We're in the same team. They have different running styles.
-[Jayson] Yeah, let's go one-two, right? -[Frankie] Exactly. [chuckles]
[expectant music playing]
[Frankie] To do it again,
especially at my good old age as a 53-year-old,
um, you know, to have another chance of winning it,
but to be in it is already winning.
Uh, there he is, my little boy.
Sorry. I'm going to attend to him. Watch him.
[music builds]
What's the girl rider's name?
-[Danny] Priscilla. -Priscilla.
-[Danny] She's been with me a long time. -I said, "Keep it in one piece."
[laughing]
I said, "If anyone asks me, just keep it in one piece."
-Ah, changed leads perfect. -[Danny] Yeah.
On cue… on cue for the cameras. [laughs]
When you think about it, they're only three-year-old horses, so…
um…
quite young for this kind of, uh, razzmatazz, so…
to see a horse that, uh, it can take it
and is not, uh, flustered or worried about it
is… is a big deal, you know?
You don't want a horse that is sweating and is anxious.
You did just an amazing job.
I think maybe it's the cameras with their on cue.
It changes leads beautifully.
[intriguing music playing]
[Jamie] Well, this looks like fun.
[Brian] This looks like some…
Gives some horses some inside trips
on the fence today with this racetrack.
We shall see.
You never know. Kentucky weather's crazy.
The Kentucky Oaks is, uh…
It's the equivalent of the Kentucky Derby for fillies.
And it's the day before the Kentucky Derby.
I got up this morning, I'm like, "Oh, man, it's Friday."
"We still have two more days of these high-pressure events."
If you get lucky and win the Oaks, I think tonight you just gotta go home
and kinda keep it low-key.
And then after Derby Day tomorrow,
then you can celebrate things.
On these bigger days too, you… you wanna win and be successful,
because you kinda open the eyes to everybody that,
"Hey, these guys are successful at what they do."
[Kenny] She's looking at me like, "Leave me alone."
That's a good sign. Let her rest.
Saving her energy for this afternoon.
[serene music playing]
She should handle the mud fine. She hasn't shown like it's an issue.
It's kind of a double edge. So yesterday was extremely hot.
And she… she is a little bit hot-blooded.
So I was more worried about it being too warm today.
So with the weather knocking down the heat,
it probably worked to our advantage.
[Brian] These trainers and owners, they put a lot of money
into… into getting these horses ready.
We have two minutes out there
to try to give them the best chance they can.
And it's good pressure to have.
So it's… We'll enjoy… we'll enjoy these next two days.
But at the same time, hopefully we can win.
[energetic music playing]
[Jonathon Kinchen] The Kentucky Oaks is the female version of the Kentucky Derby.
Three-year-olds going a mile and an eighth
at Churchill Downs the Friday before the Kentucky Derby.
The crowd at the Oaks traditionally wears pink
because of the official flower of the Oaks, the stargazer lily,
and to support advocacy for women and breast cancer awareness.
[music continues]
It is the dream of any trainer or jockey
to win the Kentucky Derby or the Kentucky Oaks.
But imagine doing both in the same weekend together.
It's something that's only been done together
two times in the history of these two races.
Here's the big thing.
To do both, you've gotta win the first. And it starts tonight with the Oaks.
[music ends]
[horse blows]
[coughs] Where in the hell's my sport coat? Or my jacket?
Oh, there it is.
[intriguing music playing]
[horse nickers]
Spray her hind feet off a little bit too.
[man] Did you get here about four o'clock this morning?
-Yeah. -[man] Yeah.
-I was here real early. -Yeah.
An extra long day. Tomorrow's a long day.
Yeah, yeah.
-Half the battle's just pacing yourself. -Yeah.
You know, you can't drink. You know, you gotta…
-Just kind of chill out. -Yeah.
-Yep. -We'll celebrate Sunday or Monday.
[music continues]
[indistinct chatter]
Brian and I talked in the paddock before the Oaks, and I told him, I said,
"My worst nightmare is if there's a paceless race."
"Nobody goes up front. Then it goes slow, and then she can't run them down."
So I told Brian,
"Let her run to the first turn. Don't get silly, don't get her in traffic."
