Super Saver benefited from a classic Calvin Borel ride to give trainer Todd Pletcher his first Kentucky Derby win at Churchill Downs on Saturday.  Saving ground along the rail, the colt passed pacemaker Conveyance (Indian Charlie) and maintained momentum in the straight to win by more than two lengths.

Super Saver (3c Maria’s Mon – Supercharger by A.P. Indy) was sent off as the 8-1 second favourites and had more than two lengths to spare from minor placegetters Ice Box (Pulpit) and Paddy O’Prado (El Prado).

The WinStar Farm homebred broke his maiden by seven lengths at Belmont Park in September.  He closed out last year with a G2 victory in the Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes at Churchill Downs and returned this term for placings in the G3 Tampa Bay Derby and G1 Arkansas Derby.

Super Saver’s share of the Kentucky Derby purse boosted his earnings to $1.82 million off a 7: 3-2-1 career card.  He became the first Kentucky Jockey Club winner to complete the Derby double since Cannonade in 1974.

He is from the second last crop of Maria’s Mon who was a 2YO Group 1 winner of the Champagne Stakes and Futurity Stakes at Belmont Park in 1995.  He missed the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile that year because of a broken ankle and was retired the following year.

Maria’s Mon (Wavering Monarch) sired 2001 Kentucky Derby winner Monarchos and a long list of stakes winners in a 10 year career at Pin Oak Stud in Kentucky.  He was put down in September 2007.

Super Saver is from the winning A.P. Indy mare Supercharger.  She has a 2YO colt named Brethren (Distorted Humor), a yearling filly by Awesome Again and a colt on the ground by by Medaglia d’Oro.

The mare is a full sister to Group winners Daydreaming, Girolamo and Accelerator plus the dam of 2006 G1 Haskell Invitational winner Bluegrass Cat (Storm Cat).  

The Kentucky Derby winner’s second dam Get Lucky (Mr. Prospector) was a G3 winner and a full sister to 1989 G1 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile winner Rhythm and successful sire Not for Love.  The former stood in NZ and among his 10 southern-hemisphere bred stakes winners was Champion mare Ethereal.