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No repeat for Rick Pitino, trainer Doug O'Neill

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Trainer Doug O'Neill came up short in his bid to defend his Kentucky Derby title. O'Neill, who won in 2012 with I'll Have Another, ended up with Goldencents finishing 17th in a 19-horse field Saturday.

Part-owner of Kentucky Derby hopeful Goldencents Rick Pitino (left) talks to jockey Kevin Krigger at Churchill Downs Wednesday, May 1, 2013, in Louisville, Ky. (Garry Jones/AP)
Part-owner of Kentucky Derby hopeful Goldencents Rick Pitino (left) talks to jockey Kevin Krigger at Churchill Downs Wednesday, May 1, 2013, in Louisville, Ky. (Garry Jones/AP)Read more

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Trainer Doug O'Neill came up short in his bid to defend his Kentucky Derby title.

O'Neill, who won in 2012 with I'll Have Another, ended up with Goldencents finishing 17th in a 19-horse field Saturday.

The run by Goldencents also ended Kevin Krigger's hope of becoming the first African American jockey to win the race in more than a century.

Krigger said Goldencents didn't have the kick to keep up with a quick field on a sloppy track.

"It just wasn't our race," Krigger said.

Louisville men's basketball coach Rick Pitino, a part-owner of Goldencents, appeared confident of keeping a winning streak alive when he stood in the paddock before the race.

But his hopes for another big win ended a month after the Cardinals won the NCAA championship.

No ring around for Rosie

Jockey Rosie Napravnik was trying to become the first female jockey to win the Kentucky Derby, but ended up fifth aboard Mylute.

Napravnik, however, wasn't disappointed. Instead, she saw a solid race by her horse.

"He really did everything very well. We were right with Orb the entire way," Napravnik said. "We followed him around into the final turn. I was really hoping to be third."

Pletcher's bad day

Despite being one of the biggest names in horse racing, Todd Pletcher has struggled at the Derby.

Pletcher is 1 for 36 with mounts in the Run to the Roses, with Revolutionary coming in third for his best finish Saturday.

Even though he saddled up a record-tying five horses, the rest of Pletcher's group finished between ninth and 13th place.

Mud in their eyes

After a day of steady rain, the showers stopped just before the call to the post. The reprieve wasn't enough to help the track at Churchill Downs. The course was graded as sloppy. Only eight of the 19 Derby runners had run on a dirt track rated worse than "fast."