The 145^th Kentucky Derby presented by Woodford Reserve proved to be both puzzling and shocking when stewards disqualified front-running Maximum Security for interference and declared seemingly impossible longshot Country House as the winner on Saturday at Churchill Downs.

Stewards debated long and hard whether Maximum Security, who finished 1 ¾ lengths ahead of Country House and jockey Flavien Prat, impeded War of Will and others when he and jockey Luis Saez moved out from the rail and affected the outcome of the mile-and-a-quarter classic. It was the first time a winner was disqualified for interference in the run for the roses.

The decision is sure to be discussed for decades to come because Maximum Security clearly appeared to be the best horse in the race after setting torrid fractions  – the opening half-mile went in a sizzling 46 3/5 seconds – and  withstanding them well. Saez said the colt was reacting to the tremendous crowd when he moved away from the rail and that he straightened him as quickly as possible.

Chief steward Barbara Borden, flanked by fellow stewards Butch Becraft and Tyler Picklesimer, met with the media approximately two hours after the end of the race and noted that they responded to objections from Jon Court, rider of Long Range Toddy, and Flavien Prat, astride Country House.

“We had a lengthy review of the race. We interviewed affected riders,” she noted. “We determined that the No. 7 horse (Maximum Security) drifted out and impacted the progress of No. 1 (War of Will), in turn, interfering with the 18 (Long Range Toddy) and 21 (Bodexpress). These horses were all affected, we thought, by the interference.

“Therefore, we unanimously determined to disqualify No. 7 and place him behind the 18, the 18 being the lowest-place horse that he bothered, which is our typical procedure.”

She did not field any questions.

The certainty is that Country House produced the second-largest payoff for a $2 win wager in Derby history, returning a robust $132.40, and gave Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott a Derby triumph that had been maddeningly elusive.

“It was an odd way to do it and we hate to back into these things,” said Mott, 66. “It was a bittersweet moment.”

Mott added, “We’ll just have to prove ourselves in the future.”

Mott, best known for his handwork with older horses and with grass runners, had been winless with eight previous starters. He made his first attempt back in 1984, when Taylor’s Special was not at all special in lagging in 13^th. His best finish occurred last year, when Hofburg took seventh.

Mott could not help but empathize with the connections of Maximum Security, a homebred for long-time owners Gary and Mary West. They were seeking their first Derby score and also had Game Winner, the 2-year-old champion, in the 19-horse field. Game Winner wound up fifth.

“My heart actually aches for them a little bit, but that’s the way it is,” Mott said.

Mott, saying he did everything he could to watch the replay with an unbiased eye, endorsed the decision. “He came out three paths and he bothered two horses,” he said, adding, “I think if it had been an ordinary race on a Wednesday, they would have taken the winner down.”

Jason Servis, who trains Maximum Security, was emotional immediately after the finish. He believed he had joined his sibling, John, in becoming the first set of brothers to train Derby winners. John saddled Pennsylvania-bred Smarty Jones to Derby and Preakness wins in 2004.

Then the objection was lodged and fans in the massive crowd, many of them clutching betting slips that could be worth large amounts or nothing at all, endured a wait of more than 15 minutes as stewards scrutinized the action from every available angle.

Saez awaits the outcome of the objection. (Eclipse Sportswire)

The top finishers after Country House were declared to be Code of Honor, the Mott-trained Tacitus, and two of Bob Baffert’s trainees, Improbable and Game Winner. Baffert was foiled in his attempt to join Ben Jones with a record-tying sixth Derby victory. In another startling development, Master Fencer of Japan, who had shown little before this, ran a credible sixth.

Country House has been quite a project for Mott and his capable staff. The chestnut son of Lookin At Lucky came up empty in two starts as a 2-year-old. He broke his maiden by 3 ½ lengths on Jan. 17 at Gulfstream Park in Florida only to fall short in three Derby prep races. He placed second in the Grade 2 Risen Star at Fair Grounds, fourth in the Grade 2 Louisiana Derby and third in the Grade 1 Arkansas Derby.

“I’ve been telling people all winter if this horse ever wakes up and figures out what he’s doing, a mile and a quarter (of the Derby) is certainly within his reach and not to discount him,” Mott said.

The race had already taking a wrenching turn before it was run. Omaha Beach, the early favorite, was removed from the field due to an entrapped epiglottis. The issue affects breathing and is typically resolved with minor surgery that sidelines a horse for only three weeks or so.

