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| May 5, 2003 | Monday | Rabi-ul-Awwal 2, 1424 |
Funny Cide upsets Empire Maker
LOUISVILLE (Kentucky), May 4: Funny Cide, ridden by Jose Santos, held off a late challenge from favourite Empire Maker to win the 129th Kentucky Derby on Saturday and the first jewel of the Triple Crown.
Beaten by Empire Maker and third-place finisher Peace Rules in his last two starts, Funny Cide would not be denied a third time, battling down the stretch to win by a length and three-quarters, becoming the first gelding since Clyde van Dusen in 1929 to take the Run for the Roses.
Purchased by Jackson Knowlton and five high school friends for a modest $22,000, Funny Cide’s owners pocket $800,200 for the upset win while trainer Barclay Tagg and Santos celebrated their first Derby successes.
“It’s a thrill beyond belief. We are the little guys in the game, everyone who dreams of owning a horse can look at what you can accomplish,” said Knowlton.
With Santos giving Funny Cide a near perfect trip, the chestnut gelding stalked the leaders for much of the race, biding his time along the rail then making his move on the turn for home splitting a charging Empire Maker and Peace Rules.
Under Santos’s urging, Funny Cide, who went off at odds of about 12-1 in the 16-strong field, took the lead turning into the straight and battled home in a speedy two minutes, 1.19 seconds.
When the payout flashed on the tote board a loud cheer went out from the crowd of 148,530 — the fifth largest in the Derby’s long history.
It was another big success for jockey Santos who last October won the Breeders’ Cup Classic on big outsider Volponi.
There was bitter disappointment, however, for Hall of Fame trainer Bobby Frankel, who was once again denied the one prize he covets with his double entry of Empire Maker and Peace Rules falling short.
The son of 1990 Derby winner Unbridled, Empire Maker arrived at Churchill Downs as the horse to beat.
The winner of important Derby preps the Florida Derby and the Wood Memorial where he beat Funny Cide by a neck, the dark bay colt owned by Saudi prince Khalid Abdullah went off as the 5-2 favourite despite persistent concern over a bruised right foot that had dominated talk on the backstretch the entire week.
In the end Empire Maker, despite the best efforts of Jerry Bailey, fell victim to the Derby jinx.
Only once since in 1979 has the favourite followed through and delivered the victory, Fusaichi Pegasus collecting the win in 2000.
Funny Cide will now focus attention on second jewel of the Triple Crown, the Preakness in two weeks.—Reuters
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