1990 Kentucky Derby : ABC Broadcast

Unbridled soared past Summer Squall through the stretch to score a surprising 3 1/2-length victory today in the 116th Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs.

A race that had figured to be decided by inches ended instead with a runaway winner and a dozen lengths separating the first four finishers. Unbridled, a 10-1 shot who finished 3 3/4 lengths behind Summer Squall in the Blue Grass Stakes three weeks ago, looked much the best reversing that decision today and was increasing his winning margin with every stride to the wire.

Summer Squall finished six lengths in front of Pleasant Tap, a 40-1 shot, and it was another three lengths back to Video Ranger in fourth. Silver Ending, Killer Diller, Land Rush, Mister Frisky, Thirty Six Red, Power Lunch, Real Cash, Dr. Bobby A., Pendleton Ridge, Burnt Hills and Fighting Fantasy completed the finish in that order.

Mister Frisky, sent off as the 19-10 favorite by a small margin over Summer Squall, who was 2-1, came into the race with a record of 16 for 16, the best record in Derby history. But the popular colt, who made his first 13 starts in Puerto Rico, faded badly after seven furlongs and finished eighth, beaten by 19 1/4 lengths.

Unbridled, a son of the Mr. Prospector stallion Fappiano and the Le Fabuleux mare Gana Facil, paid $23.60 for $2 to win as the fifth betting choice and ran the mile and a quarter in a solid 2:02 under Craig Perret. The bay-colored colt, bred in Florida by Tartan Farms, is owned by Frances A. Genter, who is 92 years old and had never started a Derby horse before in more than half a century of racing. She bought Unbridled as a yearling for $70,000 from a Tartan dispersal sale in 1987. Unbridled is trained by Carl A. Nafzger, a 48-year-old former bull rider on the professional rodeo circuit.

Unbridled will now be the favorite for the Preakness Stakes at Pimlico on May 19 as he bids to become racing's first Triple Crown winner since Affirmed in 1978. The series concludes with the Belmont Stakes at Belmont Park on June 9.

http://www.nytimes.com/1990/05/06/spo...