The timing, though, could not have been worse for Hall of Fame trainer Richard Mandella. Omaha Beach was widely regarded as the finest of the seven 3-year-olds he had brought to Churchill Downs since his quest for a Derby triumph began in 1984.

Mandella has enjoyed the vast majority of his success with older horses that he painstakingly and masterfully develops. The Derby, though, has been a missing piece in his otherwise extraordinary resume. He admitted he was “devastated” when he realized Omaha Beach would not make the starting gate.

2019 Kentucky Derby presented by Woodford Reserve
May 4th, 2019

Winning Time: 2:03.93

• Purse: $3,000,000
• Distance: 1 1/4 Miles
• Age: 3 yo
• Surface: Dirt
• Winning Time: 2:03.93

Results

Win

Place

Show

1^st

20 Country House

$132.40

$56.60

$24.60

• Jockey / Flavien Prat
• Trainer / William I. Mott

• Owner / Shields Jr., Mrs. J.V., McFadden Jr., E.J.M. and LNJ Foxwoods
• Breeder / J. V. Shields, Jr.

2^nd

13 Code of Honor

$15.20

$9.80

• Jockey / John R. Velazquez
• Trainer / Claude R. McGaughey III

• Owner / W.S. Farish
• Breeder / W. S. Farish

3^rd

8 Tacitus

$5.60

• Jockey / Jose L. Ortiz
• Trainer / William I. Mott

• Owner / Juddmonte
• Breeder / Juddmonte Farms Inc.

4^th

5 Improbable

• Jockey / Irad Ortiz, Jr.
• Trainer / Bob Baffert

• Owner / WinStar Farm, China Horse Club Int'l and Starlight Racing
• Breeder / St. George Farm LLC & G. Watts Humphrey Jr.

5^th

16 Game Winner

• Jockey / Joel Rosario
• Trainer / Bob Baffert

• Owner / Gary and Mary West
• Breeder / Summer Wind Equine

6^th

15 Master Fencer (JPN)

• Jockey / Julien R. Leparoux
• Trainer / Koichi Tsunoda

• Owner / Katsumi Yoshizawa
• Breeder / Katsumi Yoshizawa

7^th

1 War of Will

• Jockey / Tyler Gaffalione
• Trainer / Mark E. Casse

• Owner / Gary Barber
• Breeder / Flaxman Holdings Limited

8^th

9 Plus Que Parfait

• Jockey / Ricardo Santana, Jr.
• Trainer / Brendan P. Walsh

• Owner / Imperial Racing, LLC
• Breeder / Calloway Stables, LLC

9^th

14 Win Win Win

• Jockey / Julian Pimentel
• Trainer / Michael J. Trombetta

• Owner / Live Oak Plantation
• Breeder / Live Oak Stud

10^th

10 Cutting Humor

• Jockey / Mike E. Smith
• Trainer / Todd A. Pletcher

• Owner / Starlight Racing
• Breeder / Dell Hancock & Bernie Sams

11^th

3 By My Standards

• Jockey / Gabriel Saez
• Trainer / W. Bret Calhoun

• Owner / Allied Racing Stable, LLC
• Breeder / Don Ladd

12^th

6 Vekoma

• Jockey / Javier Castellano
• Trainer / George Weaver

• Owner / R. A. Hill Stable and Gatsas Stables
• Breeder / Alpha Delta Stables, LLC

13^th

21 Bodexpress

• Jockey / Chris Landeros
• Trainer / Gustavo Delgado

• Owner / Top Racing, LLC, Global Thoroughbred and GDS Racing Stable
• Breeder / Martha Jane Mulholland

14^th

2 Tax

• Jockey / Junior Alvarado
• Trainer / Danny Gargan

• Owner / R. A. Hill Stable, Reeves Thoroughbred Racing, Hugh Lynch et al
• Breeder / Claiborne Farm & Adele B. Dilschneider

15^th

17 Roadster

• Jockey / Florent Geroux
• Trainer / Bob Baffert

• Owner / Speedway Stables LLC
• Breeder / Stone Farm

16^th

18 Long Range Toddy

• Jockey / Jon Kenton Court
• Trainer / Steven M. Asmussen

• Owner / Willis Horton Racing LLC
• Breeder / Willis Horton Racing LLC

17^th

7 Maximum Security

• Jockey / Luis Saez
• Trainer / Jason Servis

• Owner / Gary and Mary West
• Breeder / Gary & Mary West Stables, Inc.

