`QUIET' DERBY VICTORY; TRAINER BAFFERT WINS 2ND STRAIGHT.Byline: Daily News Wire Services There was a lot of noise about Indian Charlie before Saturday's Kentucky Derby Kentucky Derby One of the classic U.S. Thoroughbred horse races. It was established in 1875 and run annually on the first Saturday in May at Churchill Downs track in Louisville, Ky. With the Preakness and the Belmont Stakes, it makes up U.S. racing's coveted Triple Crown. . It was Real Quiet when it was over and Bob Baffert Bob Baffert (born January 13, 1953 in Nogales, Arizona) is an American horse owner and trainer. He graduated from the University of Arizona's Racetrack Management Program with a Bachelor of Science degree. was celebrating again. The colt he called his insurance policy took over for his favored stablemate Noun 1. stablemate - a horse stabled with another or one of several horses owned by the same person stable companion Equus caballus, horse - solid-hoofed herbivorous quadruped domesticated since prehistoric times and gave the Santa Anita-based trainer his second straight victory in the $1,038,800 race. Though the 45-year-old Baffert wasn't shocked by Real Quiet's win, he was surprised about the depths of his feelings. ``I almost started crying when he hit the wire,'' said Baffert, who became only the sixth trainer to win consecutive Derbies. ``I never thought after winning with Silver Charm Silver Charm (born February 22 1994) is an American Champion Thoroughbred race horse. Trained by Bob Baffert and ridden by Gary Stevens, Silver Charm won the 1997 Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes before falling short of the Triple Crown by placing second in the Belmont I would feel that emotional, but it gets better every time you win.'' Real Quiet, who usually makes a big stretch run, took the lead with a quarter-mile remaining at Churchill Downs Churchill Downs, Ky.: see Louisville. , and then held off hard-charging Victory Gallop Victory Gallop (foaled May 30, 1995 in Ontario, Canada) was an American-based Thoroughbred racehorse. Bred by Ivan Dalos' Tall Oaks Farm, Victory Gallop was born later in the 1995 year than is common for most Thoroughbreds. by a half-length. Indian Charlie, unbeaten in his four previous starts, was third, 2-1/4 lengths behind Victory Gallop and a head in front of Halory Hunter, owned by Boston Celtics coach Rick Pitino Rick Pitino (born September 18, 1952) is the head basketball coach at the University of Louisville. He has also served as head coach at Providence College and the University of Kentucky, leading that program to the NCAA championship in 1996. . Favorite Trick Favorite Trick (April 20, 1995 - June 6, 2006) was an American Thoroughbred racehorse who in 1997 became the first 2-year-old in twenty-five years to be voted United States Horse of the Year. , the second betting choice, finished a disappointing eighth after fading in the stretch. It was the second straight loss for the 1997 Horse of the Year and 2-year-old champion who had won his first nine races. Real Quiet's victory extended three long Derby jinxes. Spectacular Bid in 1979 was the last 2-year-old champion and last betting favorite to win the Derby. No Breeders' Cup Juvenile The Breeders' Cup Juvenile is a Thoroughbred horse race for 2-year-old colts and geldings raced on dirt. It is held annually at a different racetrack in the United States or Canada as part of the Breeders' Cup. winner - Favorite Trick won last year - has won the Derby. Before the race, Baffert had predicted, ``Real Quiet is going to run his best race ever and that could be good enough to win this thing.'' Real Quiet had finished second to Indian Charlie in the Santa Anita Derby The Santa Anita Derby is an American Grade 1 thoroughbred horse race for three-year-olds run each April at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, California and carries a purse of $750,000. last month. After Real Quiet swept across the finish to the roar of 143,215 spectators, the third-largest crowd in the 124-year history of the race, jockey Kent Desormeaux Kent J. Desormeaux (born February 27, 1970, in Maurice, Vermilion Parish, Louisiana) is an American thoroughbred horse racing Hall of Fame jockey who holds the U.S. record for most races won in a single year. said, ``This is one high cloud! My hat's off to Kentucky!'' The 28-year-old jockey, winning his