Funny Duck earned his first graded stakes win over a sloppy Churchill Downs race track in the $300,000 Pat Day Mile (G3) on Kentucky Derby day.
Coming from almost last in the field of 14 after a quarter-mile, Funny Duck forged to the lead in mid-stretch and pulled away impressively to win by nearly five lengths. The winner completed the mile over the off-going in 1:37.16.
“We had a great trip. We just went out there. There was no pressure with the horse,” said winning rider Brian Hernandez, Jr. “He stumbled a bit leaving there. I think it worked to his advantage because when he got up he turned off for me. We were able to find a nice smooth rail trip and had to go around only one horse. He traveled like a winner the whole way. It was a great race for him.”
Funny Duck, owned by Calumet Farm, broke his maiden on the turf at Gulfstream Park on Feb. 11, has now earned $214,040. He was bred in Kentucky by SF Bloodstock.
