The betting favorite was Private Terms, as the last flash on the betting tote board showed that Winning Colors was now just under 3.5-1 and Private Terms at 3-1. Private Terms had moved up into contention, but he was carried five horses wide into the first turn.
The Derby fans were rooting and cheering; especially the women. Fans had set a Derby record, betting $41 million on the race.
Again, Pat Day was aware Winning Colors was running too fast to survive the stretch, and he did an amazing thing, unseen in racing. He pulled Forty Niner back even more and allowed another horse to charge up inside of him and take over second place. Day had raced too many times in the Kentucky Derby to try to win now, so he had decided to save Forty Niner for when the real running began in the last quarter-mile.
Winning Colors was barreling down the backstretch now, distancing herself from the nearest males behind her by four open lengths! Forty Niner was losing ground to the other charging horses, as long shot Proper Reality also passed him on the inside. Day’s mount dropped back to fourth.
Dave Johnson called over the public address system, “Winning Colors is in front and no one has challenged her yet! She has led from the start.”
Miami and Dino noticed Forty Niner dropping back. Miami yelled, “Forty Niner is done! He spit the bit.”
The time flashed up on the screen for the half-mile: 46-and-four-fifths seconds. Extremely fast, but not insane…better.
“Stevens is rating her,” Dino yelled. There was still three-quarters-of-a-mile to run and she had to reserve her energy. Proper Reality was chasing her on the rail, moving strong. Stevens continued to sit still on Winning Colors. She was cruising fast and smooth. He sensed she was happy and was running within herself.
Stevens remembered the plan he and Lukas had made; a crazy, gutsy, unique plan—to try to steal the Kentucky Derby by winning it on the turn. Winning Colors had shown them she could run faster than the other champion 3-year-olds, and she was especially faster than them while running on the turns! This tall, leggy, athletic animal could accelerate in the turns when the other horses were spinning out and wasting energy.
In a moment that horserace fans still talk about, Winning Colors re-accelerated in the stretch turn, as if she has just broken away from the gate anew. She opened by six lengths on the 16 colts. Every woman and girl in the crowd screamed for the filly that was embarrassing the Derby colts as they entered the long, deep, tiring stretch for home.
Stevens urged Winning Colors with his arms and chirped to her in her left ear, “Let’s go, girl! Now, girl! Now, girl. Go!” This was a bold move and could backfire if she couldn’t build enough of a lead.
“She’s led from the start…every pole a winning one!” the track announcer said.
The undefeated favorite, Private Terms, now gathered himself. His jockey, Chris Antley, set him down for a charge into the stretch.
Day, on Forty Niner, had gambled. He gambled that no filly could go this fast and last, and now he asked for all Forty Niner had! His colt was seasoned and a veteran of battles against the best colts in the world. He counted on the fact that Forty Niner would respond with courage and talent.
Winning Colors was running near the rail, and running for her life. Stevens was not reserving her at all. He was stealing the race then and there as he continued to urge her forward with his hands and arms. He spoke to her in rhythm with each stride. She reached forward with her front hooves pulling forward in huge, strong strides. When she was six lengths in front, Stevens felt her become exhausted.
This moment was subtle, but even Miami, Dino, and Big Bernie, 2,000 miles away, watching on a little television monitor at an iffy, chaotic foreign racetrack, could see it. They saw a slight shortening in her stride, as she drifted toward the inner rail, skimming against the paint, allowing the closers to run the firm, outside part of the racetrack.
Stevens didn’t want her there! He wanted her out on the firm part of the track, where the closers would have to go wide and lose some ground to pursue her late. Stevens reached for his whip, took it in his left hand, and showed it to her, but did not hit her. He sensed she was still giving all she had in her body and heart. He felt Proper Reality closing ground and saw Forty Niner now flying on the outside.
Day reached for his whip with his left hand fully extended toward the sky. Whack! He hit Forty Niner hard. Again, and again, and again he tattooed Forty Niner, pausing just to show him the whip again. Under the whip’s pressure, Forty Niner passed Proper Reality and accelerated, pouring himself into the track now, making up ground with every massive stride.
Stevens went to work with his whip on Winning Colors too, but with just short bursts to her rear left hip, wanting to stop her from diving down into the rail. He could tell she was all out but wanted her to keep focused to the wire. They were 100 yards from the finish line.
The announcer screamed, “Here comes Forty Niner, 2-year-old champ from last year, putting in a bid from outside. Down the stretch they come!”
Miami, Dino, and Big Bernie had seen thousands of races in their gambling careers. They could judge that Forty Niner’s strides were making up too much ground on their dream filly. Would he catch her before she could get to the finish line wire?
With 300 feet remaining, she was still in front by three lengths, staggering toward the rail.
With 200 feet left, she was in front by one length, and Forty Niner was eating up the distance.
Winning