2001 Kentucky Derby

[Secretatiat159224]

What a call! and what race, he would have finished just behind Secretariat and just ahead of Sham! I love Durkin.

[EnFuego300]

Believe it or not, this was Durkin's first Derby call. What a great way to break in your career calling Triple Crown races. It's a shame he isn't doing it anymore.

[ghtoti]

I was 8 years old , almost 9, when this was run, and it's the first horse race I ever remember seeing. I had no idea how epic this was at the time, but now I understand and appreciate how legendary this race was. Whenever I hear "He's pulling away by 2, he's pulling away by 3!" I start to tear up. I don't know why, nothing particularly unusual about him pulling away but to to it and match the greatest ever, it was my first ever race and it just holds a special spot.

[papawx3]

No, he was not as fast as "Big Red", but he was awful close{2:2/5vs.2:4/5}. He made me a VERY HAPPY man that day anyway, sent me to the pay window for a over $600 payday! I believed in him. My dad had Point Given, my daughter had Balto Star, and my uncle had Dollar Bill.

[eckythimble]

Correction: He was as fast as NORTHERN DANCER not SECRETARIAT!

[djv2448]

@eckythimble he was faster than northern Dancer he was one of only 2 or 3 horses to break 2 minutes Northern Dancer was exactly 2 minutes

[eckythimble]

@djv2448 No-one can be sure Northern Dancer ran exactly 2:00 minutes. Back in those days times were rounded to the nearest 1/5 second. Maybe in reality Northern Dancer ran 1:59.91 seconds.

[djv2448]

@eckythimble yeah but since no one knows the exact time there is nothing to go off of except exactly 2 Minutes Monarchos definetly went under 2 minutes the only other horse confirmed to do that was Secretariat and Maybe Sham because of how close he was in that race

[eckythimble]

@djv2448 Fastest were definitely Secretariat then Sham. Monarchos under 2 minutes and ND possibly also. To say Monoarchos was definitely faster than ND remains an assumption as ND's time was rounded off.

[djv2448]

@eckythimble must suck to run under 2 minutes and be the 2nd fastest of all time but still lose

[eckythimble]

@djv2448 Sure. Sham ran both the KD and the Preakness faster than legends such as Seattle Slew, Affirmed and Spectacular Bid, with 8 length margins to 3rd place in both races. Without Secretariat's presence, Sham's jockey could have let him win by smaller margins and he wouldn't have burnt himself out during the Belmont.

[2taggs2]

#1 Songandaprayer finished 13th -- I just don't understand the logic of going that fast that early with that many horses...

[dunsta69]

I can't see them getting anywhere near this time in the near future. What chance have they ever got of getting near Secretariat's time? Zilch

[dravenousone]

R.I.P Invisible Ink.. (2nd place finisher)... What you acheived in your short life was nothing less than amazing.

[DickPoleman]

the most exciting 2 minutes n sports...

[whorebucks]

well, not as fast as secretariat.

[Moose225777]

Gotta love that call by Durkin.

[bnegs521]

The track was the fastest it had ever been on this day. Which led to these crazy fractions fractions and times. 44 and change half mile. Are you freakin kidding me?? The fractions were so fast. Point Given was too close and this race cost him the Triple Crown. Invisible Ink came off the brink of death literally to have a huge effort here as a long shot. Buttermilk saved his life. So many storylines, a great race and Point Given would dominate the rest of the Triple crown season though.

[davidscott001]

Best Derby in the last 10 years or so. Even after having watched this clip 100 times over the past 10 years I still get thrill watching Monarchos performance...and what a call by Durkin!

[Beckitty4]

An amazing performance! Get well soon, Monarchos!

[Perfect1Mr]

OMG Durkin is just red hot - and what a great race for him to call.....

[LucyLovettLestrange]

Remembered watching this on the T.V. at my local gym.

