THE 2024 FANDUEL ST. LOUIS DERBY!

ready for a start they're in the gate for the FanDuel St Louis Derby at a mile and a 16th and they're off a good even dispatch wandering away towards the inside as Cascade Cruiser and look who wants the lead Mike Smith aboard EJ W the cup going to dictate terms from the rest real men violin and close connection along with Next Level these two VI for the runner-up spot around turn number one head to the inside Fest and the me the mouth is a little bit open for King Anthony who's a bit Keen to go on and way back there nothing from Cascade Cruiser who's well back of the other four they go down towards the six fur long pull EJ won the cup Mike Smith doing it out in 24 and 35ths of a second well within this Doug O'Neal trainee back in second is real men violin on the inside rail Next Level has cover on that one and then as we go down toward the half mile pole next is King Anthony has one of them beaten in that Cascade cruiser with no Pace whatsoever they ran the half mile in 47 and four fths of a second no change to the plot it's EJ won the cup still out there by a length and a half hustled upon already as real real men violin glued to that one's every step is next level far far back a wilting King Anthony and never involved Cascade Cruiser we're down down to three EJ won the cup passes the quarter mile pole well in hand with hall Hall of Famer Mike Smith aboard who's out by two and a half making a move is real men violin it's next level back in glute second and on the lead as EJ won the cup EJ won the cup in deep stretch just a mere workout for a quar million race EJ won the cup well handled by Mike Smith will win by nine links Next Level was second then it was real and violin Cascade Cruiser belatedly and King Anthony last EJ won the cup is owned by superfecta King stable Gary Margolis Doug O'Neal Victorious trainer EJ W the cups a three-year-old Chestnut son of Omaha Beach at a firsthand report by blame bred in Kentucky by hulie Racing Stable LLC we'll head down to the winners enclosure with Victorious Ryder and Hall of Famer Mike Smith here's a Hall of Famer himself Matt carethers thank you Keith Nelson here here with Mike Smith we were chatting um a couple moments ago and I said this your first time here and he said no I was here like mid 80s when's the last time you were here probably 84 85 something like that it's been a long time uh I've changed a lot I don't know about the track but I've sure changed a lot your riding hasn't changed I think your riding is better now than than it was probably in the mid 880s one of the greatest Riders of all time um last start at Horseshoe Indian in Indiana Derby didn't break particularly well was that the the key was that your mindset going in I have to make the break it was important uh matter of fact last time out it was very very hot that day and for some reason he he just got really upset and on honestly the race was kind of over before it even ran Matt I went in the gate he was already washed out and wasn't standing well and stumbled took a lot of Kickback and it just caused him not to breathe right and so today I warned him up well just wanted to jump well and once he jumped well I I felt pretty confident that that he was going to run his race anyway you must really like this this horse I mean he's I think you've been he's raced seven times this year you've been aboard for six now four victories you went to lonar with them in one you went to Shelbyville Indiana here y all in Collinsworth Illinois I mean you must be a big fan of this horse and really see this horse just getting better well you know just getting the opportunity ride for Doug O'Neal you'll go anywhere wherever he tells you to go and and the whole connections the owners Ernie and and everybody they're wonderful friends of mine and this Colts by Omaha Beach who's one of my alltime favorites so it's important for me to stick with him and he was close to winning a grade one wasn't he had some issues at the end of the San Derby he was he could have maybe been a grade one winner he lost his shoe that day too leaving the gate so so no he's he's really a nice talented cold he'll run dirt grass long short he's really he's really handy well you haven't lost your your love for the game all smiles as you should be winning the St Louis Derby $250,000 event congratulations thank you I appreciate it Mike Smith everybody