Winner's Circle

'Animal Kingdom' Wins Kentucky Derby

Never raced on dirt before.

Raise your Mint Julep in a toast to the unexpected winner! Though he had never run a race on dirt before, Animal Kingdom finished the Kentucky Derby in first place, with Nehro close behind in second and Mucho Macho Man and Shackleford taking third and fourth place. Joe Drape from Louisville, Kentucky put his money down on Animal Kingdom and came out with the big win. Chef Bobby Flay placed his bet on Soldat, the underdog who started the day at 12-1. As the jockeys mounted their horses, Dialed In had the most bets at 5-1, but he finished at the very back of the pack. Before announcing his win, the New York Times called Animal Kingdom a "synthetics specialist," referring to his success in other non-dirt races.