"I don't want any mud in her face. Just let her run. She'll get it done."
[Annie McPeek] Is Daddy the owner of Thorpedo?
Yes, we own part of her, not all of her.
We're in a partnership with people.
There goes Brian.
[Kenny] It's in Brian's hands, and the horse's hands.
Kinda like a baseball coach. He puts players out on the field.
He can give them direction, but they gotta still play the game.
[horse neighs in distance]
[music turns expectant]
Are you excited, Joshlyn?
-[Joshlyn] I'm nervous. -You're getting nervous?
I'm nervous.
[announcer 5] Maybe we will get a break, and we'll not get rain
and get this one under the wire before the downpour comes.
A final look at the odds. Just FYI, then Thorpedo Anna,
Tarifa, Ways and Means, Leslie's Rose.
Horses have done the post parade, getting back to load into the gate.
-[music continues] -[horse neighs]
[music swells]
[horse snorts]
-[bell rings] -[horse neighs]
They're off in the Kentucky Oaks.
Here on the inside comes Thorpedo Anna,
right alongside of Fiona's Magic.
Come on, Anna.
[loud clopping]
Gin Gin is last of them all
as the field continues up the backstretch
in pursuit of Thorpedo Anna.
-Come on! Come on! -Go, Anna!
[announcer 5] Leslie's Rose is backpedaling on the turn.
Where's My Ring is starting to gain ground,
but meanwhile, Thorpedo Anna is still there.
[shrieking] Come on, Brian! Come on, Brian!
[announcer 5] And they're into the stretch!
And Thorpedo Anna tries to take them all the way!
Oh, she's got plenty left!
And Brian Hernandez and Thorpedo Anna
dominate the 150th Kentucky Oaks.
-[cheering] -Oh, we did it!
-[cheering] -[Jamie] Oh, my God!
You've been riding here for more than 20 years.
For you, the sixth time is a charm.
What does it mean for you to win the Kentucky Oaks?
You know, it's… it's an amazing feeling.
[out of breath] Louisville, all of Churchill Downs, is our home,
so to… to win the Kentucky Oaks in front of the hometown crowd,
it's… it's very special.
[laughing]
I'm so happy.
I'm so happy right now.
[man] Yeah, man. That's what I'm talking about!
Oh, yeah! That's what I'm talking about.
-[indistinct chatter] -Mark, you all share the trophy.
[Jamie] Joshlyn, sit by Danny.
[man 2] Congratulations.
-[indistinct chatter] -[man 3] Yahoo!
-[man 4] Way to go, Brian! Let's go! -[cheering]
[man 5] Hold that baby.
[cheering faintly]
-[cheering echoes] -[pensive music playing]
[music fades]
[reporter] Brian, you've had so much success here at Churchill Downs.
You're a Breeders' Cup Classic winner. This is your first Kentucky Oaks winner.
Tell us what it means to win one of the big ones here at Churchill.
Yeah, this is, uh, something special, you know.
This'll be my, uh, my 20th year here at,
uh, at Churchill Downs watching the Kentucky Oaks.
I came here as an 18-year-old kid right out of high school,
and I'll never forget coming here and being able to just watch the Oaks.
And to actually win one, you know, it's…
With my parents, and my wife and kids in the audience,
it's just… it's a really special moment.
It's, uh, it's something we're really going to enjoy.
And I have to thank Kenny for sticking with me all these years.
He's given us really good opportunities, and we've been successful at it.
[Kenny] You work at it, try to figure out what kind of formula it's going to take
to come up with a horse who can win races like these.
And it's come together today, and…
You can't take any of it for granted,
and you just keep at it.
[reporter 2] Looking ahead to tomorrow,
what's the path to victory to pulling off the double… Oaks-Derby double?
So listen, that horse is doing really good, um…
That's, um… I've said he's an old soul, um…
A very quiet colt.
Uh, nothing fancy about him, but he goes out and does his work.
So I think we could pull this thing off. Um, that'd be pretty awesome.
[reporter] Well, maybe we'll see you back here same time tomorrow.
Count on it.
