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Medina Spirit Wins Kentucky Derby


John Velazquez rides Medina Spirit across the finish line to win the 147th running of the Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs, May 1, 2021, in Louisville, Ky.
John Velazquez rides Medina Spirit across the finish line to win the 147th running of the Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs, May 1, 2021, in Louisville, Ky.

Medina Spirit stormed to victory Saturday in the Kentucky Derby to deliver trainer Bob Baffert a record seventh win in the Run for the Roses.

Jockey John Velazquez and Medina Spirit jumped to an early lead and fended off challenges from Mandaloun, Hot Rod Charlie and Essential Quality down the stretch to cross the line first in front of 51,838 fans in the largest U.S. sporting event since the start of the coronavirus pandemic.

Mandaloun finished second, with Hot Rod Charlie third.

The win was Hall of Fame jockey Velazquez's fourth in the Triple Crown race, which returned to its usual first-Saturday-in-May spot on the sport's calendar after being pushed to September last year because of the pandemic.

The Preakness Stakes, the second jewel of horse racing's Triple Crown, will be run May 15 at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore.

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    Reuters

    Reuters is a news agency founded in 1851 and owned by the Thomson Reuters Corporation based in Toronto, Canada. One of the world's largest wire services, it provides financial news as well as international coverage in over 16 languages to more than 1000 newspapers and 750 broadcasters around the globe.

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