NORTH RANDALL, Ohio – Mr. Z ignored a loose horseshoe to fend off Tencendur and 2-1 favorite Divining Rod in a torrid stretch battle and win the $500,000 81st Ohio Derby on Saturday afternoon at ThistleDown Racino.

 

Only a nose and a head separated the three at the wire, leaving fans guessing until Mr. Z was posted the winner, returning $15.60, 8. and 4.20. Second-place Tencendur paid $5.40 and $3.60, a head in front of 2-1 favorite Divining Rod, who paid $2.60.

 

"Mr. Z showed a lot of heart," said jockey Joe Bravo, who was aboard the three-year-old colt for the first time. "He was running so smoothly, I didn't know there was a problem with his shoe. He put together a gutsy performance."

 

After winning the 1 1/16-mile stake, and posting his first victory of the year after knocking heads with the likes of Triple Crown winner American Pharoah in his last three straight races, Hall of Fame trainer D. Wayne Lukas had trouble getting the son of Malibu Moon to stand still for a winner's circle photograph.

 

Once Mr. Z settled down and the camera shutters finally clicked, Lukas lifted Mr. Z's left hind leg to check it for an injury. The horseshoe was still attached to Mr. Z's foot, but loosely hanging from one metal nail. Lukas pulled off the shoe with his hand and gave it to a helper.

 

Lukas was all smiles after the race, and happy he made the trip to ThistleDown to watch the colt owned by Kentucky's Calumet Farms in action.

 

"I knew Mr. Z had a good chance," said Lukas. "He's had a lot of tough races this year, but he's dead fit right now. That was a very competitive field."

 

Bravo took Mr. Z right the lead out of the starting gate, with Tencendur settling in behind him en route to a quick 23.86 quarter-mile. The field let him coast to a half-mile in 48.08, and Bravo was ready.

 

"He was so relaxed and quiet, but you can tell he's a fighter," said Bravo. "When they came after him, he wasn't going to quit. That was a gritty stretch drive."

 

Mr. Z wins Ohio Derby after thrilling stretch battle at ThistleDown Racino | cleveland.com

Never been much of a Mr. Z fan. That horse is all sorts of unpredictable.

 

While this isn't the greatest field on the planet, maybe he's turned a corner and the rest of 2015 will be really solid for him.

 

... I'm still not going to bet him against class horses anytime soon.

Never been much of a Mr. Z fan. That horse is all sorts of unpredictable.

 

While this isn't the greatest field on the planet, maybe he's turned a corner and the rest of 2015 will be really solid for him.

 

... I'm still not going to bet him against class horses anytime soon.

 

Good call. Mr. Z was beaten in the Indiana Derby Saturday night and it wasn't exactly a great field.

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