Kentucky Derby: Danon Bourbon Finishes 5th in the 152nd Run for the Roses

Golden Tempo edged Renegade by a neck's length at the wire to win the 152nd Kentucky Derby on Saturday, May 2.

Jockey Jose Ortiz held off his older brother, Irad Ortiz Jr, for a thrilling triumph in the opening leg of the American Triple Crown at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky.

Danon Bourbon and Wonder Dean, Japan's two entrants in the Run for the Roses, placed fifth and eighth, respectively.

Atsuya Nishimura rode Danon Bourbon, trainer Manabu Ikezoe's participant, in his Kentucky Derby debut. The 3-year-old thoroughbred had won all three of his career starts (all in Japan) before Saturday's 18-horse race.

Danon Bourbon finished 3¼ lengths behind the winner, who was a 23-1 longshot.

Wonder Dean, piloted by Ryusei Sakai, placed 7½ lengths behind Golden Tempo, who mounted a comeback for the ages, passing 17 thoroughbreds around the final turn en route to victory. Golden Tempo reached the wire in 2 minutes, 2.27 seconds. (Watch the race on YouTube.)

In 2024, Sakai steered Forever Young to a third-place finish in the Kentucky Derby, the best-ever result for a Japanese thoroughbred in the prestigious competition.

'We Got Squeezed at the Start'

For race favorite Renegade, trainer Todd Pletcher drew the No 1 starting gate, aka the inside rail post position. That put the colt in an unenviable position for the 1¼-mile race (2,012 meters).

After all, the last horse to win the Derby from the No 1 post was Ferdinand in 1986.

"We got squeezed at the start," Irad Ortiz said, "[and] we came flying late, but the winner just got the jump on me. He ran very well."

Ocelli, a 70-1 longshot, placed third with Tyler Gaffalione, one length behind Golden Tempo.

Reactions to Danon Bourbon's Performance

After the race, trainer Ikezoe shared his thoughts on Danon Bourbon's strong effort at Churchill Downs.

"He kept our hopes alive until the middle of the home stretch," Ikezoe said of Danon Bourbon, who was a 14-1 longshot, according to Daily Sports. "His preparation went smoothly, and he was full of spirit in the paddock. I couldn't help but shout during the final stretch."

The trainer added, "He's still a 3-year-old, and I think he more than held his own in the US. He still has room to grow, so I hope he continues to do his best."

Nishimura expressed mixed emotions after the Triple Crown opener, when fatigue set in for Danon Bourbon in the final stretch.

"We managed to get a position behind the pacesetter and ran at a good rhythm," Nishimura said, according to Daily Sports. "But the result is the only thing that's frustrating."

The fifth-place finisher added, "I thought we could hold on. … It was his first trip overseas. But thanks to the efforts of everyone involved, he was in great condition, and I wanted to repay that effort with a result, but I'm sorry."

How the Race Progressed

After the opening one-quarter mile, Danon Bourbon was in third place, followed by Wonder Dean in fourth.

When the runners passed the half-mile phase of the race, Danon Borbon and Wonder Dean, both running at a swift pace, were in third and fourth.

At this point, Renegade was 15th lengths behind the leader, Six Speed, who clocked 46.44 seconds for the first half mile.

Completing three-fourths of a mile, Six Speed and So Happy were 1-2, followed by Danon Bourbon.

Seconds later, Danon Bourbon moved into the lead, followed by Six Speed, Emerging Market and So Happy.

As the thoroughbreds passed the eighth furlong pole, Danon Bourbon maintained his lead by a few lengths.

But Ocelli, Renegade and Golden Tempo emerged as the faster runners down the stretch, setting the stage for a tight finish.

Finding a lane with ample running room near the middle of the track greatly aided Golden Tempo's worst-to-first comeback.

And Golden Tempo's sensational burst of speed secured the improbable victory.

Reactions to Wonder Dean's Performance

"There was quite a bit of contact in the first and second turns, and he couldn't quite build up his momentum, but I don't think his performance was bad," Sakai said, according to Sankei Sports. "He didn't feel particularly strong, but he ran his heart out until the very end."

What was trainer Daisuke Takayanagi's assessment of 26-1 longshot Wonder Dean's performance?

"It's a very disappointing result, and I'm disappointed," Takayanagi was quoted as saying by the sports newspaper. "He was bumped quite a bit in the turns, which was unfortunate, but I think he ran his hardest until the very end."

An Unforgettable Experience for Jose Ortiz

With more than 3,100 victories in his career, Jose Ortiz has now won each of the Triple Crown races. The Puerto Rican native triumphed in the 2017 Belmont Stakes and the 2022 Preakness Stakes.

"We always knew this horse had a lot of ability," the winning jockey said after the Kentucky Derby. "You could see early in his career we tried things because he's a lazy horse.

"I always knew Golden Tempo would be my Derby mount. This is an incredible experience. I just won the Kentucky Derby!"

Historic Achievement at the Kentucky Derby

On Saturday, Cherie DeVaux became the first female trainer to win the Kentucky Derby.

Shelley Riley, who saddled up Casual Lies, was the runner-up in 1992. Riley had the previous best result in 18 starts by female trainers in the Run for the Roses.

"Being a woman or my gender has never really crossed my mind in this journey of mine," DeVaux told a news conference. "I have to say, the racetrack is a tough place. It's a tough place if you are a man, it's a tough place if you're a woman."

The winning trainer continued: "The thing that really has become apparent to me is that not everyone has the same constitution as I have mentally. It really is an honor to be able to be that person for other women or other little girls to look up to."

With Arcangelo's victory at the 2023 Belmont Stakes, Jena Antonucci became the first female trainer to win an American Triple Crown race.

*T O Elvis wins the Churchill Downs Stakes on May 2. (©SANKEI by Katsumi Saito)*

T O Elvis Triumphs in Churchill Downs Stakes

In one of Saturday's earlier races on Derby Day, Sakai piloted T O Elvis to victory in the G1 Churchill Downs Stakes, a seven-furlong race (1,408 meters).

T O Elvis clocked 1:20.49, a record for the race since it was increased from six furlongs to seven in 1956. He became the first Japanese thoroughbred to triumph at Churchill Downs.

Volatile progeny T O Elvis, competing in his first race as a 4-year-old, extended his winning streak to five. And T O Elvis now has six victories in nine career starts.

T O Elvis won the 91st running of the Churchill Downs Stakes by 3¼ lengths. His closing speed was the decisive factor.

"This is one of the happiest moments in my life," Tomoya Ozasa, T O Elvis' owner, was quoted as saying through an interpreter, according to The Courier Journal, a Louisville newspaper.

*Ryusei Sakai celebrates after winning the Churchill Downs Stakes aboard T O Elvis. (©Matt Stone/IMAGN/via REUTERS)*

Sakai was also thrilled with the outcome of the race.

"It's so special to get a win like this at Churchill Downs," Sakai said.

The jockey added, "It's been such a great experience."

Trainer Takayanagi commented, "This is the first winner for Japan here. It was a very challenging race but we were able to get it done. We had a plan for this race even though we did not get to run in Dubai."

According to published reports, Takayanagi is considering taking T O Elvis to Ascot Racecourse in England for his next race. Also in 2026, T O Elvis may return to the spotlight in the Breeders' Cup Sprint in Keeneland, Kentucky, in the autumn.

Author: Ed Odeven

Follow Ed's [Japan Sports Notebook] on Sundays, [Odds and Evens] during the week, and he can be found on X (formerly Twitter) ＠ed_odeven.