Contrary to other years, the 2015 Kentucky Derby began without an overwhelming favorite. While the talented American Pharoah held strong as the odds-on favorite, many bettors opted to place their wagers on the powerfuland undefeatedDortmund instead.They never saw that money again.American Pharoah was exactly as advertised. He was known to have a graceful stride capable of maintaining a blistering pace while salvaging stamina for a late-race push. After all, that's how he won the Arkansas Derby by a remarkable eight lengths. While Pharoah was tested during the 141st Run for the Roses, those attributes allowed him to emerge victorious.As for Dortmund, he put together a solid effort, spending most of the race out front but losing steam down the final stretch to finish in third place behind Pharoah and Firing Line. It was a disappointing result for a horse that generated plenty of pre-race hype.Here's a look at the complete Kentucky Derby results:For those lucky enough to bet on Pharoah to win it allor put faith in Dortmund and Firing Line to finish in the top threehere's a look at the returns on your brilliant wagers:With that information in mind, let's take a look at how the race played out:Perhaps the most impressive aspect of Pharoah's sparkling run was the extra distance he had to cover. He was able to slide inside to the No. 16 gate after drawing the 18th position due to pre-race scratches, but starting in that gate requires a lightning-quick break and plenty of opening speed.Pharoah's jump out of the gate was impressive, and jockey Victor Espinoza saw an opportunity to steer his horse toward the front of the pack. He smartly decided to settle into third position, remaining three-wide in an effort to avoid traffic.This was a risky move by Espinoza, as Pharoah was then forced to continue covering extra ground throughout the race. The colt remained three-wide until the far turn, when Espinoza asked him to run. Pharoah began to gain speed and quickly burst to the front of the pack, passing Dortmund and edging out Firing Line by a length.That late run by Pharoah was a testament to the horse's endurance. As other contendersincluding Dortmundbegan to weaken down the final stretch, Pharoahseemed to get stronger. His stamina and finishing ability will make him a threat in both the Preakness Stakes and the Belmont Stakes.After all, according to an interview with Gary B. Graves ofThe Gadsden Times, trainer Bob Baffert seems to think his horse is chock-full of confidence: "He's competitive, he wants to win. He knows he's special."Could the 37-year Triple Crown drought finally come to an end'According to Odds Shark, Pharoah has 77-100 odds to win the Preakness, as he's already the heavy favorite. Perhaps even more intriguing are his 21-10 odds to win the Triple Crown. It sure seems like Vegas oddsmakers are considering Pharoah to be a strong contender to achieve that elusive feat.Sure, much can happen in the weeks between the three legs of the Triple Crown, but Pharoah's performance in the Kentucky Derby gives us a reason to hold out hope that we could finally see horse racing's most impressive achievement come to fruition in 2015.
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