On a rainy, muddy Saturday at Churchill Downs, Orb and 28-year-old jockey Joel Rosario raced down the track to clinch a win in the Kentucky Derby. Orb came from behind to carry the Dominican jockey first across the finish line.
Orb finished the 1 ¼ mile race in 2:02.89 and had 5-1 odds going into the race, according to a report from NBC Latino.
Rosario went to jockey school to learn how to ride competitively and became a licensed jockey at age 14. After beginning a successful racing career in Santo Domingo, he moved to California in 2006 to continue training.
Rosario entered the race hot off of a win in the Dubai World Cup riding Animal Kingdom, a previous Kentucky Derby winner, the report said. The win came with a $10 million purse.
The Kentucky Derby win was a first for Rosario and owner Shug McGaughey, Fox News Latino reported.
“I just knew with his speed, he was just keeping going and keeping going and I thought, ‘We’re looking good,’” Rosario said. “To win the Dubai World Cup and the Kentucky Derby in the same year, you can’t believe how good it feels.
This year, Rosario has won a quarter of his starts (128 of 514), has placed second in 83 and has made 80 show finishes.
(Photo by AP via Fox News Latino)
