Word: alydar
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...precision, he then cut the pace, lulling the field into marching to his drumbeat. Affirmed ran the first half-mile in a plater-slow 47 3/5 sec., Cauthen actually managing to rate, or husband, his horse while loping on the lead. Thus, when Jorge Velasquez pushed Calumet Farm's Alydar into his stretch surge, Affirmed was rested and ready to run. Said Cauthen simply: "He came up and set his horse down in the lane and I set mine down. Mine won." Affirmed flashed across the finish in 1 min. 54 2/5sec.?just 2/5 sec. short of the track...
...race he was, it seems, born to ride, booting home Affirmed to a 1½-length victory in the 104th running of the Kentucky Derby. It was a classic race-from the early speed burst of the front runners to the galvanic closing rush of second-place Alydar-and the savvy young rider showed textbook mastery of horse and course...
Harbor View Farm's Affirmed was the class of the two-year-olds last season, dueling his top rival, Calumet Farm's Alydar, in half a dozen rousing battles and winning four. Cauthen was up in four of the matches, and came away the victor three times. Affirmed was a lot of horse to put in the hands of a youth who was then not yet old enough to vote, but Trainer Laz Barrera had no qualms about the boy from Kentucky. Said Barrera: "I'm not worried. As a rider, Cauthen...
Competitive on track, Affirmed was sweet-tempered in the stables-a hot-running Thoroughbred with the manners of a house pet. He was the second betting choice in one of the best Derby fields in recent memory. Favorite Alydar was the kind of muscular late finisher that gives homestretch nightmares to rival trainers. Believe It had speed and was developing staying power. Sensitive Prince was a speed horse undefeated in six starts...
From then on, Affirmed ran as though he knew the race was his. Cauthen was not so sure: "I was waiting for the other horse [Alydar] to come, but he never did, so I started riding my horse. His ears pricked up and he picked up. It went real smooth." After a perfect ride from his jockey and a few flicks of the whip, Affirmed eased home the winner in as relaxed and smart a race as Derby fans have seen in years...