The 2015 Triple Crown season kicked off in style on Saturday at the 141st Kentucky Derby.Pre-race favorite American Pharoah won with a blistering time of two minutes, 3.02 seconds, with jockey Victor Espinoza in the irons, per KentuckyDerby.com's Darren Rogers. American Pharoah finished just one length ahead of runner-up Firing Line and his three-time Derby champion jockey Gary Stevens.Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert had two of his three horses finish in the money in American Pharoah and Dortmund, and the two combined for quite the lucrative payday. Check out the complete race results and the prize money:Dortmund had won all six of his previous starts, which gives an idea of just how stacked this year's Kentucky Derby field was.The showcase at Churchill Downs in Louisville certainly lived up to its moniker of "the most exciting two minutes in sports" this time around.Americas Best Racing explained how the fast pace favored the very best horses:ESPN Stats & Info added context to American Pharoah fulfilling his label as the contender to beat:Saturday marked the fourth Kentucky Derby winner for Baffert but his first since 2002, when War Emblem finished first. That year marked the maiden Run for the Roses triumph for Espinoza, who also rode California Chrome to victory in the race last year.Even starting in the 18th post and so far away from the rail and traffic at Churchill Downs, American Pharoah managed to keep up with an ambitious early pace and saved his best for last.The Courier Journal's Derby News logged what American Pharoah owner Ahmed Zayat had to say after witnessing the highlights:Espinoza has plenty of incentive to chase after the first Triple Crown since Affirmed in 1978, because he rode California Chrome to wins in the Derby and Preakness last year before placing fourth at the Belmont Stakes.American Pharoah is just as talented as California Chrome and managed to emerge from an even tougher 2015 Kentucky Derby group of competitors as the clear, superior specimen. The sheer speed American Pharoah has translates well to the shorter track at the Preakness Stakes at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore.Odds Shark has American Pharoah at 5-2 odds to win the Triple Crown after his sensational run in Louisville. Those were the odds he had to win at Churchill Downs on Saturday, and he was able to reward those who bet on him then.The talent is unquestionable, and the strengths of connections between Baffert and Espinoza certainly points to American Pharoah being a real Triple Crown threat. Until it happens for the first time in decades, though, seeing will be believing for many horse racing fans.
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