18^th

19 Spinoff

• Jockey / Manuel Franco
• Trainer / Todd A. Pletcher

• Owner / Wertheimer and Frere
• Breeder / Wertheimer et Frere

19^th

4 Gray Magician

• Jockey / Drayden Van Dyke
• Trainer / Peter Miller

• Owner / Wachtel Stable, Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners and Barber, Gary
• Breeder / Twin Creeks Farm

Scratches

Omaha Beach

Haikal

Payoff

Pick 3
7-12-20

7-12-20

$639

Pick 3
OAKS/FRSTR/DERBY 13-12-20

OAKS/FRSTR/DERBY 13-12-20

$2,073

Pick 4
3-7-12-20

3-7-12-20

$11,326

Pick 5
2/8-3-7-12-20

2/8-3-7-12-20

$72,318

Pick 6
OAKS/DERBY P6 1-13-3-8-12-20

OAKS/DERBY P6 1-13-3-8-12-20

$67,936

Pick 6 Jackpot
4-2/8-3-7-12-20

4-2/8-3-7-12-20

$271,870

Daily Double
OAKS/DERBY 13-20

OAKS/DERBY 13-20

$1,291

Daily Double
12-20

12-20

$121

Exacta
20-13

20-13

$3,010

Future Wager
SIRE WAGER - 24

SIRE WAGER - 24

$14

Future Wager
SIRE EXACTA 24-17

SIRE EXACTA 24-17

$89

Future Wager
EXACTA POOL 3 - 4-3

EXACTA POOL 3 - 4-3

$1,089

Future Wager
EXACTA POOL 1 - 24-2

EXACTA POOL 1 - 24-2

$109

Future Wager
POOL 4 - 24

POOL 4 - 24

$40

Future Wager
POOL 1 - 24

POOL 1 - 24

$5

Future Wager
EXACTA POOL 4 - 24-5

EXACTA POOL 4 - 24-5

$793

Future Wager
EXACTA POOL 2 - 24-18

EXACTA POOL 2 - 24-18

$551

Future Wager
POOL 3 - 4

POOL 3 - 4

$61

Future Wager
POOL 2 - 24

POOL 2 - 24

$8

Superfecta
20-13-8-5

20-13-8-5

$51,400

Super High Five
20-13-8-5-16

20-13-8-5-16

$544,186

Trifecta
20-13-8

20-13-8

$5,738

Payoff

Pick 3
7-12-20

7-12-20

$639

Pick 3
OAKS/FRSTR/DERBY 13-12-20

OAKS/FRSTR/DERBY 13-12-20

$2,073

Pick 4
3-7-12-20

3-7-12-20

$11,326

Pick 5
2/8-3-7-12-20

2/8-3-7-12-20

$72,318

Pick 6
OAKS/DERBY P6 1-13-3-8-12-20

OAKS/DERBY P6 1-13-3-8-12-20

$67,936

Pick 6 Jackpot
4-2/8-3-7-12-20

4-2/8-3-7-12-20

$271,870

Daily Double
OAKS/DERBY 13-20

OAKS/DERBY 13-20

$1,291

Daily Double
12-20

12-20

$121

Exacta
20-13

20-13

$3,010

Future Wager
SIRE WAGER - 24

SIRE WAGER - 24

$14

Future Wager
SIRE EXACTA 24-17

SIRE EXACTA 24-17

$89

Future Wager
EXACTA POOL 3 - 4-3

EXACTA POOL 3 - 4-3

$1,089

Future Wager
EXACTA POOL 1 - 24-2

EXACTA POOL 1 - 24-2

$109

Future Wager
POOL 4 - 24

POOL 4 - 24

$40

Future Wager
POOL 1 - 24

POOL 1 - 24

$5

Future Wager
EXACTA POOL 4 - 24-5

EXACTA POOL 4 - 24-5

$793

Future Wager
EXACTA POOL 2 - 24-18

EXACTA POOL 2 - 24-18

$551

Future Wager
POOL 3 - 4

POOL 3 - 4

$61

Future Wager
POOL 2 - 24

POOL 2 - 24

$8

Superfecta
20-13-8-5

20-13-8-5

$51,400

Super High Five
20-13-8-5-16

20-13-8-5-16

$544,186

Trifecta
20-13-8

20-13-8

$5,738

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