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Kentucky Derby 2013: Orb Is Good

No matter how you slice and dice the 2013 Kentucky Derby, Orb was clearly the best horse and a deserving winner.

2013 Kentucky Derby winner - Orb.
2013 Kentucky Derby winner - Orb.
Travis Lindquist

I have a longer piece over at SBNation.com breaking down parts of yesterday's Kentucky Derby, but I'll re-post two charts from that piece over here for the "short and sweet" version. Visually or on paper, Orb was simply the best colt on the track yesterday. The Trakus data from the race paints two, very clear pictures:

1) Any horse near the lead through the first half mile spit the bit badly in the final half mile (with the exception of one colt - Oxbow), and

2) Orb was miles the best.

Below are the full Trakus fractions and internal splits, along with the Trakus ground loss data:

Horse Finish 1/4 1/2 3/4 Mile Final 1/4 1/2 3/4 Mile Final
Orb 1st 23.74 47.66 71.64 96.78 122.66 23.74 23.92 23.98 25.14 25.88
Golden Soul 2nd 23.62 47.54 71.55 96.98 123.09 23.62 23.92 24.01 25.43 26.11
Revolutionary 3rd 23.93 47.77 71.81 97.20 123.29 23.93 23.84 24.04 25.39 26.09
Normandy Invasion 4th 23.33 46.27 70.31 96.02 123.32 23.33 22.94 24.04 25.71 27.30
Mylute 5th 24.02 47.82 71.63 97.17 123.35 24.02 23.80 23.81 25.54 26.18
Oxbow 6th 22.83 45.91 70.01 96.13 124.41 22.83 23.08 24.10 26.12 28.28
Lines of Battle 7th 23.52 47.38 71.54 97.39 124.69 23.52 23.86 24.16 25.85 27.30
Will Take Charge 8th 23.32 46.87 71.17 96.77 124.82 23.32 23.55 24.30 25.60 28.05
Charming Kitten 9th 23.38 46.98 70.99 97.23 125.05 23.38 23.60 24.01 26.24 27.82
Giant Finish 10th 23.18 46.49 71.00 97.52 125.08 23.18 23.31 24.51 26.52 27.56
Overanalyze 11th 23.53 47.31 71.46 97.95 125.10 23.53 23.78 24.15 26.49 27.15
Palace Malice 12th 22.57 45.26 69.58 96.25 125.11 22.57 22.69 24.32 26.67 28.86
Java's War 13th 24.57 48.08 71.84 97.69 125.40 24.57 23.51 23.76 25.85 27.71
Verrazano 14th 22.77 45.65 70.07 96.47 125.45 22.77 22.88 24.42 26.40 28.98
Itsmyluckyday 15th 22.85 46.11 70.61 97.10 126.53 22.85 23.26 24.50 26.49 29.43
Frac Daddy 16th 23.13 46.91 71.29 98.25 126.93 23.13 23.78 24.38 26.96 28.68
Goldencents 17th 22.60 45.80 70.30 97.80 131.22 22.60 23.20 24.50 27.50 33.42
Vyjack 18th 22.77 45.68 70.35 98.43 131.77 22.77 22.91 24.67 28.08 33.34
Falling Sky 19th 22.71 46.37 71.10 98.40 131.85 22.71 23.66 24.73 27.30 33.45

Horse Finish Feet +/-
Orb 1st 6,721
Golden Soul 2nd 6,641 80
Revolutionary 3rd 6,637 84
Normandy Invasion 4th 6,680 41
Mylute 5th 6,701 20
Oxbow 6th 6,645 76
Lines of Battle 7th 6,677 44
Will Take Charge 8th 6,690 31
Charming Kitten 9th 6,661 60
Giant Finish 10th 6,682 39
Overanalyze 11th 6,670 51
Palace Malice 12th 6,667 54
Java's War 13th 6,702 19
Verrazano 14th 6,690 31
Itsmyluckyday 15th 6,686 35
Frac Daddy 16th 6,733 -12
Goldencents 17th 6,672 49
Vyjack 18th 6,739 -18
Falling Sky 19th 6,706 15