[DeGarmo2]

I rarely bet on horses, but once in a while I'll buy a 'tip' and pound it. I did so on this day and it was the only horse race I've ever won. I remember that day, I just got out of work and turned on the radio... Hearing "Here comes Monarchos under a heavy drive... HERE COMES MONARCHOS! He's pulling away by 2.. He's pulling away by 3" was awesome. Watching this clip brings me back to it. Best bet I ever won easily.

Sad, I was gonna buy the tip this year and chose not to. The tip was right. =\

[jetfan7]

"He was as fast as Secretariat."  This is my favorite race to hear commentary on other then the triple crown winners.

[DickPoleman]

The announcer's name is Tom Durkin and he puts you right in the saddle with his race calls...he is the very best. This was a great race...agreed - it did have some of the best names ever,

[Pacbasina]

I was in the Churchill Downs infield for this race - what a day to remember. Mint Juleps flowing, hot & humid weather, and everything you could ever imagine at a horse race. Then a race broke out. I didn't think my horse, Monarchos, would have enough against this field, but the Florida Derby gave me hope. Thank God for Song and a Prayer & the hot weather. WOW! Still watching this video 9 years later.

[peteboy1113]

boy can this guy call a race. i love it, the crowd and him. whats his name.

[dustywhipp5]

The horses in this derby had the best names EVER! Such a great race this was.

[Letswinjeff]

yah but a secretariat he will never be!!

[LaramieTrail]

This is a classic example of a horse peaking to run his best race in the derby. He was featured in A Horse of Different Color, written by his breeder, Jim Squires/ His best offspring to date is the 09 Breeders Cup sprint winner Informed Decision. Yet he is bred to produce winners at classic distances. A striking grey he is almost white now.. Hope he builds on his stud record and gets some more big horses.

[bigfred3217]

terrible example.....this is classic example on why a horse with no early speed and needs pace to set up his run..he didnt have pace and he isnt a horse that liked pimlicos speed favoring tight turn track belmont he was too far back and again had no pace.......

[gunloc26]

I LOVE THAT FREAKING HORSE...he won me a lot of beer money that day...great, great performance! Monarchos looked brilliant that day! And I'm SURE he's enjoying his new career as a stud...must be such HARD work!!!

[sully6172]

Insane Splits. Just blazing, brutally fast, on a track that was hard and fast as an indoor track and field tarmac. Monarchos showed tremendous turn of foot down that stretch.

[SpartanDoyle]

That's a phenomenal call by Durkin!

"Pent up power of Point Given!"

George Chavez gets busy on Monarchos..."

"Point Given not today!"

[bnegs521]

@SpartanDoyle That was a great call by Durkin. he has had plenty of bad ones and still does not understand pace in a race to this day but I will give him this one. Good call.

[brianclough]

Solid win

[taylorluvshorses16]

incredible!

[LiNdSeYmOgG]

It is like the same every year just a different horse winning right??

[pincay05]

tom durkin call the race right this derby will go down in histoy one of the fastest race in 28 years

[Frank4268]

The announcer sounded like he was on the verge of ejaculating. How ridiculous! It's "only a dang horse race,"--albeit the Kentucky Derby--but nevertheless, still ONLY a horse race!!

[bsd987]

The fact that Durkin did not know Secretariat's time or Dr. Fager's mile time is embarrassing.

[jhordanian]

Yes about Secretariat's time. But Durkin didn't mention the mile fraction during this call, and Dr Fager didn't run in the Derby.

[bsd987]

the Dr. Fager reference was to a race at Belmont a few years ago where a horse tied Dr. Fager's legendary one mile world record. Durkin mentioned it as a track record, despite it having been probably the third most famous record in America (behind of course Secretariat all-surface at 1 1/2 and of course the Derby 1 1/4 of Secretariat).

And Durkin said the fractions in this race: "The final time was 1 minute 59 and 4/5 seconds. He was as fast as Secretariat." Even Durkin has admitted he blew it.

[danagates]

GREATEST RACE OF ALL-TIME