American Pharoah beats Firing Line to finish line at Kentucky Derby

— -- LOUISVILLE, Ky. -- Brilliant but untested, American Pharoah was put to a fight in the Kentucky Derby and won.

Sent off as the 5-2 favorite by the record crowd of 170,513, the brown colt rallied in the stretch to beat Firing Line by a length Saturday and deliver trainer Bob Baffert's fourth Derby win and first since 2002.

"It's a fantasy moment for us," said a joyous Baffert, surrounded by his three older sons and his youngest, 10-year-old Bode, who jumped up and down and waved his arms in celebration.

Baffert also saddled third-place Dortmund, the other part of his lethal 1-2 punch in the 141st Derby. Firing Line finished second.

"We were ready to rumble," Baffert said.

Dortmund set a leisurely pace with Firing Line tracking him closely in second. American Pharoah sat comfortably in third down the backstretch.

That trio made it a three-horse race in the stretch, with none of the closers able to make up ground. American Pharoah angled outside and fought off a persistent Firing Line as Dortmund tired along the rail.

"Turning for home, I thought I got it," said jockey Victor Espinosa, who won his second consecutive Derby and third overall. "The other horse [Firing Line] was right next to me. I couldn't just blow him away.

"He's been a special horse since I first rode him," Espinoza said. "I feel like the luckiest Mexican on Earth."

Espinoza won last year after being aboard California Chrome.

American Pharoah, which ran 1 1/4 miles in 2:03.02, paid $7.80, $5.80, $4.20.

Firing Line returned $8.40 and $5.40, while Dortmund was another two lengths back in third and paid $4.20 to show.

Baffert, who tied D. Wayne Lukas and Herbert "Derby Dick" Thompson for second on the career win list, has more to look forward to as well -- if history repeats itself. All three of Baffert's Derby champions have gone on to also win the second leg of the Triple Crown at the Preakness Stakes.

However, all three -- War Emblem (2002), Real Quiet (1998) and Silver Charm (1997) -- came up short at the Belmont Stakes in their bids to win the Triple Crown.

American Pharoah, owned by Egyptian Ahmed Zayat, was coming off an eight-length victory in the Arkansas Derby. The horse had dominated his competition leading to the Derby, winning his last four races by a combined 22 1/4 lengths.

Zayat finally won the Run for the Roses after three disappointing runner-up finishes in the race with Bodemeister in 2012, Nehro in 2011 and Pioneerof the Nile in 2009.

"I'm speechless and very emotional. We've been very close," Zayat said. "This is one special horse."

Asked if it's on the Preakness in two weeks, Zayat laughed and said, "We'll see."

American Pharoah missed his first big test last year when he was scratched from the Breeders' Cup with an injury. He returned with two easy wins this year against lesser competition. Dortmund and several other Derby contenders had beaten much tougher fields, raising questions about whether American Pharoah could mix it up in a 20-horse field.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.