'He showed up today'; Mr. Money cashes in Pat Day Mile upset

There were hopes Mr. Money might have competed in another race on the first Saturday in May — but the Grade 3, $400,000 Pat Day Mile served as a nice consolation prize at Churchill Downs.

For trainer Bret Calhoun, jockey Gabriel Saez and Allied Racing — the same connections of Kentucky Derby contender By My Standards — Mr. Money proved much the best in the undercard feature.

"This was our Derby horse early on in the winter," Calhoun said after a 5 1/4-length score. "He kind of got off track -- got sick -- but he showed up today."

Mr Money Bags, similarly named, but a different horse, burst from the gate to set an honest pace of 22.21 and 45.42 for the opening fractions, paving the way for Mr. Money to rally. The son of Goldencents hit the wire ahead of Hog Creek Hustle and Dream Maker.

Both horses in the exacta won last fall under the Twin Spires, wintered at Fair Grounds and returned in good form again.

The final time was 1:35.21.

"Day-by-day, week-by-week he’s been coming along," Saez said. "I was just really happy with him today. I knew he was going to run a good race, and he did.”

Instagrand, the race’s even-money favorite, disappointed  when cutting back from a third-place effort in the Santa Anita Derby (G1).

“I was looking ahead and for him a little bit," Saez said of the top betting choice, "but really, I was just riding my race. I had the right horse under me and it worked out well. I was not worried about the competition today.”

Mr. Money, off at 7-1, also ran fourth at Churchill in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile at age 2. He rebounded from this season's results, a seventh in the Risen Star (G2) and fifth in the Louisiana Derby (G2), but had an excuse. He was a big short on conditioning given he scratched due to a fever from his anticipated season debut in Fair Grounds' Lecomte (G3).