American Pharoah wins 141st Kentucky Derby

Gary Mihoces | USA TODAY Sports

Show Caption Hide Caption American Pharoah wins 141st Kentucky Derby USA TODAY Sports' Reid Cherner breaks down American Pharoah's win at Churchill Downs.

LOUISVILLE — Highly touted favorite American Pharoah, whose Egyptian-born owner had been a recent runner-up three times in the Kentucky Derby, lived up to the hype Saturday and won the 141st running of the Derby.

The winning time for the 1 1/4 mile race was 2:03.02 in front of a record crowd of 170,513.

Now it's on to the May 16 Preakness in Baltimore. We'll see if American Pharoah has a shot to become the first Triple Crown winner since 1978.

American Pharoah, the 5-2 favorite, finished a length ahead of runner-up Firing Line and three lengths ahead of previously unbeaten and third-place Dortmund, second choice of the oddsmakers at 4-1.

It was the fourth Derby win for American Pharoah's trainer, Bob Baffert, and the third Derby win for jockey Victor Espinoza, who won it for the second year in a row.

Espinoza also won the Derby for Baffert aboard War Emblem in 2002.

"He's just an amazing trainer," said Espinoza. "I can say that because I won two Kentucky Derbys for him. … To win again, it never gets old."

But it was the first Derby victory for 52-year-old owner Ahmed Zayat, whose horses had finished second three times in the previous six years.

In 2010, Zayat also had the Derby favorite in Eskendereya, but he was scratched days before the race with a career-ending leg injury.

"I'm speechless," Zayat said in the winner's circle and who added later with triumphant smile at the presss conference, "no more seconds.

Zayat recalled his emotions as the horses headed down the stretch,

"Pharoah is a freak of nature, and for the first time I'm seeing him right now working, working hard. And I knew that if he had the lead, nobody would catch him. He has such brilliance,'' said Zayat.

But his horses had been in the lead before in the Derby before getting beat.

"I started getting really, really nervous and my wife started crying," said Zayat. "And then, like literally in seconds, that emotion went from somebody who's crying out of fear that they're going to take it again from us to actually you've done it and tears of joy."

Zayat came to the USA to study as a teenager and became a citizen while developing beverage and bottling interests in Egypt that helped launch his racing investments.

"We've been very close. … I' honored. This is one special horse. … The horse does the talking. … This is a dream come true. We're just beyond blessed," said Zayat.

Firing Line and Dortmund were in the lead group throughout the 1 ¼-mile race at Churchill Downs.

They were side by side at the top of the stretch with American Pharoah on the outside, Firing Line in the middle and Dortmund on the inside.

American Pharoah has won his previous four races with ease, including a victory by eight lengths in the Arkansas Derby. There were questions about how he'd respond if he was tested.

But he ran by Firing Line down the stretch for the victory.

"He's just an amazing horse," said Espinoza, who won the Derby last year aboard California Chrome.

"Today, finally I let him run. For once we let him run.''

Baffert trained both American Pharoah and Dortmund. Baffert won his first Derby since 2002 (War Emblem).

"To win it, it never gets old," said Baffert. " … This American Pharoah, he's just something. … He makes a trainer really look good."

American Pharoah paid $7.80, $5.80 and $4.20; Firing Line returned $8.40 and $5.20 and Dortmund paid $4.20 for placing..

The order of finish in the race: American Pharoah, Firing Line, Dortmund, Frosted, Danzig moon, Materiality, Keen Ice, Mubtaahij, Itsaknockout, Carpe Diem, Frammento, Bolo, Mr. Z, Ocho, Ocho, Ocho, Far Right, War Story, Tencendur and Upstart.

Now, it's on to Baltimore

"Well, if all goes well, I don't see any reason not to go," said Baffert. "So we're looking forward to it. The next one, we call in the 'fun one.' You know we're coming off a Derby high, going in there to Baltimore, and the Preakness is one of my favorite races.''

And of course there will be time to celebrate.

"We're just going to enjoy," he said. "We have two weeks to really watch the (Derby) reply about a thousand times, enjoy it. I'm sure it's going to be tough (in the Preakness). There will be some good horses in there. … Looking forward to the next race."

The Preakness Stakes on May 16 will be next for the winner who is trying to become the 12th horse to win the Triple Crown. The last horse to sweep the Kentucky Derby, Preakness Stakes and Belmont Stakes was Affirmed in 1978.

Last year California Chrome won the first two races but finished third in the Belmont after getting his foot stepped on coming out the gate.

Horses who won the first two but lost the Belmont: Spectacular Bid (1979); Pleasant Colony (1981); Alysheba (1987); Sunday Silence (1989); Silver Charm (1997); Real Quiet (1998); Charismatic (1999); War Emblem (2002); Funny Cide (2003); Smarty Jones (2004); Big Brown (2008); I'll Have Another (2102) and California Chrome.

Baffert trained Silver Charm, Real Quiet and War Emblem and Espinoza rode War Emblem.

The 11 horses who won the Triple Crown: Sir Barton (1919), Gallant Fox (1930), Omaha (1935), War Admiral (1937), Whirlaway (1941), Count Fleet (1943), Assault (1946), Citation (1948); Secretariat (1973), Seattle Slew (1977) and Affirmed.

Saturday's field was whittled down from 20 after El Kabeir scratched on Friday and then International Star bowed out on Saturday morning.

PHOTOS: Saturday at the Kentucky Derby