-[hopeful music playing] -[indistinct chatter]
Tomorrow, hopefully, we can win the Derby and celebrate after that.
We'll have Sunday also. We'll celebrate… We'll celebrate on Sunday.
All right!
[music fades]
[Harry Veruchi] It's here. You know, it's time.
Not much more you can do now, I guess.
You just put the saddle on and
throw him in the gate, and see what happens.
[pensive guitar music playing]
He's calm and cool, this one.
Very… very kind horse.
There's a trick with all horses.
They have an erogenous zone.
From their ears down to the poll.
If you scratch them in the right spot, they'll scratch you back.
-Hey, buddy. How are you? -[horse nickers]
Hey, buddy.
Alright, we're live with Just a Touch… Ooh, he bit me.
He's… he's allowed. He may win us five million dollars today.
[Brad] Both colts are doing very well. They're doing as well as they're gonna do.
Just a Touch, Catching Freedom.
Hopefully, uh, things go well, and, uh, we have a good day.
Wanna say a little prayer, Larry?
[Larry] We thank you, Heavenly Father,
that this team was put together.
We think it's from you, Lord Jesus,
because you had to have a hand in this.
And, Heavenly Father, may we have the best trip ever.
And that all the jocks and all the horses
be safe out there.
And we give you thanks and praise, in Jesus's name, we pray.
-Amen. -[Harry] Amen.
[intriguing music playing]
[Umberto Rispoli sighs] All right.
Today's the day.
[Matt Nakatani] Today's going to be about
whether these horses like the soft grass or not.
See how the track dries. The course is gonna be a little bit wet,
but… see how it's gonna play for the Derby.
-[Umberto] Pfft! -[Matt laughs]
-Hello! -[men laugh]
♪ I just came to say hello ♪
-[Umberto, in Italian] Come on. Get in. -[Antonio, in Italian] Shut the fuck up.
Come on. We're fucking late.
Late?
-[Umberto] It's 8:30. Let's go. -It's the same race.
[Umberto] So what? We don't have the same to lose.
What's the matter?
You rode for three days in a row.
What are you saying? I rode for three days in a row in the gym.
[Umberto, in English] You need to be in a good mood.
[energetic string music playing]
[announcer 6] Welcome to Louisville, Kentucky.
It's a historic day here at Churchill Downs.
For the 150th time, it's the Kentucky Derby.
Fierceness is the favorite at the moment.
Followed by Sierra Leone, the number two choice.
All the way down to a pair of 48-1s.
We'll be telling you the story of all of these horses
between now and when it gets started, as Derby Day is underway.
[music builds]
[announcer 7] Celebrities have been coming to the Kentucky Derby since 1877,
when a famous Shakespearean actress came to Kentucky Derby number three,
and the stars have been coming ever since.
[announcer 6] The Kentucky Derby is a special event.
There's been 150 Kentucky Derbies.
How many Super Bowls have there been?
But it's not the end of the road.
You have to win the Kentucky Derby to have a shot at the Triple Crown.
That's where real history is made.
The gladiator goes into the Colosseum.
That's what it feels like.
-[music fades] -[man whistling a tune]
[indistinct chatter]
Tried to go to bed somewhat early, but we were a little excited.
Got up early, and…
My wife had me out there cleaning stalls at 5:30 this morning
so she can be ready for Derby today.
They go everywhere, them Saints everywhere.
We got to find some Browns fans. I'm trying to create Browns fans.
This is my first experience at… at a Derby.
The reason I'm out here is because my aunt, my aunt Vonda,
uh, told me that I had to be at the 150th Derby.
My family's been in Kentucky for over a century.
They never got a chance to… to come to a Kentucky Derby.
[Umberto] You have to take your wife to Sardinia. Sardinia highland.
Sardinia highland.
There's a restaurant called Sardinia in Miami.
We ain't talking about Miami. We're talking about Italy.
Thank you. And good luck.
-[Jameis] Keep doing your thing. -[Umberto] Thank you.
I'm quite sure he's proud of you too.
Frankie is an international superstar.
-A legend. -[Frankie] Italian.
Yeah. Italiano!
[man] Isiah's the running back for the Chiefs.
