When the race for the roses was all said and done it wasn’t the obvious favorite Bellamy Road, who had previously stomped on competition just about everywhere. Nor was it the feel good story of Afleet Alex, who inspired many with his humble beginnings, and gracious owners. Frankly it wasn’t anybody I had previously picked as my favorite to win it in my last article, but I can assure you, not many can say they did.
It was a virtually unknown horse by the name of Giacomo, who with lowly 50-1 odds, shocked everyone and became the second biggest long shot to win the race in its 131 year history.In the 1994 Kentucky Derby, the favorite was a colt by the name of Holy Bull. This horse however was beat by Go for Gin, trained by Nick Zito. Holly Bull would be retired and become a breeding stallion, 8 years later he would sire a colt named Giacomo.
The 2005 Kentucky Derby would see Nick Zito taking a record 5 horses to the track under his direction, including the favorite. Many would assume this was deinately going to be Zito’s year to once again take home the roses. However, Holy Bull’s son Giacomo would be one of the other 15 horses in this race, and although a major long shot he would not suffer the same fate to a Zito trained horse as his father had 11 years before.
On saturday evening, Giacomo, a 50-1 under dog stunned the feild and came out of nowhere to win the 131st Kentucky Derby with an unreal $102.60 return, making him the second highest paying horse to win the Derby in its 131 year history.
Owned and bred by Jerry Moss, the co-founder of A&M records, Giacomo had yet to win a race this year and had only won 1 in his 7 race career up to that point. All week long Jockey Mike Smith had been ebulliently bragging that his horse had a chance to win this race, not many took him seriously.
Down the final stretch of the race it appeared as though Afleet Alex, the feel good story of the race was going to pull off the big win. However Giacomo was able to blow past him just in time to win by half a length in front of 156,435 people, the second largest crowd in derby history. Closing Argument, another long shot, finished second with Afleet Alex third in the richest derby of all time with an astonishing 2.4 million dollar purse. Giacomo’s wnning time was 2:02.75.
This was trainer John Sherriffs first ever horse in the derby, making him the third straight trainer to win it on his first try. What did he have to say about this great accomplishment? “It’s awesome” said Sherriff.
One reply on “Giaco-who?”
You need to make some editorial changes The punctuation is off in numerous places. I’m punching myself in the face for not boxing my exacta (16/8,9,10,11,18), but in all honesty I did not think Giacomo would win. I had $50wps on 18 Closing Argument, clearly underbet at 72-1. I had him 20-1 so when I saw 66-1 I pounced.