"He was pulling on Jose, and my horse was relaxed," Bailey said. "The key to running a mile-and-a-half is to get your horse to relax."
Midway through the final turn, when Empire Maker took control, it was clear there would be no Triple Crown winner.
Funny Cide's defeat extended the Triple Crown drought to a record 26 years. Secretariat won the in 1973, 25 years after Citation.
Empire Maker, not Funny Cide, was supposed to be the big Triple Crown threat this year. He won the Wood and took the Florida Derby by nearly 10 lengths and was the clear favorite to win the Kentucky Derby.
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