American-bred Shahrastani Wins 207th Epsom Derby

EPSOM, England —  American-bred Shahrastani, ridden by Walter Swinburn, won the 207th Epsom Derby Wednesday, staving off a late bid by favored Dancing Brave in the final furlong.

Shahrastani, owned by the Aga Khan and trained by Michael Stoute, was timed in 2:37.13 and earned a purse of $359,890 in the 1 1/2-mile English Classic.

Dancing Brave, another U.S.-bred horse, made a gallant effort down the stretch but just failed to overhaul the winner. Dancing Brave, ridden by Greville Starkey, is owned by Saudi Arabian Prince Khalid Abdulla and trained by Guy Harwood.

Third was Mashkour, ridden by American Steve Cauthen, the winning jockey in last year’s Epsom Derby. Mashkour is owned by Omani Prince Ahmed Salman and trained by Henry Cecil.

Fourth was Faraway Dancer, ridden by Willie Ryan. Faraway Dancer is owned by Peter Burrell and also trained by Cecil. Both Mashkour and Faraway Dancer are also American-bred.

Bold Arrangement, a British horse ridden by Chris McCarron, finished 14th. Bold Arrangement finished second in the May 3 Kentucky Derby.

Dancing Brave’s price came down from 3-1 to a 2-1 clear favorite overnight.

Shahrastani went off at odds of 11-2, and Mashkour was backed down to 12-1.

Starkey, 46, kept favored Dancing Brave in the back of the field while Nomrood and Nisnas set the pace in the richest-ever Derby. The colt still was among the trailers when the leaders reached Tattenham Corner.

Dancing Brave was 15 lengths off the pace when Swinburn began his final surge with Shahrastani just 2 1/2 furlongs from the finish. Then Starkey pulled the favorite wide before launching a charge that just failed.