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Authentic Wins the Kentucky Derby, Run Without Fans

Christian Hansen for The New York Times

LOUISVILLE, Ky. — No one really expected a horse race.

The 146th running of the Kentucky Derby was supposed to be either a coronation for a colt named Tiz the Law, who was headed for a credible Triple Crown bid, or overshadowed by protests over racism and police violence in Louisville and beyond, with the sheer anxiety over the coronavirus pandemic ever present.

Instead, Tiz the Law, a colt that became sort of a symbol for everyday folks, with his workmanlike performances in winning six of seven races in this upended Triple Crown season, was beaten by a colt named Authentic.