first Derby in his seventh try, then lifted his helmet in triumph. ``My first feeling was of shock,'' Desormeaux said in the winner's circle win·ner's circle n. pl. winners' circles An enclosed area at a racetrack where the winning horse and jockey are brought for awards and publicity. Noun 1. . ``When I hit the wire, I wanted to laugh a little while and cry a little while.'' Baffert said the first stakes race he won with a Mike Pegram-owned horse at Santa Anita was called the Run for the Roses Stakes. ``We won that and I said, `Mike, you're a shoo-in,' '' for the Derby, he said. Real Quiet was sixth entering the backstretch back·stretch n. The part of an oval racecourse farthest from the spectators and opposite the homestretch. , then moved off the rail but did not get into serious contention until the final turn. Old Trieste, ridden by Robby Albarado, took the lead from Rock and Roll entering the backstretch with three-quarters of a mile remaining. He then led Rock and Roll, Chilito, Favorite Trick and Indian Charlie down the backside to the half-mile pole. That's when Indian Charlie, ridden by Gary Stevens, moved into second place behind the pacesetter. Real Quiet moved to challenge on the turn, swept by Indian Charlie and took the lead with a quarter-mile to go. He and stablemate Indian Charlie were 1-2 in the stretch before Victory Gallop finished with a furious charge to get second. ``My horse ran a great race,'' Stevens said of Indian Charlie. ``I'd be happier if I won, but I'm happy.'' Victory Gallop, ridden by Alex Solis, was last along the backstretch but passed horses on the outside on the turn and swept down the stretch. Real Quiet, winning for the third time in 13 starts and the first time in four races this year, covered the 1-1/4 miles in 2:02 1/5 and paid $18.80 in earning $738,800 to boost his career bankroll bank·roll n. 1. A roll of paper money. 2. Informal One's ready cash. tr.v. bank·rolled, bank·roll·ing, bank·rolls Informal to $1,319,923. Real Quiet is a son of one-time Southern California stakes runner Quiet American and pedigree experts thought he lacked the stamina to win the Kentucky Derby. He was so narrowly built as a youngster that he was nicknamed The Fish. Baffert thought so little of Real Quiet as a 2-year-old that he ran him twice at obscure Santa Fe Downs. Real Quiet lost both races. But he rose to prominence last winter by winning the Hollywood Futurity at Hollywood Park. Completing Saturday's order of finish after Halory Hunter were Cape Town, Parade Ground, Hanuman Hanuman Monkey god of Hindu mythology, a central figure in the Ramayana. He was a guardian spirit, the offspring of a nymph and the wind god. His great heroic exploit was recovering Rama's wife, Sita, from captivity by the demon Ravana. Highway, Favorite Trick, Nationalore, Old Trieste, Chilito, Robinwould, Artax, Rock and Roll and Basic Trainee. Baffert joked before the race that he couldn't give instructions to his riders since he never rode in the Derby. He did anyway, telling Desormeaux, ``This race is won and lost on the first turn. I told him get behind a fast horse and then to ride his race.'' Desormeaux followed instructions perfectly, putting his colt in perfect position to challenge on the backstretch. ``When I moved outside and I saw Indian Charlie, he (Real Quiet) just took me and I was `Oh, baby ' And then I was `Oh, maybe,' and then about 80 yards out, it was `Oh . . . !' '' The 46-year-old Pegram grew up in Evansville, Ind., and owns 21 McDonald's franchises in Washington. Before the race he said he was going to get his $30,000 worth - what it cost to enter and start a horse in the Derby. He got it. ``There's a lot of beer to drink tonight,'' Pegram said. CAPTION(S): 3 Photos, Box, Chart Photo: (1--Color) Jockey Kent Desormeaux celebrates as he crosses the finish line first aboard Real Quiet in the 124th Kentucky Derby. Real Quiet's previously undefeated stablemate finished third. Steve Deslich/Knight Ridder (2) Real Quiet's trainer, Bob Baffert, strikes a quarterback's pose with the Kentucky Derby trophy after his Real Quiet won the race. Ed Reinke/Associated Press (3) Real Quiet, left, and favorite Indian Charlie head down the Churchill Downs main stretch Michael Clevenger/Associated Press Box: LOCAL HEROES Chart: 124th KENTUCKY DERBY CHART |
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