Orb has won the Kentucky Derby on a rainy Saturday in The Bluegrass State.
"This is awesome," jockey Joel Rosario told NBC as he made his way off the muddy track. "This is more like a dream."
Orb and Revolutionary were named co-favorites minutes before the famed race — both with 6-1 odds.
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The 139th running of the Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs had a field of 19 horses breaking from the starting gates at 6:33 p.m. EDT on Saturday.
Roughly two minutes later, Orb emerged as the winner and gave thoroughbred racing its newest contender for a Triple Crown. The Preakness follows in two weeks and the Belmont Stakes is June 8. The last horse to sweep all three races was Affirmed in 1978.
Golden Soul finished in second place at the Derby followed by co-favorite Revolutionary.
“Orb got a perfect set-up as the early fractions were faster than expected and jockey Joel Rosario got a perfect trip, which is always important in the Derby," Michael Dempsey, editor-in-chief of turfnsport.com, tells Newsmax in an exclusive interview following the race.
“He relished the off track and is going to be a heavy favorite in two weeks in the Preakness Stakes at Pimlico,” according to Dempsey, who said that Orb benefitted by Hall-of-Fame trainer Shug McGaughey, with more than 240 stakes' wins — but none bigger or more popular than Saturday’s Derby.
"He is one of the most respected trainers in the industry," Dempsey explained. "The trainer does not send horses to the Derby often, his last was Saarland, who ran 10th in 2002. His best finish was with Easy Goer, who ran second to Sunday Silence in the 1989 Run for the Roses."
NBC televised the 1¼-mile race, which had a purse of $2,199,800. The winner was to receive $1,439,800. Orb paid $12.80 to win, $7.40 to place and $5.40 to show.
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The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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