LOUISVILLE: Mike Smith showed how he got his nickname.
“Big Money Mike” came up with another impressive victory, this time aboard Justify in the Kentucky Derby. He has won in many ways, but Saturday all it took was a big move at the start that gave the horse all the room it needed on a sloppy track to remain unbeaten.
Smith guided Justify to a 2½-length victory over Good Magic in the 144th Run for the Roses at Churchill Downs and earned his second Derby victory. It was his first Derby win since 2005 with longshot Giacomo. The 52-year-old Smith is the second-oldest Derby winner behind Bill Shoemaker, who rode Ferdinand to victory in 1986 at age 54.
Smith has achieved so much on the big stage, but he doesn’t take anything for granted at his age. Especially a chance to ride a top-flight horse like Justify.
“Just keeping riding horses like this and that’ll keep you around a long time,” Smith said. “You don’t have to work a whole lot; they do all the work for you.”
Smith helped Justify improve to 4-0 and become the first horse since Apollo in 1882 to win without racing as a 2-year-old.
And the jockey made it look almost easy racing in pelting rain and on a muddy, crowded track. Smith got Justify near the lead at the start and left the other horses to deal with the muck.
Smith who has 5,456 career wins, was none the worse for wear afterward with nearly spotless green-and-white silks. He is one of the sport’s best-conditioned riders and a keen tactician, a couple of the reasons why trainer Bob Baffert chose Smith to ride Justify after breaking his maiden beneath Drayden Van Dyke. It also is one reason Baffert appeared so calm all week.
The rain and track made Baffert nervous, albeit only briefly, as Justify and Smith ran another impressive race.
“He was just ... he’s all Hall of Fame,” Baffert said. “He came through. That’s a lot of pressure.”
Justify came into the Derby off a three-length win in the Santa Anita Derby and even had a March win in the mud at the California track. Despite concerns about the so-called Apollo Curse continuing, he went off as the favorite from the No. 7 post at Churchill Downs.
Smith made sure the horse quickly delivered on the expectations.
He found a hole right away for Justify out of the gate and kept the horse to the outside alongside Promises Fulfilled through the backstretch. He made his move in the far turn and steadily pulled away for his most significant win.
“What happened today is what I have been daydreaming about all afternoon,” Smith said. “I just knew he was capable of this. My job was just to get him out of there. I did that, and the rest is up to him.”
Thirteen years after his previous Derby win, Smith is grateful with his second.
“I have been blessed to be in this race so many times,” he added. “I’m more relieved right now than anything. I think later on I’ll start getting excited as the days go on.”
Hall of Fame jockey Mike Smith earns second Kentucky Derby aboard Justify
Hall of Fame jockey Mike Smith earns second Kentucky Derby aboard Justify
- Justify wins by 2½-lengths
- Smith wins the race at Churchill Downs for the first time since 2005
Iwobi hails Nigerian ‘unity’ with Super Eagles set for Morocco AFCON semi
- The Nigerians take on AFCON hosts Morocco in Rabat on Wednesday looking to continue the prolific form
- “I feel like the difference is the sense of brotherhood, the family environment that we have created,” Iwobi said
RABAT: Nigeria star Alex Iwobi on Tuesday hailed coach Eric Chelle for creating a team spirit which has taken the Super Eagles to the semifinals of the Africa Cup of Nations only two months after their dreams of World Cup qualification were ended in agonizing fashion.
The Nigerians take on AFCON hosts Morocco in Rabat on Wednesday looking to continue the prolific form which has carried them to the last four.
They reached the final of the last Cup of Nations two years ago in Ivory Coast before losing to the hosts, while Iwobi also played in the side that reached the semifinals in 2019.
But he said a happier environment off the pitch — despite reports of rows with the national football federation over bonuses — was now helping bring out the very best in him and a team in its prime.
“I feel like the difference is the sense of brotherhood, the family environment that we have created for each other,” the 29-year-old Fulham star said at a packed press conference in the Moroccan capital.
“Of course at previous AFCONs we have done really well. The team was so strong but at the same time we were young and we were learning about each other.
“I feel like right now everybody is entering their prime, everyone is doing well for their clubs and you can see the joy and the chemistry we have when playing for our country.
“It is not just on the pitch, also off the pitch there is a big unity, we are a big family. It starts from the coach — he has brought that brotherhood.”
Nigeria limped through their qualifying campaign for the World Cup and saw their dreams of making it to the finals go up in smoke with a play-off defeat on penalties against the Democratic Republic of Congo in Rabat in November.
That was despite a notable upturn in form following the appointment of former Mali boss Chelle 12 months ago.
“We have always given 100 percent,” insisted Iwobi.
“In the World Cup qualifiers we wanted to win as well but it was a difficult moment for us, and we have used that disappointment as motivation to go and achieve something for our country, for ourselves, for our families.”
- Ndidi suspended -
Chelle, meanwhile, admitted that the presence of two recent winners of the African player of the year award in forward Victor Osimhen and Ademola Lookman made his job easier.
Nigeria are the tournament’s top scorers with 14 goals, including four for Osimhen and three for Lookman.
But it remains to be seen how they cope against Morocco without suspended skipper Wilfred Ndidi in midfield — Raphael Onyedika of Club Brugge is a likely replacement.
“We are a group and there are some very good players who are waiting for the chance to show something,” said Chelle.
Morocco, Africa’s top-ranked nation, will be hoping to make the most of home advantage with a crowd of almost 70,000 behind them at the Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium.
However, their coach Walid Regragui is well aware of the quality in the Nigerian ranks.
“We will need to be strong mentally but when you get to the AFCON semifinals you need to raise your concentration levels, run more to stop Nigeria taking a breather or be able to play with the same impact,” warned Regragui.
The man who led the Atlas Lions to the 2022 World Cup semifinals is under enormous pressure to win the tournament at home and knows there are plenty of critics who will be out to get him if he fails.
“In my country it’s like this — you need to accept that when you are the coach of Morocco,” he said.
“Every result you have critics. I stay focused on my team. I fight for my country and the critics every time. What I say to my players is I can’t fight about this. What is important is what they do on the pitch.”