-[Frankie] Good. I was there. -[Isaiah Pacheco] You were there?
-I went to the Super Bowl. -[Isaiah] Who'd you have?
I… I was neutral.
[all bust laughing]
It was a good night.
-Thank you for looking after me. -Pleasure. Thank you.
[expectant music playing]
[announcer 7] …a lot more between now and Derby time. The card is great today.
We have a lot of races over the next five hours.
A couple on the turf. Some on the dirt.
And it all leads up to the big race later this afternoon.
There he is. Travis Kelce with Mike Repole
in the paddock.
Fierceness is a good horse. I'll take nothing away from that.
It's Mike's loud mouth I get tired of. I think a lot of people are.
There's definitely some excitement on my end
for the opportunity to go head-to-head with them.
Of course, I just want my horse to finish, like, a nose ahead of his.
I… I think we'll be in the top three, you know.
But, um, if… if we come in ninth,
as long as he comes in tenth, I'll be walking away smiling today.
[audience cheering]
[audience chanting faintly] USA! USA! USA!
[Cab] What the hell's going on, bro?
We're at the Kentucky Derby, dude. What the fuck?
It's my buddy Cab, and Chipper Jones.
Hey, you guys betting Dornoch or what?
[Cab] Saw you on TV, dude. Right here at the bar.
[Jayson] All right. Where you at? You're not here? The 150th? Let's go.
[chuckles]
Chelsey, I might cash these tickets.
Every time I go to the track, most of the time I'm cashing tickets
with five figures.
There's… there's times that I'll lose, of course, like everyone does.
[string music playing]
[Jonathon] At the Kentucky Derby, wagering has been growing every year.
Last year, it was over 200 million dollars.
This is the most bet-on horse race in the world.
[man] Yes!
The great part about this game
is that you can approach it lots of different ways, right?
There's been some days where I will bet a little
to win a lot on a long shot, if I like that long shot.
Or there's days where I'll bet a lot
to win a little on a horse that I feel is extremely likely to win.
Good. Four thousand dollars.
The worst day for me to bet is on Derby Day.
And the reason is, because every horse
that's in every race on Derby Day are really good horses.
Just give me the 100 back. Keep the change.
-Thank you. -Ah, thank you.
[music ends]
[Michael Iavarone] That picture is 16 years ago.
Kentucky Derby Museum on the wall,
after we won the Derby in 2008,
that was her.
I… I made my debut there.
And all I've tried to do for 16 years is get back to the winner's circle.
And all I've done is fail miserably.
It's Kentucky Derby 150.
That means only 150 people ever have won.
-Yeah. And you're one of them. -No, you're one of them.
-Yeah, you're one of them. -True. True.
You are.
David, could I get a picture with you guys?
-[Jules Iavarone] Yeah, of course. -[man] I hate to be the fair guy.
[Michael] You're fine. My button… my button just blew out!
-Oh my God! -[Emily] My gosh! Six pack's coming out.
This is what happens when you eat too much.
[Michael] This is absurd.
We're gluing my jacket on.
[expectant music playing]
[horses neigh softly]
-Good luck, hon. -[Kenny] Thanks, baby.
Alright, let's do it.
[indistinct chatter and cheering]
[crowd cheering]
[music continues]
[man] Larry, good luck, buddy.
I've been waiting six weeks for this with Catching Freedom,
and four weeks with Just a Touch. And we're ready to roll.
[announcer 6] One last look at the odds. It has stayed this way all week.
Fierceness, then Sierra Leone,
and all the way on down to Grand Mo The First,
now the longest shot on the board at 48-1.
[Nick] Here's Fierceness, the favorite. You're now here, Mike.
Time for a final reflection.
Just to be here is unbelievable. It's been a great, great week.
Churchill's done a great job.
I got into this game 20 years ago. I've been a fan for 40.
You are world-class athletes,
and I greatly appreciate and respect
what you do out on the track.
Um, so I just wanted to thank you,
congratulate you.
Cheers to a safe race,
and, uh, bring it home.
[woman] Good luck, guys.
[indistinct chatter]
-[man] Give me a second, though. -[Mike Anderson] Good luck.
