KENTUCKY DERBY NOTES

Thunder Gulch is only the second horse in the last 18 years to win the Kentucky Derby while wearing blinkers. The other was Alysheba in 1987. . . . In the race before the Derby, Romarin beat Blues Traveller by 1 1/4 lengths in the $260,900 Early Times Turf Classic. Romarin, a shipper from Santa Anita, is trained by Richard Mandella and was ridden by Corey Nakatani. He paid $15.60. The 3-1 favorite, Hasten To Add, finished third. . . . Nakatani rode Laura’s Pistolette, a 29-1 shot, to victory in the $114,500 Humana Distaff Stakes. . . . In the $115,700 Churchill Downs Stakes, Goldseeker Bud, at 20-1, was a two-length winner. Go For Gin, last year’s Derby winner, finished third, his ninth consecutive non-winning race since the Derby victory.