WOODFORD RESERVE

TURF CLASSIC (Grade 1)

DONEGAL Racing and Rockingham Ranch’s Finnegans Wake returned from California in winning form to capture the $500,000 Grade 1 Woodford Reserve Turf Classic on Derby Day at Churchill Downs.

With Victor Espinoza riding for trainer Peter Miller, Finnegans Wake, a six-year-old horse by Powerscourt, came wide from a trailing position, as the field spread out across the turf course and just got up in time to pip a determined Sky Captain on the wire. Jack Milton was a close third and Juddmonte’s Seek Again was fourth.

Sky Captain, who led for most of the race, was disqualifed from second and placed fourth for interference to Seek Again. Jack Milton was placed second, Seek Again third, and Sky Captain fourth.

The mare Stephanie’s Kitten, along with Scrumpdilicious and Coalport - all owned by Kenneth and Sarah Ramsey – were scratched.

“I got there just in time,” said Espinoza, who later on the card won his third Derby on American Pharoah. “Turning for home I thought I would catch him, but then I said, ‘Uh oh, this is going to be tough.’ He wanted to take his time, so I let him do whatever he wants and enjoy himself in the beginning. Then after a half-mile I said, ‘You know what, we better start moving.’ I wanted to save ground at the end, but any little stop would have cost him the race. To swing to the outside was the best thing for him.”

Finnegans Wake, who has now earned more than $1.4 million, rattled off consecutive victories in the Hollywood Turf Cup, San Gabriel Stakes, and San Marcos Stakes (all Grade 2 races on the turf) from late November 2014 through early February this year in California. In his most recent start, he finished second in the Grade II San Luis Rey Stakes on the grass at Santa Anita .