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
Ripper GC signs Australian rising star Elvis Smylie ahead of 2026 LIV Golf season
- Breakout Queenslander joins Australia’s team as Ripper GC invests in the future of Australian golf
NEW YORK/AUSTRALIA: Ripper GC of the LIV Golf League announced the signing of Australian rising star Elvis Smylie on Thursday.
The team have secured one of the country’s top young talents as they continue to champion Australian golf globally. Smylie, 23, joins a roster that already blends seasoned champions with a competitive core.
He arrives after a breakout 2024-25 professional run that included a statement win at the Australian PGA Championship at Royal Queensland Golf Club.
He joins Captain Cam Smith, one of the most accomplished Australian players; Marc Leishman, who delivered Ripper GC’s lone individual victory at LIV Golf Miami in 2025; and Lucas Herbert, a multiple international champion known for his consistency and short game.
“Growing up in Australia, you understand what golf means back home — the history, the mateship, and the pride that comes with representing your country,” Smylie said.
“To join Ripper GC, led by my long-term mentor, Cam Smith, at a time when Australian golf is growing the way it is means a lot to me. I’m proud to be part of something that embodies where the game has been, and where it’s going next.”
Smylie is a former recipient of the Cam Smith Scholarship for promising Australian golfers. He is the son of former Australian tennis doubles star Liz Smylie.
He had a defining stretch in late 2024, capturing his first professional victory at the Bowra & O’Dea Nexus Advisement Western Australia Open, and then one month later winning the Australian PGA Championship.
“Signing Elvis is a huge moment, not just for Ripper GC, but for Australian golf,” said Smith.
“He represents the next wave of Australian talent coming through at a time when the sport is absolutely booming back home. Elvis has already shown he can win under pressure, compete against world-class fields, and perform on big stages.”
More than 4 million Australians played golf in the past year, marking the most sustained period of growth in the sport in more than three decades. Junior participation and club membership continue to surge nationwide.
“Cam’s vision has always been to provide a pathway for young Australian golfers to excel on the global stage,” said Ripper GC General Manager Nick Adams.
“Elvis represents the best of all of the young crop of players currently in Australia, and we believe that his playing ability gives us the best chance of success in 2026 as a team.
“We are incredibly excited to have him as part of the group, and we look forward to helping him in his golf journey to become an elite player.”
Australian fans will see the new Ripper GC lineup at the supercharged LIV Golf Adelaide, Australia’s premier golf event. The tournament returns to The Grange Golf Club from Feb. 12 to 15.
A three-time winner of World’s Best Golf Event, LIV Golf Adelaide has drawn more than 260,000 fans and contributed over $217 million to South Australia’s economy since the event’s inception in 2023.
The 2025 event generated a record $81.46 million.
