To most people, the 136th Kentucky Derby looked like utter chaos. Horses were struggling to cope with the sloppy track and getting bumped, jostled and blocked at every stage of the race.
After a fast early pace, the leaders were stopping so abruptly that they presented obstacles to all the runners behind them.
But Calvin Borel took the tumult in his stride - and so did Super Saver, the horse he rode to his third victory in the last four derbies.
Borel approached this derby, like most races, with a clarity of purpose that has helped make him America's most recognised jockey. His plan was simple: get Super Saver to the rail and stay there as long as he could. Borel's ride was the decisive element of the race; few knowledgeable observers would argue that Super Saver won because he is more talented than all of rivals.
Borel's victory was not a dramatic one like his daring, rail-skimming ride on Mine That Bird last year, or his charge from 19th place on Street Sense in 2007, because everything seemed to fall neatly into place for him this time.
Super Saver had been fortunate to draw post position four, with three relatively slow horses inside him and a battalion of speedsters to the outside. Borel made no secret of his plan; he would get his position on the rail and then let the other speed horses zip ahead of him if their jockeys were bent on going fast.
He was confident that Super Saver - who once had looked like a one-dimensional speedster, too - was tractable enough to sit behind the leaders.
He never wavered from his plan, even when the rain fell on Saturday and many observers maintained that the rail at Churchill Downs was the worst part of the track. Some jockeys said the same thing. But Borel won two races on Saturday's card before the Derby by staying on the inside, and he saw no reason to stray from his philosophy.
Conveyance shot to the lead in the Derby with Sidney's Candy pressing him. Borel positioned Super Saver on the rail, a few lengths behind the pacesetters, in perfect striking position. "I had him where I wanted," Borel said.
When the leaders collapsed, Borel went around the retreating Conveyance, moved back to the rail and passed Noble's Promise, who had briefly inherited the lead. Super Saver could not have had a cleaner trip.
Many other horses had problems. Looking At Lucky, the favourite, was bumped hard early and never got into contention thereafter. Third-place Paddy O'Prado ran into traffic in the stretch and Kent Desormeaux, his jockey, said: "If I got through, I probably would have won." But it was Jose Lezcano, who finished second on Ice Box, who had the most trouble of all.
After running next-to-last for six furlongs, the colt started to accelerate and had moved past several horses when Lezcano saw Mission Impazible directly in front of him. Mission Impazible took a stride toward the rail, and Lezcano decided to go outside.
Mission Impazible immediately moved back outside. If Lezcano had held his inside position a moment longer, he might have had a relatively clear path to victory, but with horses strung across the track in front of him, the 25-year-old's derby turned into a nightmare. When Ice Box finally had clear sailing, he outkicked everybody else. By then, it was too late.
* The Washington Post
Sarfira
Director: Sudha Kongara Prasad
Starring: Akshay Kumar, Radhika Madan, Paresh Rawal
Rating: 2/5
In numbers: PKK’s money network in Europe
Germany: PKK collectors typically bring in $18 million in cash a year – amount has trebled since 2010
Revolutionary tax: Investigators say about $2 million a year raised from ‘tax collection’ around Marseille
Extortion: Gunman convicted in 2023 of demanding $10,000 from Kurdish businessman in Stockholm
Drug trade: PKK income claimed by Turkish anti-drugs force in 2024 to be as high as $500 million a year
Denmark: PKK one of two terrorist groups along with Iranian separatists ASMLA to raise “two-digit million amounts”
Contributions: Hundreds of euros expected from typical Kurdish families and thousands from business owners
TV channel: Kurdish Roj TV accounts frozen and went bankrupt after Denmark fined it more than $1 million over PKK links in 2013
Electric scooters: some rules to remember
- Riders must be 14-years-old or over
- Wear a protective helmet
- Park the electric scooter in designated parking lots (if any)
- Do not leave electric scooter in locations that obstruct traffic or pedestrians
- Solo riders only, no passengers allowed
- Do not drive outside designated lanes
NO OTHER LAND
Director: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham, Rachel Szor, Hamdan Ballal
Stars: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham
Rating: 3.5/5
Meghan%20podcast
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Dr Afridi's warning signs of digital addiction
Spending an excessive amount of time on the phone.
