Justify wins sloppy Kentucky Derby, Baffert takes 5th title
By BETH HARRIS, Associated Press
May 5, 2018 6:12 PM CDT
Justify wins sloppy Kentucky Derby, Baffert takes 5th title
Mike Smith rides Justify to victory during the 144th running of the Kentucky Derby horse race at Churchill Downs Saturday, May 5, 2018, in Louisville, Ky. (AP Photo/Kiichiro Sato)   (Associated Press)

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — Justify splashed through the slop to win the Kentucky Derby by 2½ lengths on Saturday, becoming the first colt in 136 years to wear the roses after not racing as a 2-year-old.

The colt that began his racing career in February improved to 4-0 and gave Bob Baffert his fifth Derby victory. That snapped a tie and left the 65-year-old trainer trailing only Ben Jones with six.

Mike Smith earned his second Derby victory. The 52-year-old jockey crossed the finish line at Churchill Downs with only a few specks of mud on his white and green silks in the rainiest Derby in the race's 144-year history.

Justify, the 5-2 favorite in the field of 20, ran 1¼ miles in 2:04.20.

Good Magic finished second and Audible was another head back in third.

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