Godolphin's Success at Churchill Downs

Godolphin bloodstock director Michael Banahan has been a key figure in these victories. "We targeted this race since the summertime," he said. "We wanted to see if we had a horse that could make it onto the Derby trail, and I think he showed that today." The homebred First Resort has raced at four different tracks with four different riders on two surfaces, demonstrating his versatility.

Last Resort's win in the G2 Kentucky Jockey Club was another impressive feat. "Having a great day, yeah," Banahan added. "Having a super day." Godolphin has had an outstanding five years, ending with Eclipse Awards as the top owner, and 2024 was no exception with 10 Grade 1 victories including a couple Breeders' Cups.

Trainer Eoin Harty's Journey

Eoin Harty, a native of Ireland who turned 62 last week and works mostly in the Midwest, had not won a graded stakes since Fair Maiden scored in the 2020 La Brea Stakes (G1) at Santa Anita. His most recent Derby starter was nearly 15 years ago with Colonel John, who finished sixth in 2008. For this Uncle Mo colt, the original plan was to enter the one-mile Iroquois (G3) in September. However, Harty switched to the turf for the Summer Stakes (G1) at Woodbine after drawing the rail for the Iroquois and not wanting to start from there.

"It wasn't going to teach him anything," Harty explained. "I was going to teach him to settle, so the race in Canada was plan B. He actually ran very well there." After a debut win in the mud at Ellis Park and a second-place finish in the Saratoga Special (G2), First Resort took a 2 1/2-month break from racing.

The Race at Churchill Downs

Drawn into post 8 out of nine on Saturday, First Resort broke alertly and carried leading Churchill Downs rider Luis Sáez within a length of the early lead established by Dapper Moon (21-1) through slow early fractions of 24.56 and 49.30 seconds. Lurking wide going into the second turn of the 1 1/16-mile race, Sáez called on First Resort to move to the lead, getting his head in front of fellow stalker Tiztastic (11-1) through three-quarters of a mile in 1:13.63.

"We have a lot of speed, but we were in a great spot," said Sáez, who also rode Good Cheer's win earlier. "We didn't want to go to the lead and get them chasing, so we were in a perfect spot. … It was pretty slow. We know we went pretty slow. We were waiting for the moment when everybody made their move to get going, and everything came perfect."

The Finish and Aftermath

First Resort drew away to a three-length lead through a mile in 1:36.91. Post-time favorite Jonathan’s Way (4-5), who won the Iroquois and finished seventh nearly a month ago in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile, made a late charge from mid-pack but ran out of racetrack and finished second.

"We didn't come out of there right away like I would have wanted," jockey Joel Rosario said about Jonathan’s Way. "But he ran a good race. The horse in front, he got away. Maybe it was a little slow, but he tried his best." The snow flurries were not sticking to the track, and First Resort won with a time of 1:43.01, the quickest time for a Kentucky Jockey Club since 2009.

Jonathan’s Way added five points to bring his Derby qualifying total to 15. Third-place Tiztastic earned three points, and Dapper Moon finished fourth and got two points. Render Judgment (8-1) got one point for coming in fifth. Harty and Banahan did not disclose where First Resort might go next to earn more Derby points. "I'm not going to make that decision on the spur of the moment," Harty said. "I'll speak with Michael over the next few days, and we'll come up with a game plan."