Neglecting personal, social, or academic responsibilities.
Losing interest in other activities or hobbies that were once enjoyed.
Having withdrawal symptoms like feeling anxious, restless, or upset when the technology is not available.
Experiencing sleep disturbances or changes in sleep patterns.
What are the guidelines?
Under 18 months: Avoid screen time altogether, except for video chatting with family.
Aged 18-24 months: If screens are introduced, it should be high-quality content watched with a caregiver to help the child understand what they are seeing.
Aged 2-5 years: Limit to one-hour per day of high-quality programming, with co-viewing whenever possible.
Aged 6-12 years: Set consistent limits on screen time to ensure it does not interfere with sleep, physical activity, or social interactions.
Teenagers: Encourage a balanced approach – screens should not replace sleep, exercise, or face-to-face socialisation.
Source: American Paediatric Association
The%20Super%20Mario%20Bros%20Movie
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If you go
Flights
Emirates flies from Dubai to Phnom Penh with a stop in Yangon from Dh3,075, and Etihad flies from Abu Dhabi to Phnom Penh with its partner Bangkok Airlines from Dh2,763. These trips take about nine hours each and both include taxes. From there, a road transfer takes at least four hours; airlines including KC Airlines (www.kcairlines.com) offer quick connecting flights from Phnom Penh to Sihanoukville from about $100 (Dh367) return including taxes. Air Asia, Malindo Air and Malaysian Airlines fly direct from Kuala Lumpur to Sihanoukville from $54 each way. Next year, direct flights are due to launch between Bangkok and Sihanoukville, which will cut the journey time by a third.
The stay
Rooms at Alila Villas Koh Russey (www.alilahotels.com/ kohrussey) cost from $385 per night including taxes.
BORDERLANDS
Starring: Cate Blanchett, Kevin Hart, Jamie Lee Curtis
Director: Eli Roth
Rating: 0/5
The Bio
Name: Lynn Davison
Profession: History teacher at Al Yasmina Academy, Abu Dhabi
Children: She has one son, Casey, 28
Hometown: Pontefract, West Yorkshire in the UK
Favourite book: The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho
Favourite Author: CJ Sansom
Favourite holiday destination: Bali
Favourite food: A Sunday roast
If you go
The flights Etihad (www.etihad.com) and Spice Jet (www.spicejet.com) fly direct from Abu Dhabi and Dubai to Pune respectively from Dh1,000 return including taxes. Pune airport is 90 minutes away by road.
The hotels A stay at Atmantan Wellness Resort (www.atmantan.com) costs from Rs24,000 (Dh1,235) per night, including taxes, consultations, meals and a treatment package.
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The specs: Fenyr SuperSport
Price, base: Dh5.1 million
Engine: 3.8-litre twin-turbo flat-six
Transmission: Seven-speed automatic
Power: 800hp @ 7,100pm
Torque: 980Nm @ 4,000rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 13.5L / 100km
A MINECRAFT MOVIE
Director: Jared Hess
Starring: Jack Black, Jennifer Coolidge, Jason Momoa
Rating: 3/5
Living in...
This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
Ms Yang's top tips for parents new to the UAE
- Join parent networks
- Look beyond school fees
- Keep an open mind
WORLD CUP SQUAD
Dimuth Karunaratne (Captain), Angelo Mathews, Avishka Fernando, Lahiru Thirimanne, Kusal Mendis (wk), Kusal Perera (wk), Dhananjaya de Silva, Thisara Perera, Isuru Udana, Jeffrey Vandersay, Jeevan Mendis, Milinda Siriwardana, Lasith Malinga, Suranga Lakmal, Nuwan Pradeep