-Go get 'em. Good luck. -All right.
[both speaking Spanish]
It's… it's hard to describe it because it's up and down, this game.
Look at me, I won the Kentucky Derby last year.
This year, I don't have any horse to participate in the race.
No matter what you did in the past, it's about present.
[suspenseful music playing]
[Martha Stewart] Welcome to the 150th anniversary race.
Riders up!
Let's go down there
and see if we can get it on one of our TVs I like.
[suspenseful sting resonates]
[horse neighs]
[announcer] 156,000 fans on hand.
The trophy, the garland of roses await.
The horses start to head towards the gate.
It's all about to start.
[music builds]
[announcer 2] Just a couple left to go into the starting gate.
And they're all in line.
[music swells]
[audience cheering in distance]
[soft ticking]
[music intensifies]
[muffled cheering]
[sound clarifies]
[announcer 3] They're off in the Kentucky Derby.
[dramatic string music playing]
-[audience cheering] -Dornoch broke bad.
Dornoch broke bad.
[dramatic sting playing]
[announcer 3] And now John Velazquez gets Fierceness into the mix.
And then comes Mystik Dan down on the inside of West Saratoga.
-[magazine slaps] -Come on, Brian!
[announcer 3] Then comes Society Man on the outside.
Dornoch is next, saving all the ground into that turn.
[music drowns down clopping]
[sound clarifies]
[horse neighing]
I… I don't want him on the rail, José.
Don't put him on the rail.
[announcer 3] Sierra Leone has three horses beat.
They are T O Password, Honor Marie, and Endlessly.
He's fifth or sixth right now.
[announcer 3] Then Stronghold, Mystik Dan to the inside,
and Epic Ride three wide.
The rail's gonna open. The rail's opening.
Go, Mystik Dan!
[announcer 3] Fierceness is moving now, and going right with him is Just Steel.
Catching Freedom's coming.
[announcer 3] Sierra Leone and Forever Young…
Get in the hole.
[Kenny] He hit the hole. He got it! He got it! He got it!
Who is that, Brian Hernandez?
[music swells]
Yes! Yes! Yes!
[announcer 3] And Mystik Dan has now come through on the inside.
It is Mystik Dan!
Sierra Leone is coming!
These three coming down to the wire! Who's it going to be?
[music slows]
[audience cheering]
Oh, it's a photo at the Derby!
A photo finish to decide the 150th Kentucky Derby.
-It's a tight one. -[Sherri shrieks] A tight one.
[string music continues]
[announcer 3] We get a tight look now at the finish
as the three come down towards the end.
The mirror is where we're looking.
[dramatic sting resonates]
-Oh, yeah! -Whoo! We won the fucking Derby!
-Yes! [laughs] -Yes!
[Annie shrieks]
[music turns poignant]
[child] We won! Yes!
[Annie shrieks]
-[child] We won. -Whoo!
-Should we hug? -[laughs heartily]
[Annie] Did we win?
-Did we win? -[Kenny] Yes, we won.
[Kenny laughs]
[kisses]
Brian just did an amazing job, I mean…
[voice breaking] Just a brilliant, brilliant, brilliant jockey and ride.
What a great job Brian did.
-[Kenny groans] -[Annie] That's why he's our best jockey.
[cheering]
Oh my God!
[women shrieking and laughing]
-[man] Oh my God! -[woman] Oh my God!
Great job, man. Great job.
Anabelle, Joshlyn, Ben, love you!
[cheering]
[man 2] Let's go, Brian!
[announcer 4] Mystik Dan winning the Kentucky Derby
by a nose over Sierra Leone,
who was a nose clear of Forever Young.
Catching Freedom not too far back,
and Fierceness finishing well back as well.
Capped off with one of the most exhilarating, tight finishes
in the history of this race.
I was disappointed after I finished sixteenth on Society Man,
but, uh, we were a long shot, so…
Uh…
You know, I'm still disappointed. I wish he could have run a bit better.
[announcer 4] Kenny McPeek and Brian Hernandez Jr., trainer and jockey,
have done the first Oaks double double since 1952.
