Medina Spirit Wins the 147th Kentucky Derby

Bob Baffert, the trainer, collected his seventh Derby victory while the favorite, Essential Quality, faltered and finished fourth.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. — On another first Saturday in May, the beauty of America’s oldest sport battled neck and neck down the stretch with its unseemliness as a colt named Medina Spirit elegantly held off a determined challenge from Mandaloun. They moved in tandem like four-legged ballet dancers — effortlessly, beautifully. No one here who loved thoroughbred racing could catch their breath after Medina Spirit crossed the finish line half a length ahead of the second-place horse and comfortably ahead of Hot Rod Charlie and pre-race favorite Essential Quality. With the colt’s victory, the Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert won his seventh Kentucky Derby, surpassing Ben Jones, who collected his blankets of roses in 1938, 1941, 1944, 1948, 1949 and 1952.