Kentucky Derby: Medina Spirit gives trainer Bob Baffert record seventh win

AP photo by Jeff Roberson / Jockey John Velazquez, left, watches as trainer Bob Baffert holds up the winner's trophy after their victory with Medina Spirit in the 147th running of the Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs on Saturday in Louisville. AP photo by Jeff Roberson / Jockey John Velazquez, left, watches as trainer Bob Baffert holds up the winner's trophy after their victory with Medina Spirit in the 147th running of the Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs on Saturday in Louisville.

By BETH HARRIS / The Associated Press May 1, 2021 5 min read

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Veteran jockey John Velazquez was in a familiar place, in the lead atop Medina Spirit and holding off the stretch bid of three challengers in the Kentucky Derby.

This time, though, Bob Baffert couldn’t believe what he was seeing.

Medina Spirit won by a half-length Saturday evening at Churchill Downs, giving Baffert his seventh victory in the “Run for the Roses,” the most of any trainer in the race’s 147-year history.

The 49-year-old jockey and 68-year-old trainer – both of them already in the U.S. Racing Hall of Fame – teamed up eight months ago to win a coronavirus pandemic-delayed Kentucky Derby last September with Authentic, who raced to an early lead and hung on. Though technically an upset, that wasn’t so surprising.

This was.