Medina Spirit wins Kentucky Derby giving trainer Bob Baffert a record 7th victory

Medina Spirit, Mandaloun. — (Image credit: Rob Carr/Getty Images)

Medina Spirit won the 147th Kentucky Derby in Louisville on Sunday, edging out Mandaloun in the final stretch of the first leg of the Triple Crown.

The win was an historic one for Medina Spirit's trainer Bob Baffert, who is now the sport's sole record-holder with seven career Kentucky Derby victories, surpassing Ben Jones who won six between 1938 and 1952. Baffert trained the 2020 winner, Authentic, as well, giving him back-to-back Derby wins for the first time. Meanwhile, jockey John Velazquez, who rode Authentic last year, captured his fourth Derby win.

Medina Spirit had the sixth highest odds in the field at 12/1. The favorite, Essential Quality, finished fourth, behind Medina Spirit, Mandaloun, and Hot Rod Charlie.

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Tim is a staff writer at The Week and has contributed to Bedford and Bowery and The New York Transatlantic. He is a graduate of Occidental College and NYU's journalism school. Tim enjoys writing about baseball, Europe, and extinct megafauna. He lives in New York City.