Magnum Moon romping to glory, photo by Coady Photography (Oaklawn Park)
In 1882, a colt by the name of Apollo dashed to victory beneath the Twin Spires, etching his name into history as a Kentucky Derby winner. Any horse who rises to glory on the first Saturday in May will walk away knowing that their name will be remembered among the elite, but for Apollo, his name would be remembered for reasons beyond winning the roses. Over the years, his name would be remembered with sublime achievement and utter rarity, and also become eternally synonymous with a curse.
At the time, no one could have guessed that Apollo's triumph in the Kentucky Derby would become a feat so unique that no horse would duplicate it. The lightly raced colt won the roses without having ever raced at the age of two. It didn't seem like such a big deal at the time, but as the years went on the usual trend continued. The winners of the Kentucky Derby had always raced at the age of two. With each passing Kentucky Derby, Apollo's case began to become more and more divergent. For whatever reason, no one could pull off a Derby win without a previous season of racing. Many horses have tried tried to follow in Apollo's hoof prints over the past 136 years, but all have failed. With so many running's of the Kentucky Derby, you would think that this feat wouldn't be so impossible, but for whatever reason victory for a horse who was unraced at two is always out of grasp.
More than a century later, Apollo still stands as the lone Kentucky Derby winner that never raced at the age of two. As history has shown, the odds of this feat being duplicated have become very daunting, leading some to wonder if it will ever be pulled off again. It is not uncommon for people to write a Derby prospect off entirely, simply because of the fact that it didn't race as a two-year-old. Many horseman shake their heads at the thought, knowing full well that "curse of Apollo" will likely continue to claim its victims. However, history was meant to change and in this unpredictable sport, anything can and will happen. While Apollo may have done an impeccable job of haunting Churchill Downs over the years, his competition may not be so easy this time around. This year, the Derby trail has not one but two potential prospects that both have a very real shot to outrun history and put an end to Apollo's curse.
Justify, Benoit Photo
On February 18, 2018, a flaming red colt with a blaze of white soared over the wire at Santa Anita Park by nearly ten effortless lengths. The colt's name was Justify, and his debut came with the sweet taste of victory. The flashy son of Scat Daddy had missed out on the races at the age of two, but it was clear that his lack of experience didn't matter. The colt had undeniable potential. With his flawless stride and competitive nature, Justify had all the makings of a Derby contender. Excitement about the colt quickly began to spread from the track all the way to fans across the nation. There were fleeting signs of brilliance in the copper colt's stride that left fans waiting with anticipation to see where he would go next.
Justify made his next start on March 11, in a one mile allowance race at Santa Anita. The track was muddy, but Justify was not dismayed. The vivacious colt broke slowly from the gate but quickly regrouped and put himself in the game. He stalked just behind the pace, confidently toying with his foes as he went. He knew full well that he possessed enough speed and strength to shoot to the front whenever he chose to.
The time was right and Justify kicked for home. With a swift and easy pump of his legs, Justify gracefully swooped to the front. His rivals stood no chance as his acceleration continued. Justify extended his powerful stride and blasted into the stretch all alone. Stride by stride he began to distance himself from the rest of the horses, until he found himself clear by 6 1/2 lengths. The ease of his victory was uncanny, as it was clear that the young colt wasn't even trying. With a solid final time of 1:35.73 for the mile, it is almost scary to think of what kind of damage this colt could have done, had his jockey asked for more.
With only two victories to his name, it is too soon to declare Justify as the best three-year-old around. After all, he still has a lot of catching up to do, as he currently has no Kentucky Derby points to his name. If Justify really is as good as he appears, he should have no problem paving his way to Churchill Downs. It is asking a lot of any horse to dive into the Kentucky Derby trail this late in the season and expect him to win, but if any lightly raced colt can pull this off, Justify looks like the horse to do it. Having already drawn comparisons to past champions, such as 1989 Belmont Stakes winner, Easy Goer, it is safe to say that Justify's raw ability has succeeded in captivating the likes of fans and experts alike.
Another highly talented colt looking to take on the imposing challenge of Apollo's curse is the striking, bay son of Malibu Moon, Magnum Moon. This strapping, young colt didn't begin his career until January of 2018, but in the past few months has managed to not only establish an unblemished record, but has also secured 50 Kentucky Derby points, as well.
Magnum Moon, Coady Photography (Oaklawn Park)
After dominating scores in a maiden race at Gulfstream Park and allowance race at Tampa Bay Downs, Magnum Moon took his show on the road all the way to Oaklawn Park in Hot Springs, Arkansas. With his sights set on the Kentucky Derby, Magnum Moon would have to step his game up and take on stakes competition for the first time. He entered the 1 1/16 mile Rebel Stakes (Gr.2), and passed the test with flying colors.
A field of ten talented horses charged down the track in the Rebel Stakes, duking it out in hot pursuit of the coveted Kentucky Derby points that awaited the winner. Magnum Moon tracked behind the pacesetters, but never let them out of his sight. When the field rolled into the stretch, Magnum Moon took command without hesitation, and never looked back. In breathtaking fashion, Magnum Moon propelled himself down the stretch, easily keeping his more experienced challengers at bay. Magnum Moon was never threatened as he waltzed over the wire by 3 1/2 lengths, blowing his foes away and ending the race in a sharp final time of 1:42.68.
By winning the Rebel Stakes, Magnum Moon validated the fact that he is a true Kentucky Derby contender. It was an impressive victory, but it wasn't the first time the Todd Pletcher trainee turned heads. From the very beginning, Magnum Moon has been a model of consistency and versatility, completely driven by the will to win. So far, he has always found a way to sweep to the lead, regardless of what he has to do to get there. In his debut, Magnum Moon flaunted his blazing speed and won the race by rocking it on the front end. However, in his second race, he proved that early position in the race didn't matter, and won by rating from off of the pace. There isn't much that can trip this unflappable colt up, and that makes him very dangerous when it comes to the frenzied commotion of the Kentucky Derby. If he finds himself on the lead, it's no big deal. And if he breaks slow and has to rate, he can do that too. Magnum Moon doesn't care where he's placed in the race because he knows how to find the front when it counts.
Magnum Moon and Justify are formidable contenders with very real chances to take down Apollo's seemingly endless curse. Both colts appear to have the intelligence and competitive mindset to go along with their natural speed and talent, making them extremely dangerous to not only Apollo, but their peers, as well. Time will tell if history will be changed, but if ever there was a year for the curse to end, now looks like the time to see it. Perhaps Justify or Magnum Moon will have what it takes to go against all the odds and outrun the dreaded jinx. Or maybe, the spirit of Apollo will rear its head once more, eluding victory to those who failed to debut as two-year-olds, reminding us all that his triumph in Louisville will forever be one of a kind.
Justify and Mike Smith, Benoit Photo
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