Camelot conquers Derby, boosts Triple Crown hopes

The undefeated Camelot swept to a majestic victory in Saturday's Group 1

Derby at Epsom, giving further substance to dreams of a rare English Triple

Crown. Under a coolly confident ride by 19-year-old Joseph O'Brien, son of

trainer Aidan O'Brien, the 8-13 favorite closed from near the tail of the

small field to romp by five lengths.

Camelot made Derby history, for the O'Briens became the first father/son,

trainer/jockey duo to take the Blue Riband.

"We were afraid even to dream," Aidan O'Brien said. "No word I can say can

describe this, and there was no dream big enough."

And a potential for further history awaits the decision of Coolmore

principals Derrick Smith, Mrs. John Magnier and Michael Tabor. Will Camelot seek

the elusive Triple Crown in the Group 1 St Leger at Doncaster on September 15? If

so, he would reign as the first English Triple Crown winner since Nijinsky,

another product of Ballydoyle, who turned the classic treble for the legendary

Vincent O'Brien in 1970.

"We have to talk to Michael (Tabor) and everyone about the Triple Crown,"

John Magnier said, "but as we get older, these things become more important.

Everything is in the mix.

"If you had asked me 30 years ago, I would have looked the other way. We will

have to see what Derrick and Michael say about it."

"Nothing is ever cast in stone in racing," Tabor said, "but we made no secret

that we thought this was a very special horse.

"We have an open mind about the St Leger. We have to discuss it. It's a

high-class problem to have."

"The Triple Crown must be on the agenda now, mustn't it," said Smith, whose

colors are sported by Camelot." We may get pressurized into it but John, Michael

and I will sit down with Aidan and make the final decision.

"I was pretty confident three (furlongs) out," Smith noted. "He had a fair

bit of ground to make up, but when you see what he does at home, that wasn't

going to be a problem.

"He's got speed, stamina and a great physique -- he's just the real deal.

"I was involved in the bookmaking business, so obviously I knew favorites get

beaten, but I was very confident. The nearer we got to the race, the more

certain I was that we would win."

At Epsom, Camelot stamped his class in a much more resounding manner than in

the season's first English classic, the Group 1 Two Thousand Guineas at

Newmarket, where he had to fight for a neck verdict.

But in truth, Camelot did well to prevail that day in his seasonal

reappearance. Aside from the fact that Aidan O'Brien runners tend to need that

first run to bring them on fitness-wise, the one-mile trip of the Guineas

figured to be shorter than his optimum.

The son of the late Coolmore stallion Montjeu is bred to excel at the

European classic distance, so a step up to the Derby's 1 1/2 miles should have

suited him even better. The pedigree did not mislead.

Stablemate Astrology strode to the early lead, but was not sacrificed as a

rabbit. The winner of the Group 3 Dee Stakes last time, Astrology set a rather

even tempo while prompted by Thought Worthy. Camelot, on the other hand, was

reserved further back than expected, just one from the rear. It briefly looked

as if young Joseph might have overplayed his hand, but Camelot was far too good

to let that happen.

After the field rounded the famous Tattenham Corner, descended into the

stretch, and straightened up for home, Astrology kept going strongly. He

repelled Thought Worthy, and the logical alternatives to Camelot -- Group 2

Dante Stakes winner Bonfire and Group 3 Lingfield Derby Trial hero Main Sequence

-- weren't picking up.

Meanwhile, Camelot was still on cruise control. When his rider gave him the

first nudge, he began to advance on the far outside. A tap of the whip sent him

into another gear. Striding more purposefully than any of his rivals, he rallied

into second.

All that lay between him and glory was Astrology. Although the other

Ballydoyle runner knuckled down in a game attempt to make things interesting, he

was simply overmatched. Gaining momentum the farther he went, Camelot rolled

past Astrology and widened his triumphal progress to the wire.

The strength of Camelot's performance was underlined by his final time of

2:33 4/5 -- better than the 2:34 2/5 posted by stablemate St Nicholas Abbey in

his impressive victory in the Group 1 Coronation Cup earlier on Derby Day.

"I was pretty confident most of the way," Joseph recounted, with one notable

exception.

"I was a little bit worried because he didn't come down the hill. He didn't

handle the track that well, so he did well to win today.

"I'm not so sure that it wasn't that he didn't handle the undulations, more

just that he is still a green horse.

"That was his first time coming down a hill and round those bends, so he was

green and backing off a bit, so he will have learned a lot from today and he

quickened up well.

"I saw Astrology had gone for home, and coming into the race I thought he was

going to be one of the ones to beat. I wasn't sure he was going to come back or

not, but my horse quickened up very well."

Anne Marie O'Brien, the trainer's wife and jockey's mother, commented on her

unique experience.

"That was torture! I met Lester Piggott last weekend and he said: 'Tell

Joseph don't be in any hurry,'" she said, "and I knew when I saw him coming that

he had timed it perfectly. I am really thrilled and it's incredible."

Main Sequence got up to rob Astrology of second by a short head. Another six

lengths adrift came Thought Worthy, followed by Mickdaam, Bonfire, Minimise

Risk, Rugged Cross and Cavaleiro.

Camelot now boasts a four-for-four record. A two-length debut winner at

Leopardstown last July, he resurfaced in the Group 1 Racing Post Trophy in

October at Doncaster, bolting home by a commanding 2 1/4 lengths. His

championship form as a juvenile made him all the rage for the classics, and he has duly delivered by

turning the Guineas/Derby double.

"From day one he's been exceptional," the trainer said, "so I was really

taking it race by race rather than by trip. He was very impressive in his two

runs at two and we were over the moon with his first run this year in the

Guineas.

"Every trip he's raced over so far has been the same. He didn't look finished

at the line today and it was the same in the Guineas. He relaxes.

"When you dream about things and say to yourself, 'maybe one day dreams will

come true,' but this is one day that is beyond dreams. I couldn't even imagine

that this would ever happen. I'm not educated enough to describe how it feels."

"He must be right up there (with the best)," Magnier said. "I don't want to

say too much about him because it would sound kind of boastful, but it's there

for everybody to see.

"We are just fortunate to have anything to do with him, especially in the

year when his father died. It's particularly important."

Camelot burnished the legacy of his sire Montjeu, who is now responsible for

four of the last eight Derby winners. Motivator (2005), Authorized (2007) and

Pour Moi (2011) were his first three. Pour Moi was also owned by Coolmore, but

trained in France by Andre Fabre.

This is the first Montjeu colt to win the Derby for O'Brien. The trainer's

previous two wins came with sons of Sadler's Wells, Galileo (2001) and High

Chaparral (2002).

Bred by Sheikh Abdulla bin Isa al Khalifa in Great Britain, Camelot was

produced by Group 3 heroine Tarfah, a daughter of Kingmambo, and purchased by

the Coolmore team for $876,267 as a Tattersalls October yearling.

Camelot is crowning a fantastic season so far for Coolmore. The Irish

operation has won all four English classics, including the wins by fillies

Homecoming Queen and Was in the One Thousand Guineas and Oaks, respectively, and

also captured the Irish Two Thousand Guineas with Power.

The June 30 Irish Derby at the Curragh could be Camelot's next engagement,

according to the trainer.

"We are going through a good patch at the moment," Magnier said. "That can

happen, and it comes and goes. We just have to savor the moment."