[Kenny] Winning the Oaks and the Derby in the same weekend,
it's pretty hard to top that.
I'm probably never going to see that… that pinnacle again. I got that.
[voice breaking] And, um, yeah, it still gives me… Pshh!
Wow. Yeah. It was a lot of hard work.
A lot came together. And, uh, yeah, that was the coolest feeling in the world.
[pensive piano music playing]
[Brian] We've been at Churchill Downs for 20 years,
and I always told myself I'd never walk onto the Derby winner's circle
until I can do it as a Derby winner,
so when we walked up those stairs, I just looked over at her.
I was, like, "Just give me a moment. Let's… let's soak this all in."
[Jamie] I was kind of in awe.
I couldn't believe it was happening. [chuckles]
-[music continues] -[audience cheering faintly]
This is happening.
-[whooping] -[Brian laughing]
[all cheering]
[music and cheering fade]
[Mike] The Derby loss was, um…
was tough for me,
because I saw the sadness
in the faces of my family.
There's no one who loves to win more than me, but losing motivates me.
It humbles me. It tells me that I need to do more.
Giving the horse the right time
to get back is going to be the right move.
We're not gonna come back with him in two weeks and run in the Preakness,
so we'll… we'll let the horse tell Todd,
and Todd will tell me when his next start is.
Now, this race is all about getting the trip, really.
Um, the winner got a beautiful trip. Brian Hernandez looked like…
We watched the replay here a couple times. And he gave the horse a fantastic ride.
You know, look, it is what it is.
[Jayson] Our race was over before it started.
I mean, it… they left the gate,
and by the time they ran in front of us, he was 17 lengths back,
buried on the rail, and it was, like, "Well, that's it."
[indistinct chatter]
[reporter] Last time I saw you, I said,
"Maybe we'll see you here tomorrow." And you said, "Count on it."
-And here you are. -[woman laughs]
For three weeks, I've felt like we were gonna win both races.
I can't tell you why, um…
Both horses have been so easy to deal with.
The team has done such a great job every day.
Um, there's been no drama,
and… and, you know, we had two really, really good horses.
And Brian did an amazing job today.
Like… He's the difference in winning and losing today for sure.
[reporter] What will you all do to celebrate this evening?
I have no idea yet. I've never won the Derby before.
[laughter]
[indistinct chatter]
-[man] Do you mind signing? -[Brian] No, of course not.
-[man] Are you sure? -No, dude.
Look, one day they're not going to want our autographs,
so I'm going to take…
I want to live in this moment as long as possible.
I got my Oaks one. I'm gonna grab it.
[Brian] Whew!
-[Jamie] Dude! -[Brian] Dude, we won the Derby!
[Jamie] And the Oaks.
[Brian] And the Oaks.
That was amazing.
[Kenny] Okay, come on. Ready?
One, two. Here we go.
[Annie squeals, giggles]
Will I fall?
[pensive guitar music fades]
[Brian] I think I'm walking on, like, cloud 12.
Unbelievable. Let's party now.
It should be under, uh, Brian Hernandez.
I don't have a Hernandez.
It's the Derby-winning jockey.
[energetic music playing]
-[Tony] Congratulations. -Thank you, Tony.
It's unbelievable. It still hasn't sunken in.
-Thank you. -Well done.
Thank you, sir. Oh! Yeah. Thank you.
[man] One more.
The big win! We love it!
[woman shrieks]
Look here. That's how much a guy won.
Wow. 188,000.
Holy… That guy had a better day than me.
Congratulations.
[woman] Whoo!
It's a whirlwind, that's for sure.
Whilst the Kentucky Derby is, of course, massively important,
it's just the first leg of these Triple Crown races.
150 Kentucky Derby!
[all] Whoo!
[energetic music continues]
[Nick] Two weeks later, just two weeks later,
the Preakness Stakes. What a challenge.
Three weeks after that, the Belmont Stakes up in New York.
That's your Triple Crown.
[Jonathon] The Derby has all the pageantry, and a field of 20 horses.
But at the Preakness, the intensity ramps up even more.
-[clopping loudly] -[music swells, then ends]
[upbeat music playing]
[music swells, then ends]